Tag Archives: Philippines

Arts, Economy, Festivals, Film and TV, International, Politics, The Media

PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT AQUINO’S APPROVAL RATING NOW AT RECORD-BREAKING 99 PERCENT

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imageManila, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Filipinos’ lovefest with movies, actors and film awards is no secret. From politics to gossip columns, actors have a special place in everyone’s heart. Actors become politicians. Politicians turn into great actors.

A new nationwide poll shows that Philippine President NoyNoy Aquino’s approval rating has gone up in just the last week to an unprecedented 99 percent, the highest ever rating for any president anywhere in the world.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda attributed the sudden jump in Aquino’s rating to the release of film trailers and posters of a new film featuring the president and his embattled Budget Secretary Florencio Abad. The 3-D film is co-produced by the Presidential Communications Group and the Office of Budget and Management.

The Aquino administration is in the middle of a big controversy regarding its use of  the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) or non-discretionary funds for questionable projects. The Philippine Supreme Court recently ruled that Aquino’s actions were unconstitutional. Abad tendered his resignation as a result of the controversy , but Aquino stood by his man and refused to accept the resignation.

The new film, “Himala” (Miracle), is about the hocus pocus that both men engaged in with regards to the discretionary funds. It is a true-to-life story about the bond that exists between employer and employee.  Critics were unanimous in predicting that the film will win the major awards in the  ongoing Kasinungalingan Film Festival in Metro Manila.  Both Aquino and Abad are contenders for the best actor award.

Ironically, “Himala” is also the title of a previous award-winning film starring Nora Aunor whose nomination for the honor of National Artist was snubbed by Aquino.

 

 

Business, Economy, Food, International

PHILIPPINE VEGETABLE SHORTAGE SOLVED, THANKS TO THE U.S.

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imageManila, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Uncle Sam once again came to the rescue of its former colony, the Philippines –or is it the other way around?

The Philippine government has just lifted the ban on the importation of fresh vegetables from the United States. This, according to President NoyNoy Aquino, will solve the vegetable shortage currently being experienced by his country. “Our agricultural lands are just not producing enough vegetable supplies needed by our country,” Aquino said, “so we thought it necessary to spend millions of dollars to bring in fresh vegetables from the U.S., rather than support and subsidize our local farmers. ‘Imported vegetables’sound more appealing and appetizing.”

Newly-appointed agriculture Francis Pangilinan echoed his boss’ sentiment by teling reporters that “spinach (from the U.S.) sounds more sexy than the local kangkong.” 

In response to a reporter’s question on what vegetables the Philippines will be importing from the U.S., Aquino suddenly burst into song, singing a verse from a famous traditional Filipino folk song:

“Bahay kubo (Nipa hut)  kahit munti (small as it may be). Ang halaman doon ay sari-sari (Plants there are varied). Singkamas (turnips) at talong (eggplant), sigarilyas (winged bean) at mani (peanut), sitaw (green long beans), bataw (hyacinth bean),  patani (lima beans).”

Meanwhile, Filipino Americans have complained that they are not able to procure many Filipino vevegtables in the U.S., especially those needed to cook pinakbet, a vegetable recipe akin to the French ratatouille.  “So now, with the U.S. exporting its vegetables, it will even be harder for me to find my veggies here,” says Alejandra Talong of Daly City, California.

 

 

Health & Medicine, Human Interest, International, Law Enforcement, Politics, Technology, The Media

PHILIPPINES TO IMPORT 24K GOLD WHEELCHAIRS FOR ITS HIGH-PROFILE JAIL INMATES

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lady_gagas_gold_wheelchair_p12l7Manila, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – First, it was designer jail cells, now it’s gold wheelchairs. The Philippine government can’t seem to settle down on how to treat its high-profile inmates, namely, ex-presidents, senators and wealthy business persons charged and detained for crimes ranging from plunder to graft & corruption.

There appears to be a consistent pattern in which famous inmates — from former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Bong Revilla, Jr. to  businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles — suddenly become ill upon their arrest, requiring them to be hospitalized and treated for their ailment. Arroyo is under hospital arrest for corruption and plunder while she was in office, while Enrile, Revilla and Napoles have all been named in the pork barrel scandal currently being prosecuted by the Philippine Ombudsman. Also arrested in the pork barrel scam was Gigi Reyes, Enrile’s former chief of staff.  Reyes immediately fell ill after her arrest and was transferred to a local hospital.

To cope with the increasing need for mobility among these famous inmates, the government of President NoyNoy Aquino has entered into an import agreement with a foreign manufacturer of wheelchairs.  Not just ordinary wheelchairs, but gold wheelchairs.

The 24-karat-gold wheelchairs were designed by Ken Borochov (see photo), the same artist who designed the gold wheelchair of Lady Gaga when the famous singer had a hip surgery earlier this year.  Borochov says that  1.5 ounces of gold were plated on each chair and that his idea was to make them look like thrones. Certainly fit for queens, divas and privileged politicians.

The wheelchairs will be paid for from left over pork barrel funds now in the custody of Malacanang, the presidential palace.