Alden Richards shares his emotional return to Eat Bulaga

she was always afraid to show who she really was in fear of being judged. She said that she is more open and more accepting now of what and how she really is with all her flaws and imperfections, not caring about what other people would say.

“I’m 27 years old now, and I’m proud of my body… of what I have been through. I try to make women more aware of our diversity and hopefully make us all a little bit less self-conscious,” Yassi said during a recent media gathering.

After over a year of taking a break from the Eat Bulaga, Kapuso actor Alden Richards is finally back on the noontime show starting last March 11.

In 24 Oras' Chika Minute, Alden recalled the warm welcome that he received from everyone.

“Si Ma’am Allan K sabi niya na, ‘Kahit saan ka man mapunta sa mundo, kahit gaano man katagal mawala, bukas ang ‘Eat Bulaga’ para sa’yo palagi, Alden Richards,’” he said. “True enough, ‘yon ang nagpatunay du’n.”

Alden was not seen hosting Eat Bulaga for over a year to focus on other showbiz and personal commitments.

He recently starred with Bea Alonzo in the Philippine adaptation of "Start-Up".

GMA’s groundbreaking series “Maria Clara and Ibarra” streams on Netflix starting April 14

GMA Network’s groundbreaking historical fantasy series Maria Clara and Ibarra will be available on the popular streaming platform Netflix Philippines beginning April 14.

The series stars Barbie Forteza as Klay, Julie Anne San Jose as Maria Clara, David Licauco as Fidel, and Dennis Trillo as Ibarra.

Maria Clara and Ibarra follows the story of Klay, a young woman who is excited to graduate from the university so she can work abroad. However, she must pass her back subject, Rizal Studies, in order to graduate.

Klay's professor Mr. Torres, gives her another chance by lending her a book of Noli Me Tangere. She wakes up one morning and finds herself in the world of Jose Rizal’s novel, Noli Me Tangere. She desperately tries to return to the present but she can only do so after she finishes the story and learns her lesson.

As she wanders into the world of Noli Me Tangere, Klay meets Maria Clara, Crisostomo Ibarra, the Curates, the Ilustrados, and the Indios. The characters teach Klay the value of history, empathy, patriotism, and love. It will also open her eyes to the realities and misery of ancient Filipinos during the Spanish colonization.

After her journey ends in the novel Noli Me Tangere, Klay returns to the present and ponders the fate of her beloved friends.

Binge-watch “Maria Clara and Ibarra” with family and friends beginning April 14 on Netflix Philippines.

BBM assures P20 per kilo rice is coming soon

At the launching of "Kadiwa ng Pangulo" in Camarines Sur recently, President Bongbong Marcos assured the public that his promise to lower the price of rice to P20 per kilo is happening soon.

“Ang aking pangarap na sinabi na bago ako umupo na sana maipababa natin ang presyo ng bigas ng P20, hindi pa tayo umaabot doon, dahandahan palapit na. Nasa P25 na tayo, kaunti na lang maibababa natin yan,” Marcos said.

Marcos also noted that his government has also lowered the price of onions and sugar which have also spiked in price. From over P100 per kilo of sugar, the price has gone down to P85 a kilo.

All these efforts are done as part of the "Kadiwa ng Pasko" which started during the Christmas season and was expanded to "Kadiwa ng Pangulo" to extend the provision of fresh and affordable produce to consumers. The program is also able to help farmers, fishermen, and small business owners which were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Marcos.

Currently, there are over 500 Kadiwa stores and more will be put up as reported by the president.

P175B bridge project to connect Cavite and Bataan; reduces travel time to 40 minutes

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced last March 14 that the construction of the P175 billion bridge that would connect the provinces of Cavite and Bataan will start this year.

DPWH Secretary Emmanuel Bonoan, at a press briefing, said that the cable-stayed bridge will cut the travel time from Manila to Bataan from five hours to 30-40 minutes.

The bridge that would link Naic, Cavite and Mariveles Bataan would be a four-lane, 32-kilometer long that will be built over Manila Bay and will be funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Bonoan added that the project will be finished in five years, before the term of President Marcos ends, and will be the largest and longest iconic bridge in the country.

Senator Tulfo files bill to regulate police checkpoints

Senator Raffy Tulfo files Senate

Bill No 1977 or the Checkpoint Regularization Act last March 14, seeking to regulate police checkpoints and stop discriminatory practices, especially for motorcycle riders.

In the statement released, Tulfo noted some malpractices of the police or checkpoint personnel in checking vehicles, especially the motorbike drivers which he said are discriminatory, like asking for license and registration, inspecting their compartments and even body searching without explaining the reason for the checkpoint.

And while motorbike drivers are scanned and searched, fourwheeled vehicles could pass the checkpoints easily.

Some of the guidelines of SB

No 1877 are as follows:

1.“The conduct of inspection of all vehicles, including motorcycles, during a routine checkpoint is limited to a visual search, occupants are not subjected to a physical or body search, and therefore must be done with due respect to the innocent passers-by, commuters, or bystanders, and must be conducted in a manner with the least inconvenience to the public.”

2. Police officers manning checkpoints can only demand to see the motor vehicle operator’s license and registration only if they observe any traffic violation such as damaged light, lack of plate number, and failure to wear helmets for riders.

3. The only time police officers can proceed to implement the “stop and frisk” procedure is when they have reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed immediately before or at the checkpoint.

4.“Due courtesy must be accorded to motorists, traders, and commuters during the conduct of the checkpoint.

5. “Police personnel assigned to the checkpoint shall not mulct, extort, or harass drivers, passengers, and traders.

6. Any violation of the provisions of this Act shall be punished with the corresponding penalty prescribed by the Revised Penal code in addition to any administrative sanction that may be prescribed by the Revised Penal Code, including any administrative sanction that may be prescribed by law.

Meanwhile, PNP spokesperson Col Jean Fajardo acknowledges that they understand that there are instances where riders are getting inconvenienced with checkpoints but they want to appeal to everyone that the PNP is not doing this to disturb motorists but to ensure the safety of everyone