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Man in G-string stopped from Clinton lecture

By Vincent Cabreza
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Rep. Baguilat, one of the more progressive public officials, is offended.
BAGUIO CITY—A teenager from Sagada town, Mountain Province almost did not get a return for the “good money” that was paid to listen to former United States President Bill Clinton’s lecture at the Manila Hotel on “our common humanity” because he was wearing an Igorot G-string.

Moshe Dacmeg, 19, was almost thrown out of the hotel’s conference hall on Wednesday by an unidentified American and two hotel employees who regarded his Kankanaey G-string attire as inappropriate.

Dacleg is an aide of Vladimir Cayabas, administrator of the Baguio-based National Institute of Information Technology (NIIT), who spent P6,000 to bring the boy and a friend to the lecture.

From China, Ifugao Rep. Teodoro Baguilat Jr. told the Inquirer he was offended by the report.

“Diplomats who come to the Philippines should be educated about cultural sensibilities. A man in a G-string is not a terrorist but an honorable man,” said Baguilat, who chairs the House committee on indigenous cultural communities.

Cayabas, a Kankanaey from Mountain Province, had attended formal events in Baguio and the Cordillera wearing a G-string. But for the Clinton lecture, he wore a Cordillera-inspired Barong Tagalog. His female companion was in a Kankanaey “tapis” (skirt).

Clinton aide shouts at VP Binay, apologizes

By Sheryll Mundo, ABS-CBN News

A female staff from the Clinton Foundation shouted at Vice-President Jejomar Binay and asked him to leave a VIP area where former US President Bill Clinton was staying before his speech at the Manila Hotel.

Binay said he was shooed away by the staff from the VIP holding area where Clinton would wait before speaking at the Manila Hotel forum entitled “Embracing Our Common Humanity.”

“Sabi ko lang (I said) you’re ordering us to leave the room, but don’t shout. You know I happen to be the Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines,” the vice president recounted saying to the female staff.

Binay said that he obediently exited the VIP room and that the female staff immediately apologized to him.

“Sabi ko OK lang. Kailangan titindig tayo at punahin iyon (I told her it was OK. We should stand up and call their attention to their mistakes also),” the vice president added.

Shalani shines in primetime battle

Which early evening show did you watch last Monday?

A demure presence in a hyper show
Although there’s GMA-7’s “24 Oras”, the question refers to last Monday night’s battle royale between ABS-CBN’s TV Patrol and ABC-5’s Willing Willie.

Last Monday’s episode of TV Patrol marked the returned of Noli de Castro and Korina Sanchez-Roxas to the prime time news cast. Over at TV-5, it was the debut of Valenzuela councilor Shalani Soledad as co-host of Willie Revillame.

TV Patrol features an ex-vice president, an ex-congressman and wife of an ex-senator. Last Monday’s contest was also dubbed as the battle between ex-future first ladies. If you have no idea why “ex-future first ladies”, I suggest you click to goggle.

TV 5 claimed according to Nielsen, the firm that tracks TV viewership, Willing Willie trounced TV patrol with 11.6 percent share of the audience tying with GMA-7 24 Oras. TV Patrol got 10.7% of early evening audience.

That’s believable because I asked five of my friends what they watched last Monday and all of them answered: Shalani.

Aquino’s problem with Robredo

(The photos posted here were sent to me by someone who was on the scene during the Aug. 23 hostage taking tragedy. It shows Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo on the scene although he was “out of the loop”. He was with Chinese Embassy representatives, Bai Tian, spokesperson and Li Qinfeng, in a light shirt, consul General.)

President Aquino made a hasty turn- around after he announced in a live TV interview Thursday that he was transferring Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo to the still to be created Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor.

He has to have a scapegoat and the most convenient for him now is media. He said media misunderstood what he said to Ted Failon. ““Mali ang pagkakaintindi,” he said.

Failon asked him what happens now to the three cabinet members who are in “acting” capacity since Congress will be resuming session soon and the Commission on Appointments would be able to deliberate on his appointees. This was his answer : “Sa DILG naman po, baka imando natin sa iba pang ahensya kung saka-sakali. Wala pa pong planong maliwanag. Si Sec. Robredo maganda po ang ginagawang trabaho ngayon pero meron po tayong gustong i-fast track na mga programa tulad sa informal settlers na talagang expertise ho niya.So baka magtayo tayo ng bagong grupo na talagang tutulong sa Presidential Commission on the Urban Poor at mga shelter agencies natin na mas focused and mas realizeable tulad noong sa Lupang Arenda, daang libo ang nasa danger.”

Ang tunay na rason sa pagkakabahala ni Aquino

Kaya naman pala inis na inis si Pangulong Aquino sa travel advisories ng limang bansa na iwasan ang Pilipinas dahil sa banta daw ng mga terorista. Umiiyak na raw ang mga Philippine tour operators sa mga kanselasyon ng package tours galing Hongkong at China, tapos dadagdagan pa nitong travel advisories, talaga ngang nakakabahala.

Kaya lang sa halip na mainis sa ibang bansa na nagpu-protekta lang ng kanilang mamamayan, dapat ayusin natin ang pamalakad dito sa atin at iyan ay dapat manggagaling kay Aquino. Ang problema lang hindi nakakabigay ng kumpyansa ang kanyang mga aksyun at sinasabi.

(Click here for the interview of Aquino by Ted Failon on terror threat: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/video/nation/11/04/10/terror-report-raw-unverified-noynoy-1-1-ted#ooid=hvMXhzMTrHxTB7iLpEMl4REPPznJGFEb)

Ang bansang United States, Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand at France ay nagpalabas ng babala sa kanilang mga mamamayan na iwasan ang ilang bansa na may impormasyon silang baka umatake ang mga terorista. Isa sa kanilang listahan ay ang Pilipinas.

Mahirap maintindihan

Sabi ni Pangulong Aquino “taken out of context” daw siya sa sinabi niyang aalisin na si Secretary Jesse Robredo sa Department of Local Government at ilipat sa isang presidential commission para sa mga mahihirap sa lungsod na kanyang itatayo pa lang.

Kapag sinabi mong “taken out of context”, maaaring hindi ka naintindihan ng reporter, or nag-sensationalize ang reporter. Ibig sabihin nun, kasalanan ng media.

Napanood ko ang interview na ‘yun ni Ted Failon sa TV Patrol kay Aquino noong Huwebes ng gabi. Tinanong siya tungkol sa kanyang mga miyembro ng cabinet na kanyang isusumite sa Commission on Appointments dahil mag-kakaroon na ulit ng sesyun.

(Click here (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/video/nation/11/04/10/robredo-paje-will-remain-acting-secretaries#ooid=EyOXhzMTpCpQqBRBayqrfp6jbEvV0RS0) for the news report that included the Failon’s interview with Aquino.)

Nai-report na kasi dati na tatlong miyembro ng kanyang cabinet ay “acting” at hindi isusumite ang mga pangalan sa CA: sina Robredo, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz at Environment Secretary Ramon Paje.

Ella in Manila

Ella del Rosario who enthralled us with such mega hits “Pers lab” and “Mr. Disco” in the 70’s with the iconic Hotdog Band will be in Manila in December. Don’t miss her homecoming concerts Dec. 14 – Strumms; Dec. 16 & 17 – Music Museum

An event to look forward to in December
Maria Angela Rafaela Manzano del Rosario or Ella, for short, started singing at age 3 accompanied on the piano by her dad who played the keyboards – lounge-style.

She honed this talent in singing shows and programs during her elementary and high school years at Assumption Convent.
While performing with a high school garage band in 1974, Ella was discovered by Dennis Garcia – leader of then newly formed Hotdog band – and invited her to be the frontline female singer of the group. This move established a major milestone in Pilipino music because, back then, convent girls wouldn’t be caught listening to (and God forbid – singing) Tagalog songs. (Tunes in the vernacular were considered “bakyang-bakya”.)

But the taboo didn’t deter Ella. Her first single with Hotdog – “Pers Lab” – was one of two Hotdog songs that cemented the emergence of the “Manila Sound” – and the unexpected appreciation of original Pilipino music by local music lovers from the entire spectrum of Philippine society.

In 1976, Ella decided to go solo and her first single was produced by Dennis Garcia – “O Lumapit Ka”… also a huge hit.
This was followed by several more popular songs like “Mr. Disco”, “Meron Na Bang Iba?”, “Shake It, Baby”, “Pabulong” and more.

Ella graduated summa cum laude from Maryknoll… packed her bags 22 years ago… and left for America – without saying goodbye.

Weder-weder lang

Update from GMA News: Nilo has left for Australia

Dr. Prisco Nilo, the former weather bureau chief disgraced by President Aquino, has been reported to have availed of early retirement.

The ABS-CBN report said quoted Agham party-list Rep. Angelo Palmones as saying that Nilo’s early retirement has something to do with his lack of Career Executive Service Officer (CESO) eligibility.

Under Aquino’s Memorandum Circular No. “2. All non-Career Executive Service Officials (non-CESO) occupying Career Executive Service (CES) positions in all agencies of the Executive Branch shall remain in office and continue to perform their duties and discharge their responsibilities until October 31, 2010 or until their resignations have been accepted and/or until their respective replacements have been appointed or designated, whichever comes first, unless they are re-appointed in the meantime. “