Noli's Pag-IBIG ads cost taxpayers P500-M Written by Carmela Fonbuena Newsbreak Magazine Monday, 13 July 2009 Who is benefiting from the advertisements of Vice-President Noli De Castro promoting the government’s Home Development Mutual Fund, also known as Pagtutulungan sa Kinabukasan: Ikaw, Bangko, Industria at Gobyerno (Pag-IBIG) Fund? To lawyer Ernesto Francisco, it’s the vice-president. He noted that the the ads use De Castro’s moniker, Kabayan, a name de Castro registered with the Commission on Elections when he ran for senator in 2001. “This is despicable practice, which is obviously designed to promote the candidacy of Vice-President Noli De Castro. It should be stopped. Vice-President De Castro should have had the delicadeza and sense of decency to refrain from using Pag-IBIG funds to promote his candidacy,” said Francisco. For 2009, a total of P208.5 million has been allotted for the Pag-IBIG advertisements. A big chunk of the budget (P109 million) goes to TV pla...

My friend Adel Tamano is in the movie "One True Love," still showing to full houses at your nearest mall. I was singing and dancing at All-Star K, the P1 million Videoke singing contest last Sunday. When they called me up I said I do not sing well but I can dance a bit, and they said that is OK, not all the contestants sing and dance as well. When they told me how many people watch their show -- millions and millions of Filipinos, on a cozy Sunday night -- I immediately said yes. And Pia began airing her Ariel ad last night. It looked like a campaign ad more than an ad for a laundry detergent. Chiz is still going on with his Circulan, Manny Villar with his OFW spiel, and Loren with her anti-corruption ad. And on Saturday, we will have the Pride March of the Philippine lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender movement. Assembly time at 2 pm, Remedios Circle, Malate. March at 3 pm. Beauty pageant at 6 pm. Party with techno DJs, go-go boys and (even) go-go girls at 10 pm. Expect m...