Hurray! This is not tsismis. Very reliable sources in Manila say the Manila Mail has been branded by the Philippine military and the police as “anti-Philippine government.” They add that some of the Mail’s staffers have also been included in the “blacklist.” The list, the sources add, was drawn up by military-police agents “who make frequent trips to Washington D.C.” They aver the reason for the blacklist is that the Manila Mail has been a perennial critic of the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the extra-judicial killings committed by the Philippine police and the military.

Another possible reason, they say, is that in case President Arroyo succeeds in wangling an invitation from President George W. Bush to visit the U.S. or is invited to address a prestigious group here, they know whom to watch for. Or the list will be like that of the US Homeland Security’s no-fly list, meaning they will be watched if they visit Manila.

Sources also reveal the Philippine government, through National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, has renewed its contract with Venable, Inc., a lobby group in D.C., to pursue its image-building project for the President in the U.S.
Another report is that Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno is eyeing the ambassadorial post in Washington D.C.

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There is no truth to the rumor, according to supporters of Philippine Ambassador Willy C. Gaa, that he is renting a mansion in McLean, Virginia for $25,000 a month! They assert the frugal ambassador, or the Department of Foreign Affairs, is only paying $10,000 a month. But detractors say that amount is only good for a four-bedroom condo in Arlington, Virginia. The ambassador and his family, according to embassy moles, were forced, like the refugees from Darfur, to relocate elsewhere because the embassy residence in Northwest Washington D.C. is about to crumble with age and disrepair. Tsismoso agrees the ambassador and his family need good accommodations. It will be recalled that last year, the Manila Mail published the story of Consul Cecilia Rebong of New York renting an apartment for $10,000 (about P470,000) a month. The excuse given by the foreign office was that she needed the place to receive guests.

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Where is Al Rivera, the Filipino American beverage manager of the JW Marriott Hotel in Washington D.C.? Many have noted his recent absence in many Filipino affairs in the hotel.

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Many Tsismosos are wondering who Nonoy Mendoza is. The name Nonoy is his real name, not a nickname as most Filipinos know it. His biodata in his own website describes Nonoy as “The Image Builder, The PR man of public relations.” Editor and publisher of Fil-Am Image magazine and CEO and president of Pinoy Global Online News, both based in Washington, D.C., Nonoy’s website says he is “a foremost specialist on Filipino-American affairs across the United States and Canada.”
“He was North America Ethnic Sales Manager for Philippine Air Lines from 1965 to 1969,” “a refuted (sic) tourism expert for the Philippines’ tourism,” and former president of FAPA (Filipino-American Political Association), Although a Democrat he “served as the first and only Filipino on the Presidential Advisory Board on Asian-American Affairs” during the time of President Gerald Ford. He was also “asked to serve as Specialist on Asian-American Affairs for the Republican Party during the first Reagan-Bush Presidential Campaign."

“A seasoned political strategist and a professional political fundraiser, Nonoy has been consulting in various political elections, both nationally and locally. Nonoy belongs to the elite and prestigious NRC President’s Club of President George W. Bush. His expertism is in creating, developing, coordinating, monitoring and successfully completing viable assigned projects."

“A seasoned and professional media and PR man since the mid ‘50’s, and a member of the National Press Club in the Nation’s Capital since 1993, he served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Federated Filipino-American Media Associations in the U.S. and Canada (FFAMAS) representing more than 300 Fil-Am publishers, editors and reporters. A seasoned journalist, he was the Pacific Northwest and Canada Bureau Chief for the Manila Chronicle from 1960 until 1965. A highly successful entrepreneur, he was the President and CEO of the largest Filipino-American travel organization, the Mabuhay Travel Agencies and Gem Travel of Southern California, with branches in major cities in the United States, Canada, Manila, Taipeh, Hong Kong, Seoul and Tokyo, Nonoy Mendoza is known as the major originator, architect and acknowledged prime mover of the ‘Balikbayan’ Program, which was later adopted by the Department of Tourism of the Republic of the Philippines..." “He is the creator and developer of the successful ‘Twenty Outstanding Filipino-Americans (TOFA) in the United States and Canada’ project which was launched in 1990. He serves as Special Assistant and PR Consultant to various organizations, including the presidents of the Association of Philippine Physicians in America (APPA), the largest Filipino organization in the United States."