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MTRCB’s goal: build a culture promotive of human dignity

MTRCB Chair Eugenio Villareal in a dialogue with TV5
MTRCB Chair Eugenio Villareal in a dialogue with TV5
On July 17, the Movie and Television Review Classification Board will conduct a Child and Family Summit at Balay Kalinaw at the University of the Philippines, Diliman.

Participants will be parents and other family members including kasambahays. A workshop will be held and the output will be presented to networks and movie and TV producers.

This activity is in line with the pro-active role that the current MTRCB leadership is undertaking. It actually started under the term of now Senator-elect Grace Poe which Chairman Eugenio “Toto” Villareal is continuing.

Does MTRCB have a say on pay-per-view?

MTRCB Chair Eugenio Villareal
MTRCB Chair Eugenio Villareal
The subject is still under discussion, says Chairman Eugenio “Toto” Villareal of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board.

The issue’s relevance has become urgent with the controversy caused by comedian Vice Ganda (who should appropriately be called Vice Vulgar), whose May 17 concert was made available to TV cable subscribers through pay-per-view.
In that concert, Vice Vulgar made tasteless jokes on Soho’s weight and said that if she were a boldstar, it would have to be gang rape.

Villareal said late last year, long before the Vice Vulgar’s offensive joke on respected broadcaster Jessica Soho, he met with officials of cable companies. They were asked to submit their inputs to help guide the government agency on whatever decision or regulation they will release. “We want to come out with something that is fair for the audience and fair for media,” he said.

Domingo Lee would make good as Pnoy’s emissary to Taiwan

Domingo Lee at the Senate hearing.
Domingo Lee at the Senate hearing.
There’s one man that would be perfect to be President Aquino’s personal emissary to Taiwan to help smoothen relations strained by the killing by the members of the Philippine Coast Guard of a Taiwanese fisherman almost a month ago: Domingo Lee.

Domingo Lee, to those who have forgotten who he is, was Aquino’s choice as ambassador to China after Gloria Arroyo’s appointed ambassador who was extended by Aquino, Francisco Benedicto, was recalled.

Lee’s primary qualification for one of the most important diplomatic positions was, he was a family friend of the Aquinos. Despite his embarrassing interviews with the Commission on Appointment, Aquino was determined to send him to Beijing.
Until the Scarborough (also known as Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag) standoff happened in April 2012. Lee, himself, asked Aquino that his appointment be recalled.

Homecoming ballet stars in Ballet Manila’s gala

By Ellen Tordesillas, VERA Files

There’s no sweeter applause than the ones coming from the hometown audience.

For the audience, there are no stars who shine brighter than those from home.

On Saturday, dance enthusiasts will have a rare treat of Filipino dance artists who are shining in the world stage perform together. Ballet Manila’s Lisa Macuja-Elizalde gathered at least seven multi-awarded Filipino dancers with different ballet companies overseas for a one-night gala concert.

Reynaldo Momay, Vice Vulgar

Momay's ID
Momay’s ID
“It took our family 32 months of waiting before the court has officially recognized my father as the 58th victim of the gruesome killing and 42 months before the arraignment of suspects took place,” wrote Ma Reynafe Momay Castillo in her Facebook page.

It’s a bit strange to feel thankful to get confirmation that your father was one of those murdered but it’s definitely a step forward in the search for justice for the victims of the most gruesome crimes that this country has experienced.

Ma. Reynafe’s father was photojournalist Reynaldo “Bebot” Momay. He was included in the list of victims of the Nov. 23, 2009 Maguindanao massacre only last year (July 2, 2012) because his body was never found.

Failure of intelligence

Thanks to Inquirer for this photo.
Thanks to Inquirer for this photo.

We condole with the family of the seven Marines who were killed in Patikul, Sulu last Saturday and those of the eight policemen who were killed by a landmine allegedly planted by the New People’s Army in Allacapan, Cagayan Monday.

The police officers killed were Police Officers 2 Dexter Cubilla, Angelbert Mateo, Elmark Rodney Pinated, Jonnel Bowat and Ronald Castulo, Police Officers 1 Erick Brioso and Jerome Sanchez and PO3 Vladimir Tabarejo.

In the Patikul incident, the fatalities were Second Lieutenant Alfredo Lorin VI, Private First Class Jay Alasian, Private First Class Jayson Durante, Private First Class Andres Bogwana, Private First Class Rene Gare, Private First Class Roxan Pizarro, and Private First Class Dominador Sabejon, Jr.

Justice Carpio: appeal to world opinion vs Chinese defiance of the rule of law

BRP Sierra Madre stuck in Ayungin Shoal, 25 miles from Mischief Reef occupied by the Chinese.
BRP Sierra Madre stuck in Ayungin Shoal, 25 miles from Mischief Reef occupied by the Chinese.
Here we go again. This time it’s over Ayungin Reef (Ren’ai Reef to the Chinese.)

The Philippine Navy reported sightings of Chinese ships in the vicinity of Ayungin shoal as early as first week of May, the last stretch of the May 13 elections, and before the May 9 incident in Balintang Channel where the Philippine Coast Guard fired upon a Taiwanese fishing vessel and killed one of the fishermen.

The Department of Foreign Affairs filed a diplomatic protest on Chinese presence near Ayungin shoal May 10.

DFA Spokesman Raul Hernandez said in their protest, they cited “the provocative and illegal presence of the Chinese government ships around Ayungin Shoal.”

Mother Lily, Trillanes at Magdalo

Sen. Sonny Trillanes and wife, Arlene with Mother Lily.
Sen. Sonny Trillanes and wife, Arlene with Mother Lily.

Nakakatuwa si Mother Lily Monteverde sa kanyang “thank you lunch” noong Biyernes para kay Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV at sa Magdalo partylist at ang kanilang dalawang nominees na magiging miyembro na ng Kongreso: dating Marine Capt. Gary Alejano at Air Force Lieutenant Francisco Ashley Acedillo.

Si Trillanes kasi ang isa sa ilang kandidato para senador na inindorso ni Mother Lily. Kasama sa kanyang inindorso ang tatlong topnotchers na si Grace Poe, Loren Legarda, Alan Cayetano at Chiz Escudero.

Sabi ni Mother Lily, “Alam nyo ba kung bakit naka-mini skirt ako?” At talaga naman blooming si Mother na kamakalian lang ay napabalitang lumalaban sa lung cancer.

JDV’s global rainbow coalition

JDV at Makassar conference
JDV at Makassar conference
Just because he no longer bangs the gavel in the House of Representatives, it doesn’t mean that former House Speaker Jose de Venecia has stopped doing what he does best: gathering people of different political colors and persuasions for a common cause.

He is still into forming rainbow coalitions. This time, on the global stage.

JDV and a group of statesmen from Asia, Latin America and South Africa formed the Centrist Asia Pacific Democrats International (CAPDI) which is designed, in his own words, “to primarily bridge the classical gap between orthodox political parties and civil society groups working for peace, reform and development in Asia’s emerging democracies.”

CAPDI, he said in a speech during the 2nd General Assembly in the port city of Makassar in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, “is perhaps the only organization in the Asia Pacific which brings together political parties and civil society under one roof in a common house.”