Tag Archives: President NoyNoy Aquino

PHILIPPINE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE PLACED UNDER QUARANTINE

August 28, 2014 Pol Pinoy 2 Comments

Manila, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – The Philippine Department of Health has placed Malacañang, the presidential palace, under quarantine after President Aquino and his staff suddenly started becoming ill.

First, it was presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda, then Aquino, then media relations undersecretary Rey Marfil. Soon, most other staff person at the palace complained about being sick.

Department of Health Secretary Dr. Enrique Ona said that all their symptoms follow the same pattern. First, they start sneezing then coughing. “It’s definitely more than just the ordinary flu,” Ona said. “We had no choice but to quarantine all the occupants of the palace in the interest of public health and safety.”

Aquino and his staff began exhibiting symptoms right after they were challenged to douse themselves with a bucket of ice as part of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. “It’s better for us to err on the side of extreme caution and not accept the challenge,” Aquino said. He didn’t say whether he and his staff were donating instead.

The Philippine government has asked the help of the World Health Organization (WHO) to help contain what seems to be a serious epidemic in Malacañang.

Economy, Politics

PRESIDENT AQUINO TO POLITICIANS: CAMPAIGNING FOR 2016 CAN WAIT TILL AFTER CHA-CHA

August 19, 2014 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

Manila, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – President Aquino on Monday criticized the politicians who are already gearing up for the 2016 Philippine presidential elections.

In his speech during the inauguration of a bridge and a connecting road network in Cagayan province, Aquino said talks on the next elections can wait. He said politicians should right now focus on solving the problems of the country.

Among the politicians who have been talking with the media about the 2016 polls lately was Vice President Jejomar Binay, the front-runner in the presidential surveys.

In an interview with The Adobo Chronicles, Aquino said that Binay and other presidential aspirants should at least wait until a constitutional convention is held to amend the law to allow the president to have a second six-year term.

Under the current constitution, the president is limited to one, six-year term which expires in 2016.

Aquino’s allies in Congress have been pushing to convene a constitutional convention, more popularly known in the country as Cha-Cha, to amend the law and allow Aquino to stay on as president beyond 2016. Aquino seems to be warming up to the idea.

“If the campaigning starts now, it seems I will be at a disadvantage. Let’s wait until after the constitution is amended to allow me to run for another term,” Aquino said.”It’s a matter of fairness,” he added.

International, Law Enforcement, Music, Politics

CHA CHA MAKES A BIG COME BACK IN PHILIPPINES’ DANCE SCENE

August 14, 2014 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

Manila, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Not since the Macarena craze in 1996 has a dance form made a big splash in the Philippines. It’s a big come back never before seen on the dance floor.

Cha cha is, of course, a dance that first became popular in the 1950s. It is derived from two other dances, the Latin Mambo and the Swing. It is a favorite category in ballroom dancing as well as in the popular American reality television show, “Dancing With The Stars.”

In recent weeks, Filipinos — baby boomers and millennials alike — have been packing dance studios and night clubs to practice or showcase their ‘1-2-3-4 and 1’ steps, and DJs are dusting their old vinyl records to replace their hip hop CDs.

Many believe that the big come back was prompted by recent clamor from supporters of President NoyNoy Aquino for him to run for a second term. The constitution limits the presidential term to six years, without the possibility of re-election. Aquino’s term ends in 2016. His allies in Congress have suggested a constitutional convention to amend the fundamental law of the land and allow for a second term for the president. In the Philippines, a constitutional convention is more popularly know as “Cha Cha.”

Aquino’s Interior Minister Mar Roxas is leading the clamor to convene a new Cha Cha to allow the President to stay in power. Ironically, Roxas, in 2008, was a harsh critic of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who wanted to convene a Cha Cha to allow her to run for another term.

In the beginning, Aquino had said that a Cha Cha just to extend his current term is out of the question, but he is now warming up to the idea as he faces the remaining year and a half of his residence at the presidential palace. “I’ve come to enjoy living here,” he told reporters. “I wouldn’t mind another six years or more.”