VIDEO: Cathy Garcia Molina speaks out on viral ‘open letter’

MANILA, Philippines - Blockbuster film and TV director Cathy Garcia-Molina turned emotional as she finally spoke up about the viral open letter Rossellyn Domingo and Alvin Campomanes have shared on social media on alleged humiliation and cursing they received during "Forevermore" taping in Baguio City.

Cathy Garcia Molina: "I'm not an evil person". Screengrab from Youtube.

In an interview with Boy Abunda, Molina clarified that cursing issue is true but it was "with good intentions na sana napaganda ang show, mapaarte ang artista, makuha ang kailangan para mapaganda ang show."

"He was right, I really cursed. But not at him, ilalagay ko lang sa konteksto. Hindi nakalagay doon sa letter kung gaano kadalas siya nagkamali. Hindi nakalagay sa letter ilang beses kinunan 'yon. Hindi nakalagay sa letter ano ang sinabi niya kung bakit ako nakarating sa gano'ng emosyon."

She also recalled the exact words that possibly hurt Campomanes: "sino ba ang kausap mo bakit hindi ka tumingin? Tignan mo, ang kulit mo naman, e, paksh*t ka."

Molina explained she's wrong on cursing but clarified it was a normal "language" in the industry.

"Hindi ko sinasabing tama ang pagmumura, hindi siya mura to degrade or to humiliate or to insult anyone."

Molina added if she was aware that Campomanes don't know their "language," she would have immediately apologized.

"Kaya ko naman mag-apologize, e. Kayang kaya ko. Hindi niya pala alam ang lenguwahe ng industriyang 'to. Kung sinabi lang niya right away, I would have go to him and say, 'sorry, hindi ka pala sanay.'"

WATCH: Cathy Garcia-Molina breaks her silence on viral ‘open letter’ (video courtesy of ABS-CBN Entertainment/Youtube)


She added that her family was being dragged on the issue and she is also receiving some death threats.

She even asked: "Nangyari ito October 2014. Ang alam ng mga staff at mga boss na tapos na ang issue. Siguro may naipangako, hindi ko alam na magso-sorry ako. Bakit deretso sa social media? Bakit January 1? Bakit pagkatapos ng pelikula ko? Bakit hindi nung kasagsagan ng "Forevermore? Bakit kelangan ako sa masira sa maraming tao?"

Molina said she prayed for the Lord to guide her so she will not hurt other people again. She also apologized and admitted that she was careless on using words.

"Sana may matutunan kami rito, pati ang kompaya at mga katrabaho ko. Things happen for a reason."

Meanwhile, “Forevermore’s” business unit head Des Tanwangco also released an official statement. It states:

“ABS-CBN acknowledged and responded immediately to Alvin Campomanes when he wrote to us in October 2014. We also sought a meeting with Mr Campomanes and Rossellyn Domingo through MTQ Promotions and Talent Management, the agency that engaged their services for the project.

“But we were later informed by MTQ Promotions and Talent Management owner Mary Ann Trumata-Rejano that there was no need for a meeting as they had met with Mr Campomanes and Ms Domingo and settled the issue.

“When Ms Domingo posted an open letter on her Facebook last Dec 30, we were surprised to learn that the issue has not been resolved, contrary to what the talent agency owner told us. At present, we are in communication with Mr Campomanes and both parties have agreed to meet to resolve the matter.”

INFOGRAPHIC: 16 Things You Need To Know About Presidential Candidate Jejomar Binay

As part of The Summit Express’ commitment in serving as a credible agent of information to its readers for the upcoming presidential elections, our spotlight this week features no less than the second most powerful man in the archipelago, Vice President Jejomar Binay himself.

Various scandals that have been thrown out to him and his family undeniably tarnished his popularity among the voters, but being a master of Philippine politics, the head honcho of the Coconut Palace is as always prepared to defend his empire through the aid of his wide sphere of influence. Take a look at the sixteen most interesting facts about VP Binay:

1. An orphan and worked for various jobs to complete his education.

Binay was born in November 11, 1942 to Diego Binay of Batangas, a librarian and to Lourdes Cabauatan of Isabela, a school teacher. He has an older sister who unfortunately died earlier making him an orphan.He was adopted by his uncle, Ponciano Binay and earned a living by collecting slop (kaning-baboy) for his uncle's backyard piggery.

2. An 'Iskolar ng Bayan' at UP.

Young Jojo. Photo credit: Jojo Binay Facebook page

After taking his basic education at the Philippine Normal College, Binay entered the University of the Philippines Preparatory school to complete his secondary education. Later on he proceed at the UP Diliman to earn his degree in Political Science in 1962.

3. A lawyer and a master of other things.

Binay took his law course at the UP College of Law and passed the 1968 bar exams.
Photo credit: Jojo Binay Facebook page

Binay's aspiration to enrich his knowledge didn't stop as he pursued to become a lawyer. He graduated from the UP College of Law in 1967 and passed the 1968 bar examinations. He also holds master's degrees from the University of Santo Tomas, Philippine Christian University and National Defense College of the Philippines. He also obtained the chance to study at the John F. Kennedy School of Government in Harvard University after joining the seniors executive fellow program while he was enrolled at the Command and General Staff College of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

4. An educator once upon a time.

After acquiring sufficient academic expertise on law and public administration, Binay found himself providing lectures at the Philippine College of Commerce (now PUP), Philippine Women's University and St. Scholastica's College.

5. Fought against martial law as protector of human rights.

And together with some of the most prominent adversaries of the Marcos regime, Binay was part of the group who built the Movement of Attorneys for Brotherhood, Integrity and Nationalism Inc. (MABINI). Binay also joined in the August Twenty-One Movement (ATOM).

6. 'Rambotito' became the first appointed local executive after the martial law years.

Binay has been very vocal of his loyalty and gratitude to former President Cory Aquino who launched his political career. Photo credit: Jojo Binay Wordpress

Like his ultimate political rival, former DILG Secretary Mar Roxas, Binay also managed to weave long ties with the Aquino family. Through his unwavering loyalty to the former President Corazon Aquino in dismantling martial law, the latter made Binay to be the first appointed local executive in the government as the acting mayor of Makati.

7. Served as the Mayor of the City of Makati for 21 years.

The next local elections of 1988 official solidified the beginning of Binay's two-decade rule in the country's financial capital. He was able to hold his position for another two consecutive terms in 1992 and 1995. He returned as the head of Makati in 2001, after being barred from fourth time reelection as prescribed by the constitution. His long tenure in the city of Makati became Binay's bragging asset when he ran for the post of the vice president as the popularity on how his free medical, education and senior citizen care transformed Makati.

8. Father to five children.

The Binay family. Photo credit: Jojo Binay Facebook page

Binay is married to Dr. Elenita Sombillo-Binay, who also shortly served as mayor of Makati. Their marriage bore them five children namely Jejomar Erwin, Joanna Maria Blanca, Maria Lourdes Nancy, Marita Angeline and Mar-len Abigail.

9. Former MMDA Chairman.

Under the administration of former President Fidel V. Ramos, Binay served as the Chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority from 1990 up to the following year (1991).

10. Held two positions in the Aquino administration.

Far from the present. Old photo of the country’s current top leaders.
Photo credit: Coconuts Manila

Although he publicly expressed his interest for the post of being the DILG Secretary way back then, Aquino never granted Binay's wish and instead the DILG position was given to the late Mayor Jesse Robredo of Naga and later on to Mar Roxas. Aquino made Binay as the Chairman of the Housing Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) and Presidential Adviser for OFW Concerns respectively until June of last year when Binay finally cut his ties with the administration, accusing some people in the administration of destroying his character through various allegations of graft and corruption involving him and his family.

11. Binay's winning percentage is among the highest in the history of VP race.

Binay narrowly escaped Mar Roxas in 2010 with a meager 700,000 votes. His total number of votes totalling to 14,645,574 (41.65%) placed Binay at the third spot in terms of high winning percentages at the post-EDSA era. The list is topped by former Vice Presidents Noli de Castro (49.6%), Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (49.56%), then Binay and lastly by Joseph Estrada (33%).

12. Scout Binay.

BSP National President Jejomar Binay at the Grand Opening of the World Scout Bureau in Malaysia.
Photo credit: Scout.org

The vice president is also the current National President of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines and former Chairman of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in the Asia Pacific Region. Binay also has a rank of a Colonel in the Philippine Navy Reserve Force.

13. Binay has a net worth of PHP60.25 million.

As of 2014, Binay has a net worth of 60.25 million pesos, an increase from his previous net worth of 60.12 million pesos in 2013.

14. The first to declare his presidential bid among the five major contenders.

Among his fierce rivals for the presidency, Binay was the first one to publicly announce his dream of becoming the 16th person to lead the country just right after winning his seat as vice president way back in 2010.

15. The oldest to be elected as vice-president at the age of 66.

Binay was already 66 years old when he got elected as vice president of the republic. This makes him as the oldest to be elected vice president. Next in line to him were former vice presidents Fernando Lopez and Emmanuel Pelaez who were 65 and 63 years old at the time of their ascension to the same post.

16. If given a chance, Binay wants Alden Richards to portray him should a biopic be made about him!

Pambansang ‘bae-nay?’ Binay wants Richards to portray him should a biopic featuring him be made.

Despite their skin color and height differences, Binay opts to have Richards, the other half of the phenomenal on-screen loveteam AlDub to portray him if ever there will be a biopic that will feature his life story. Binay reasoned out that since Aldub is the current craze among Pinoys, he picks Richards in order to surely amass a huge amount of moviegoers. Indeed, another entertaining yet effective political strategy from the master himself!

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-Michael Santiago/TheSummitExpress

November 2015 NLE passers registration, oathtaking schedule, venue and verification of ratings

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) has released the results of November 2015 nursing board exam or nurse licensure examination (NLE). Pursuant to PRC Resolution No. 2004-223 dated July 19, 2004, results of examinations are final and request for reconsideration of failing grades is not allowed.

Nursing board exam passers next tasks now are to register, take oath and exercise nursing profession. Information regarding registration, oathtaking schedule, requirements and venue and verification of ratings (VOR) are all available here as we update this site with details from reliable sources.

Schedule of Registration for Manila passers of the November 2015 NLE

PRC hereby informs all those who passed the November 2015 Nurses Licensure Examination (NLE) in Manila of the schedule of their initial registration at the Ground Floor, Main Building:

• January 18 (Monday): ABAD, JIMARVI RAMIREZ - BUSTARDE, JACKY MISLANG
• January 19 (Tuesday): CAADAN, CRISTIAN JAMES PERFECTO - DY, BRIAN AUSTIN TEMBREVILLA
• January 20 (Wednesday): EBRON, DONABELLE OLA - JUMLI, ZHAHAD CALI
• January 21 (Thursday): KADCHAO, LEAH SHAQUIRA VETLEN - NUÑEZ, RICHELLE ANN CRUZ
• January 22 (Friday): OAB, BERNIE BACOSA - RULL, NELLENE MAE SOTO
• January 25 (Monday): SABALDICA, VENZ ERYL AGUIRRE - ZUÑIGA, BRYAN BUSTOS

Registrants are advised to observe the following steps HERE. Registrants are also advised to strictly observe the schedule for initial registration to avoid any inconvenience.


Schedule of Registration for Lucena passers of the November 2015 NLE

PRC Lucena announced that registration will run from January 19-22, 2016.

Schedule of Registration Lucena NLE Passers

November 2014 NLE passers oathtaking schedule and venue

PRC said that Pursuant to Section 16, of Republic Act No. 9173, “all successful candidates in the examination shall be required to take an oath of professional before the Board or any government official authorized to administer oaths prior to entering upon the nursing practice.”

• PRC Manila - No announcement yet for the oathtaking schedule and venue
• PRC Lucena - Oathtaking schedule will be announced later

November 2015 NLE takers verification of ratings (VoR)

Through Verification of Ratings (VoR) online on PRC website, November 2015 NLE takers will be able to check grades by entering the required information in the appropriate fields. Some of the required information includes application number and birthdate. VOR for November 2015 NLE is now available. Check your ratings now.

To receive regular updates on NLE-related contents, we encourage you to bookmark this page or Share Now this article on social networks (Facebook and Twitter). Follow us via RSS Feeds.

A Beginner’s Guide to Investing in 2016

MANILA, Philippines - Tired of relying solely on your paycheck (or your relatives) for your day-to-day needs? The moment you enter the workforce, your new priority should be achieving financial independence. And unless you’re 100% happy with your current industry and earning potential, living from paycheck to paycheck for years on end can lose its appeal.

If you’re really serious about growing your money, you might be thinking of dabbling in investments. The Philippine Stock Exchange has been operating since the early 20th century, after all, and dozens of traders have already made a mint there. If they can do it, why can’t you?

Before you withdraw your life savings and head down to the trading floor, though, there are a few basic tips you need to take to heart first. Here is our newbie-friendly guide to investing this 2016:

1. Ask yourself if you’re ready.

Investing can be a great way to bolster your net worth, but the truth remains that’s it’s not for everybody. First off, you need to have all of your basic finances in order before you consider dipping your toes in the stock market. That means having a stable source of income, little to no debt, an emergency fund, and enough cashflow to support your basic needs without compromising assets like your mortgage, healthcare, or car insurance policy.

Even if you’re in a good place money-wise, look into other viable alternatives like mutual funds or securities first before diving into investments.

2. Learn the basics.

Think you’re ready to take that leap? The next step in your financial education is learning the essentials of good investing. Familiarize yourself with investor terminology and keep up with business news. Do your research on current business trends and investor behaviors. Take your time and don’t act like a know-it-all; ideally, you should have just enough working knowledge of the market to be able to tell the safe investment decisions from the risky ones. It might also be a good idea to consult an investment expert.

3. Set a doable goal.

Since you’re still starting out, it’s best you don’t aim too high as far as your future investments are concerned. We’re not saying it’s wrong to dream of becoming the next Henry Sy or Jaime Zobel de Ayala, but aiming for a more realistic goal (like earning enough for your retirement or your children’s future) means you have less heartache to deal with should one of your investments go bad.

4. Start small.

This is the stage where you start building your investment portfolio, a.k.a. the key to your future wealth. You could start by investing a fraction of your income in an established company or a “safe” market like commodities or forex trading. Once you’ve gained more confidence in your investing abilities, inch your way into investing more money or adding another company (or two) to your portfolio. Remember that you’ll be juggling a lot of risk at this point, and that you’re not investing for the sake of making a quick buck.

5. Diversify your portfolio.

While maintaining your various stocks, remember that one of your main driving forces is protecting yourself from the effects of inflation. What may look like a large sum of money now may have less purchasing power years or decades down the line. Try your hand at investing in stocks from several different industries as backup in case of drastic changes in the economy. Or, to put it in more popular terms, don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

An important bit of information many financial experts recommend is to never invest in something you don’t understand. You may get tons of investing advice from friends, family, and other self-professed experts on how best to maximize your gains. Even if you trust their judgment, you must never jump at an opportunity without knowing exactly what you’re signing up for.

Investing is ultimately a game of risk, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution that would make everybody a stock market superstar. What worked for the richest trader on the Fortune 500 may not work for you, so you should resist the temptation to slack off or take shortcuts. It’s your money at stake, after all.

For more updates on what’s going on in the Philippines and other related topics, check out The Summit Express right now.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kyle Kam is an online marketing specialist for Moneymax.ph, the Philippines’ leading financial comparison website. Whenever he’s not working, he’s busy at home watching MMA videos the whole day. You may follow him on Twitter @undisputedkyle.