Igado Recipe

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 lb pork shoulder, cut into thin slices 
• 1/4lb pork liver, cut thin slices 
• 1 pork heart or kidney, cut thin slices 
• 2-3 hot pepper (optional) 
• a green pepper 
• 1 red pepper, sliced 
• 4 garlic, minced 
• 1 medium onion, chopped 
• Marinade: 
• 3 tbsp soy sauce 
• 1 tbsp vinegar 
• 1 tsp ground black pepper 

Procedures: 
Marinate pork in the marinade mixture for an hour or so. Saute garlic,onion,and pork and kidney . Add the marinade and simmer for an hour in low heat. Stir occasionally. Add a little water if it dries up. Add liver, red and green pepper and ..correct seasoning. Igado taste so much better without ginger. Serve with white rice.

Mayor Lim & VM Isko Moreno on dispute

The order from the Commission on Audit or COA caused the rift between incumbents Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and Vice-Mayor Isko Moreno. There was a memorandum issued by the city auditor stating that the city government is 45% above the employee ceiling. Lim trimmed down his employees to comply with the 3-day deadline but Moreno failed to follow the directive, Lim said. Also, there were claims of unpaid salaries due to failure of submitting their personal data sheets but alleged as “ghost employees.”

There will be a possibility of Lim vs. Estrada on the coming 2013 elections. Earlier news revealed that Moreno joined Estrada’s Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino. It said that Estrada is eyeing Moreno to be his running mate.

Isko Moreno, 28 councilors file complaint vs Lim
Isko, Manila councilors file complaint vs Lim
Lim vs Erap poll war worries Comelec
Lim threatens to 'tell truth' about Erap

 

Paparazzi dispute heats up

A mother will always be a mother. Annabelle Rama warned “Paparazzi” host Cristy Fermin to keep quiet on the issue involving her daughter Ruffa Gutierrez happened in her birthday celebration on the said show. Fermin claimed that Ruffa was briefed by the staff on the interview segment “Bulong ng Palad.” On the other hand, Rama claimed that there will be questions but not to that extent.

Due to that, Rama confirmed that her daughter will not anymore appear on the said show but she will remain a “Kapatid.” Also, TV5 Network is currently having its own investigation in that matter.

Ruffa quits ‘Paparazzi’
Ruffa Gutierrez goes ballistic vs own TV show
Annabelle slams Ruffa's 'lewd' TV show

 

Philex Petroleum & CNOOC on Recto Bank

Businessman Manny Pangilinan is inviting the state-owned China National Offshore Oil Corporation or CNOOC for an exploration project in the disputed Recto Bank (Reed Bank). President Aquino sees no problem with the joint venture as long as it complies with the terms and conditions stipulated in the service contract. Pangilinan’s Philex Petroleum Corp. is conducting exploration in Recto Bank under Service Contract 72 thus CNOOC and other possible foreign partners must adhere in every aspect pertaining to the said contract.

Additional $75 million is needed to continue the exploration in Recto Bank, according to Forum Energy. Said bank has a potential of producing 16.6 trillion cubic feet of gas which exceeds the 3.4 trillion cubic feet of gas in the Malampaya natural gas project in Palawan.

Philex Petroleum to raise $75M for Recto Bank exploration
MVP: Philex to drill for oil at Reed Bank
Philex, Chinese firm discuss South China Sea gas project
Philex eyes Chinese partner in Recto Bank
Philex eyes partners for Recto Bank project

 

Lingganay Festival of Alang-Alang, Leyte

The LINGGANAY FESTIVAL got its name from the Waray word Lingganay which means a 'bell'. Said festival was conceptualized sometime in 1995 based on th legend of the town's lost ‘golden bell’. It was said that one time when the moro pirates surprised the people, they tried to fled away with the bell. When they reached the Bakga River, they threw the golden bell into the deepest part of the river to prevent it from getting into the hands of the moro pirates. Until today, the bell has not been found but it is said that its sound can be barely heard coming from the bottom of the river.

It is celebrated in conjunction with the town's fiesta on the 19th of June. According to oral history, since 1995, Lingganay has been joining festival dance competitions especially during the Pintados Kasadyaan.

It was said that employees from the municipality were the first participants of the festival. Today, it is mainly composed of 80 dancers of elementary and high school students from the municipality. Participants called themselves Tribu Lingganay.

Lingganay Festival has etched its mark as it won several awards in different festival competitions both locally and nationally.

 

SC guidelines on release of SALNs

The high tribunal granted the pending requests made by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), media entities, and several individuals for the SALN’s of the high court’s justices as well as that of the justices of the Court of Appeals (CA) and Sandiganbayan, subject to the limitations imposed by Republic Act (RA) No. 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees), its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), and the guidelines.

The Supreme Court (SC) has released the guidelines for the release of the statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) of its magistrates and all officials, officers, and employees of the Judiciary. However, the high court granted the release only of the latest SALNs, any request for previous SALNs should be justified by the requestor.

The following are the guidelines drafted by the Supreme Court:

1. All requests shall be filed with the Office of the Clerk of Court of the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, the Sandiganbayan, the Court of Tax Appeals; for the lower courts, with the Office of the Court Administrator; and for attached agencies, with their respective heads of offices.
2. Requests shall cover only copies of the latest SALN, PDS (personal data sheet) and CV (curriculum vitae) of the members, officials and employees of the Judiciary, and may cover only previous records is so specifically requested and considered as justified, as determined by the officials mentions in par. 1. above, under the terms of these guidelines and the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of RA No. 6713.
3. In the case of requests for copies of SALN of the Justices of the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, the Sandiganbayan and the Court of Tax Appeals, the authority to disclose shall be made by the Court En Banc.
4. Every request shall explain the requesting party's specific purpose and their individual interests sought to be served; shall state the commitment that the request shall only be for the stated purpose; and shall be submitted in a duly accomplished request form secured from the SC website. The use of the information secured shall only be for the stated purpose.
5. In the case of requesting individuals other than members of the media, their interests should go beyond pure or mere curiosity.
6. In the case of the members of the media, the request shall additionally be supported by proof under oath of their media affiliation and by a similar certification of the accreditation of their respective organizations as legitimate media practitioners.
7. The requesting party, whether as individuals or as members of the media, must have no derogatory record of having misused any requested information previously furnished to them.

While the following are the regulatory mechanisms provided in Sec. 8 (c) and (d) of RA No. 6713:

(c) Accessibility of documents -
        (1) Any and all statements filed under this Act, shall be made available for inspection at reasonable hours. 
        (2) Such statements shall be made available for copying or reproduction after ten (10) working days from the time they are filed as required by law.
        (3) Any person requesting a copy of a statement shall be required to pay a reasonable fee to cover the cost of reproduction and mailing of such statement, as well as the cost of certification.
        (4) Any statement filed under this Act shall be available to the public for a period of ten (10) years after receipt of the statement. After such period, the statement may be destroyed unless needed in an ongoing investigation.
(d) Prohibited acts -- it shall be unlawful for any person to obtain or use any statement filed under this Act for:
        (a) any purpose contrary to morals or public policy; or
        (b) any commercial purpose other than by news and communications media for dissemination to the general public.

 

Dolphy's medical condition

I heard yesterday night from the news that comedy king Dolphy is now in critical condition and cannot talk, according to his son Eric Quizon. It was also disclosed by Quizon that his father has been suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which hinders the flow of air to lungs. It is a condition that said to be permanent and maybe progressive over time. Quizon also said that Dolphy’s illness has developed into a toxic metabolic encephalopathy which could lead to sepsis or poisoning of the blood. He was diagnosed five years ago of COPD.

 

WBO: 5 judges in favor of Pacquiao

According to RingTV, five judges commissioned by WBO President Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel unanimously scored the bout in Pacquiao’s favor: 117-111, 117-111, 118-110, 116-112 and 115-113. These judges convened by WBO reviewed the controversial split decision in Pacquiao-Bradley fight in favor of Bradley that took place in Las Vegas last June 9.

Remember that judges Duane Ford and CJ Ross scored the bout 115-113 in favor of Bradley winning the said WBO welterweight clash. It was only Jerry Roth who scored 115-113 in favor of Pacquiao.

5 WBO judges review Pacquiao-Bradley fight
5 WBO judges re-score Pac-Bradley fight
Poll shows fans believe Pacquiao won over Bradley
Bradley: I beat Pacquiao 8 rounds to 4
Pac-Bradley rematch won’t happen: Top Rank exec
Pacquiao: Don't blame Bradley for judges' decision

  

Father's Day @ Splash Island

Coming Sunday is Father’s Day. Splash Island wants to give honor and treat to all fathers out there with a special treat with just few simple steps using your Facebook.

 Check out Splash Island Facebook Fan Page for more info.

 

The Philippine Flag

The national flag of the Philippines is a two-colored horizontal flag with equal bands of blue (on top) and red. A white equilateral triangle is based at the hoist side, and in the center is a golden yellow sun with eight primary rays, each containing three individual rays, and at each corner of the triangle is a five-pointed golden yellow star. The flag is displayed with the blue field on top in times of peace, and with the red field on top in times of war.

The flag is horizontally divided into two fundamental colors, royal blue and scarlet red, with a white equilateral triangle based at the hoist side. At the center of the triangle is a golden-yellow sun with eight primary rays, each containing three individual rays, and at each corner of the triangle is a five-pointed golden-yellow star. The flag is displayed with the blue field on top in time of peace, and with the red field on top in time of war.

The flag's length is twice its width, which translates into an aspect ratio of 1:2. The sides of the white triangle are equal to the width of the flag. Each star is oriented such that it points towards the tip of the vertex at which it is located.

According to official sources, the white triangle stands for equality and fraternity; the blue field for peace, truth and justice; and the red field for patriotism and valor. The eight primary rays of the sun represent the first eight provinces (Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Manila, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, and Tarlac) that sought independence from Spain and were placed under martial law by the Spaniards at the start of the Philippine Revolution in 1896. The three stars represent the three major geographical divisions of the country: Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

However, the symbolism given in the 1898 Proclamation of Philippine Independence differs from the current official explanation. It says that the white triangle signifies the emblem of the Katipunan, the secret society that opposed Spanish rule. It says the flag's colors commemorate the flag of the United States as a manifestation of gratitude for American protection against the Spanish during the Philippine Revolution. It also says that one of the three stars represents the island of Panay, rather than the entire Visayas.

Battle of Bessang Pass

Declared as a National Monument, the Bessang Pass National Shrine is located in the mountainous area of Barangay Malaya, Cervantes, Ilocos Sur with a total land area of 1,121 hectares. In Philippine history, it was the place where the last battle between the Filipino Guerrillas and the Japanese Imperial Army was held during the World War II.

The gun battle was then called as "Battle of Bessang Pass," in which the Filipino soldiers defeated the Japanese troop led by Gen. Tumoyuki Yamashita. More or less 3,400 men, who fought fiercely for freedom and peace during the historic "Battle of Bessang Pass" that ended on 14 June 1945, were killed and wounded in the place.

Bessang Pass is a strategic gap, 5,250 feet above sea level traversed by Highway 4, west of Cervantes, which served as the backdoor to General Yamashita's last ditch defense during the last stage of World War II. The place can be hiked from Sagada, which will entail 2 to 3 days of hike.

 

114th Philippine Independence Day

The Philippine Independence Day (Araw ng Kalayaan or Kasarinlan) is an annual national holiday observed every June 12 commemorating the declaration of independence from Spain on June 12, 1898. The United States intentionally chosen the date July 4 because it corresponds to its Independence Day. It was being observed in the Philippines as Independence Day until 1962. It was on May 12, 1962 when then President Diosdado Macapagal issued a Presidential Proclamation No. 28 declaring June 12 as a special public holiday throughout the Philippines. It is in commemoration of the Filipino’s declaration of their inherent and inalienable right to freedom and independence. Then on August 4, 1964, Republic Act No. 4166 renamed July 4 holiday as “Philippine Republic Day, proclaimed June 12 as “Philippine Independence Day.” Prior to 1964, June 12 had been observed as Flag Day which was moved to May 28, the date the Philippine Flag was first flown in battle.

MALIGAYANG ARAW NG KASARINLAN!!!

 

Jessica Sanchez in the Philippines by September

In September this year, AI runner up Jessica Sanchez will visit her mother’s native country as the “American Idol LIVE! Tour” makes its Manila stop. Jessica will be performing at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on September 21 for the 2012 edition of the said tour as confirmed by Ovation Productions.

The 16-year-old Pinay pride will perform alongside the Top 10 contestants of the 11th season of "Idol," including current titleholder Phillip Phillips. The Philippines is the only country outside of North America that is included in the two-month tour, and is slated to be the finale show of the "Idol" finalists.

Last year, the Top 10 contestants of the 10th season of "Idol" visited the country for a two-night concert. Their tour stop in Manila was the finale show of their concert series.

 

President Aquino meets Jessica Sanchez in LA

President Noynoy Aquino and AI runner up Jessica Sanchez met in Los Angeles before the president deliver his speech to the Filipino community in Southern California. Also present in the occasion are Jessica’s family, Apl. De. Ap., Bernardo Bernardo and Oliver Tolentino together with other Filipinos who want to hear what President Aquino has to say. Tomorrow, Jessica will be singing the America’s national anthem in the Pacquiao-Bradley fight.

 

DepEd's K-12 Program

Next week private schools will commence their classes for the SY 2012-2013. Part of the orientation of these schools will be the implementation of the K-12 program of the Department of Education (DepEd).

Salient points on the enhanced K to 12 Basic Education Program

• K to 12 means Kindergarten and the 12 years of elementary and secondary education.
• The model that is currently being proposed by DepEd is the K-6-4-2 Model. This model involves Kindergarten, six years of elementary education, four years of junior high school (Grades 7 to 10) and two years of senior high school (Grades 11 to 12). The two years of senior high school intend to provide time for students to consolidate acquired academic skills and competencies.
• Features of K 6-4-2: (1) Kindergarten and 12 years of quality basic education is a right of every Filipino, therefore they must be and will be provided by government and will be free. (2) Those who go through the 12 years cycle will get an elementary diploma (6 years), a junior high school diploma (4 years), and a senior high school diploma (2 years). (3) A full 12 years of basic education will eventually be required for entry into tertiary level education (entering freshmen by SY 2018-2019 or seven years from now). 
• What is Senior High School? It will be a 2 years of in-depth specialization for students depending on the occupation/career track they wish to pursue. Skills and competencies relevant to the job market. The 2 years of senior HS intend to provide time for students to consolidate acquired academic skills and competencies. The curriculum will allow specializations in Science and Technology, Music and Arts, Agriculture and Fisheries, Sports, Business and Entrepreneurship. 

I am pretty sure that there are still confusion on this new program so I guess it is advisable to all parents to attend the orientation to be properly informed on how this K-12 program. Read the links below for more information.

Briefer on the Enhanced K to 12 Basic Education Program
K-12 Program

Pinakbet Recipe

Rainy season had just began. Cooking veggies partnered with fried fish is one healthy meal for the family during cold weather. There maybe different ways we can cook Pinakbet and below is one:

Ingredients: 

• 1/4 kilo pork ribs, sliced 
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped 
• 1 onion, chopped 
• 1 ginger root; cut in chunks and crushed 
• 1 tomato; sliced 
• 2 cups squash; cut in cubes 
• 1 eggplant, sliced 
• 1 ampalaya 
• 5 okras 
• 3 cups water 
• Bagoong isda 
• Salt to taste 
• Cooking oil 

Procedures: 
In a casserole, sauté garlic, and onion in oil. Add pork, then season with salt. Continue sauteing until edges of pork turns brown and renders fat. Add the ginger and tomatoes. Stir well for few minutes, then add water and bring to a boil. Add ampalaya, eggplants, okra, squash, and string beans. Season with bagoong according to taste. Simmer until all vegetables are cooked. Serve hot!

 

How to lose weight @ Bodytrim

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Have you heard of Bodytrim? It is a revolutionary weight loss system that is particularly designed for fast and permanent weight loss. This program transformed not only the bodies but lives as well of over 300,000 people. You can check out the pictures and testimonies of some members who are happy and satisfied after trying the Bodytrim program here.

Dieting is troublesome to many but with Bodytrim program they will make you realize that food is your friend, not an enemy. You will be delighted to know that you can actually enjoy all the foods you love and still maintain a fit, healthy and gorgeous body. That sounds great, isn’t it? So the question is how? Bodytrim will guide you in every weight loss challenges like what to eat when you’re on the go, how to survive office parties, and what to order when you eat out. Want more? You can have access to Bodytrim’s hundreds of mouth-watering diet recipes.

On the other concern, is there a way to lose weight fast? Bodytrim will enlighten you how to lose weight not just fast but permanently, while having the pleasure of eating the foods you have always loved. Bodytrim is designed to educate people about the 3 W’s of weight loss: WHAT to eat, WHEN to eat and WHY. The program will teach you many HOW’s like achieving weight loss quickly, easily and naturally, eliminating cravings in just 3 days, banishing weight loss plateaus for good, turning your body into an automatic fat burner, eating more delicious food and weigh less, increasing your energy levels and eradicate mood swings and quickly and easily train your mind to stay motivated and on track no matter what comes your way. It will also proves and helps you why 95% of diets fail and how you can be in the successful 5%, why willpower alone isn’t the answer to sustainable weight loss and how this is the long term solution you’ve been waiting for.

Need to know more or want to try right away the Bodytrim program? Not all weight loss tips are guaranteed and effective. At Bodytrim, you will be properly educated and enlightened with the right program for you.