diplomatic
VP Jojo Binay Still Way Ahead!
A year after the May 13, 2013 elections, Vice President Jejomar Cabauatan Binay is still way ahead in the race for President in 2016. Pulse Asia conducted its regular Ulat ng Bayan Nationwide (1,200 respondents with a + or – 3 % margin of error.) Public Opinion Survey from March 19 to 26, 2014. If the national elections for President, Vice President and twelve Senators had been held then, the following would have been the results (Assuming that the candidates were the same ones on the list chosen by Pulse Asia below.):
For President (% of a hundred.): Binay 40, Poe 20, Santiago 10, Escudero 9, Roxas 6, Marcos 5, Cayetano 4, Kris Aquino 4, Revilla 3 and Lacson 2.
For Vice President (% of a hundred.): Poe 24, Escudero 20, Roxas 8, Trillanes 7, Cayetano 6, Marcos 5, Kris Aquino 5, Lacson 5 , Vilma Santos 5, Jinggoy Estrada 4, Bam Aquino 3, Revilla 3, J V Ejercito 2 and Leni Robredo 1.
For Senators: Sotto, Drilon, Roxas, Recto, Pangilinan, Lacson, Zubiri, Gordon, Marcos, Osmena, Madrigal, Pacquiao (12th), Hontiveros, de Lima, Kris Aquino (15th), Lino Cayetano, Herbert Bautista, Jackie Enrile, Tootsie Guingona, Mitos Magsaysay (20th), Lani Mercado, Ruffy Biazon, Gwen Pimentel, Ed Hagedorn, Leni Robredo (25th), Shalani, Dingdong Dantes, Gina de Venecia, Dinky Soliman and Teddy Casino (30th).
The above results belong to the portion of the survey for public release. These are the subject matter and answers to questions that are regularly formulated and included by Pulse Asia in their regular surveys. However, there are subject matter and questions that are included and initiated and therefore paid for by individuals or organizations for their own purposes. These are not released to the mass media and to the public for a certain period of time.
In the said private portion of the above survey was the same question regarding who the respondent would vote for for President if the elections were held during the period of the survey. However, the list of candidates included former President and present Manila Mayor Joseph “ERAP” Ejercito Estrada. ERAP made it to second place, behind Binay but ahead of Poe.
As a matter of public disclosure, I would like to put on record my campaign preference and voting record for all the Presidential and Vice Presidential elections since I was born on October 12, 1948.
1948 – No memory of any political consciousness, preference or activity on my part.
1953 – Ramon Magsaysay for President. Contempt and hatred for Elpidio Quirino. No consciousness or preference for Vice President.
1957 – PPP*. Manuel Manahan for President, Uncle Vicente Araneta for Vice President.
1961 – United Opposition Party (LP/PPP/GA). Vice President Diosdado Macapagal for President, Emmanuel Pelaez for Vice President. Raul Manglapus and Manuel Manahan for Senators.
1965 – PPP*. Raul Manglapus for President, Manuel Manahan for Vice President.
1969 – I turned twenty one in October 1969. I must have registered and voted but cannot remember for whom – the NP Marcos/Lopez or the LP Osmena/Magsaysay. I volunteered for CNEA with Jimmy Ferrer, Chino Roces, Charito Planas and my classmate Edgar Jopson. I remember operating in the Quirino Ave, area of Quezon City. As early as November 1969, I already felt and foresaw that Marcos’s reelection and victory would lead to a pressure cooker effect in our society.
1973 – We were for consolidating the Moderate and Reformist Political and Protest Movement with the active and organized sectors like the farmers and labor (We did so under the Kapisanan ng mga Anakpawis ng Pilipinas.). We were united under the KAP with the FFF, FFW, PAFLU, PHILCONTU and YCW. We intended to coalesce with the LP under the Presidency of Senator Gerardo “Gerry” Roxas. We were pushing for a South North tandem of Roxas (Capiz) and Manglapus (Candon, Ilocos Sur).
1986 – LABAN/UNIDO. Cory Aquino and Doy Laurel.
1992 – PRP. Miriam Santiago and Jun Magsaysay.
1998 – Kakampi ni … . ERAP and GMA.
2004 – FPJ and Loren Legarda. After Binay took over the campaign from the ASO (Angara, Sotto and Oreta.) during the Holy Week of 2004 and after he and ERAP led the UNO and together with the NP’s Senate President Manny Villar won a majority of the Senate seats in the 2007 Senatorial elections, I believed that Binay should run for Senator in 2010. My biggest ever mistake in political analysis was believing that Binay had no chance at all of winning as Vice President in 2010.
2010 – Noynoy for President. Balimbing (sometimes Binay, sometimes Mar.) for Vice President. Binay won, beating Noynoy’s LP running mate, Mar Roxas, as well as long time leading Vice Presidentiable Loren Legarda. Loren and Chiz Escudero had led in Vice Presidential surveys for the past three years since 2007 until 2009.
After his unexpected victory in the 2010 elections, Binay was way ahead of everybody else for President in 2016. There was nobody else tall enough to challenge him on the horizon. For three years, he even led President Pnoy in popularity and satisfaction ratings in the two major survey outfits: SWS and Pulse Asia.
However, in 2012, PNoy learned his politics. He bribed the members of the Lower House to Impeach Chief Justice Renato Corona. He bribed the majority of Senators to convict him. Despite his sliding popularity, he was able to cobble together an opportunistic coalition for the 2013 mid elections. He made bilateral alliances with the Nacionalista Party, the LDP and even the Magdalo. He neutralized the Lakas and GMA’s allies and stalwarts.
He won nine out of twelve Senate seats: Poe, Legarda, Cayetano, Escudero, Angara, Bam Aquino, Trillanes and Cynthia Villar.The UNA got only three seats: Nancy Binay in fifth place, JV Ejercito in eleventh and Greg Honasan in twelfth place.
For the past year, he has managed to stifle most of the Truth in the Pork (PDAF) Scam and Scandal. A year ago, Ben Luy had already been rescued from Janet Lim Napoles’ benevolent detention. The MOST connection was at work to control the NBI investigation. However, the information was leaked to the PDI, which came out with a series of exposes on or about July 20, 2013.
The Administration still managed to manipulate the evidence (including COA investigations and reports) and the witnesses to focus on those in the opposition: Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla. Meanwhile, information implicating Senators, Congressmen and Executive officials belonging to the Administration have been kept from the Mass Media. The NBI, DOJ and the Ombudsman have pussyfooted on the investigation and prosecution of the guilty who belong to the LP and the Administration.
Pinoy has given Mar Roxas and his cohorts all the budget, exposure and power to help the LP position its favourite but weak Presidentiable for the 2016 race. On the other hand, they have done everything to deprive Binay of the budget, exposure and power that he deserves as the President’s appointee as HUDCC Chairman and Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipinos.
Four years on since the May 2010 National Elections, Binay has maintained his lead. The lead is so big that even if Binay, Erap, Grace Poe, Bongbong Marcos and Bong Revilla were too all run together with all the LP and Administration candidates that can be put up, Binay would still win. If you were to total all the percentages of the Administration candidates for President, this would come out to 43 – 45 %. On the other hand, Binay, Miriam, Bongbong and Bong would total 55 – 58 %.
Paper Tiger!
Nothing much can be expected from US President Barack Obama in his April 28-29 official visit in Manila.While he is likely to reassure the Philippines of Americans’ commitment to defend the Philippines in its raging territorial dispute with China, it will not make a difference, given how the US has been badly treating its Asia-Pacific ally over the past decades.
Since both countries forged their so-called Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) in 1951, the US hardly cared about the poor state of the Philippines’ military capability.
Calls by Manila for increase in American military aid usually fell on deaf ears among policy makers in Washington. Whatever the Americans gave were nothing more than second-hand hardware – either of World War II vintage or their leftovers in the Vietnam war era.
Now that the geo-political situation has vastly changed, it’s time for both strategic allies to redraw their treaty or risk overtaken by new and bold challenges.
From what was once dubbed the “sleeping giant,” China has suddenly awaken, emerging as the biggest threat to the Philippines’ security interests as both have interlocking claims to the oil-rich Spratlys islands.
With superior naval assets patrolling the disputed chain of islands, China has bullied the Philippines, long perceived as militarily weak.
In the face of China’s aggressiveness in asserting its sovereign claims to the Sprawls, also referred to as the west Philippine sea, Manila in not a few times wanted to invoke the MDT which many politicians label as a mere paper tiger.
But thanks to cooler heads, the MDT remains as a last resort mechanism to avoid what’s likely to be a bigger problem – war.
Hopefully, Obama will use his two-day visit to assess the Philippines’ defense needs, especially in light that the two countries will enter into a new security alliance under the banner of the so-called enhanced defense security agreement.
An offshoot of months of hard bargaining, Filipino negotiators were hard put as they had to reckon with the Constitutional ban on the presence of foreign bases on Philippine soil.
In the end, they had to compromise as Manila agreed to allow US forces the use of Philippines-builtmilitary installations.
For both countries, it’s a win-win situation as they usher in a paradigm shift in their strategic ties, given China’s surging aggression in the hotly contested Spratlys.For the US, Manila’s nod to a new pact gives the Americans the leeway needed as they reposition their defense forces from theMiddle East to Asia.
Under Barack’s pivot policy, the Philippines plays a crucial role because of its strategic location in keeping peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
But more than the much-needed military materiel, the Philippines badly requires America’s political succor as its row with China has assumed complex dimensions.Neither has China eased up in its flexing its military muscle in the high seas nor has it showed signs of flexibility in its diplomatic rapport with the Philippines.
As the world’s policeman, the US is in the best position to cool the tensions between Manila and Beijing for the sake of regional peace and stability.
Ching Vargas: Quintessential Mother, Friend & Public Servant
It is said that while the passing away of a person leaves a void that no one can fill, and a heartache no one can heal – it is love however that leaves a memory no one can steal.
Atty. Susan Dumlao-Vargas popularly known as Ching Vargas, former Deputy Executive Secretary of Administration and Finance, Corazon Aquino, Fidel Ramos and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, passed away on March 29, 2014 at 6:45 p.m. after battling the Big C for almost two years, a battle she fought courageously that she hoped she would win – but was not afraid to lose either – as she knew that her journey to the after-life would lead to her blissful meeting with her Creator who gave her life.
Ching Vargas left behind four finely-molded children and loved ones, good-looking Vanesa or Bunny, the eldest, who succeeds her as the Madre de familia of the Vargas family, Allan Unlayao , Bunny’s husband, and their kids, Vincent, Victoria, Yong and Vittorio; the second daughter, pretty and charming Veronica or Caron, whose lovely features and winsome demeanor take from her mom, Caron’s husband Erick Cruz, and their children, Camille and Cali. Ching’s third child is Alfred or Alfie, the handsome movie actor and now Congressman of the 5th District of Quezon City, his with beautiful Yasmine or “Yash” Espiritu, and their three (3) daughters, Alexandra, Ching-Ching and Aryana, and Ching’s last son, debonair businessman, Patrick Michael or PM – his fiancée, statuesque Christine or Krissy.
Ching’s husband Alfredo Vargas, Jr., who hailed from Sta. Maria, Bulacan predeceased Ching three years ago.
The endless stream of people from a cross-section of our society that trooped to the Sta. Maria Della Strada Parish in Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City to view Ching’s remains, and to condole with her loved ones during the wake, as well as in the last funeral rites at the Our Lady of Pentecost Parish in Xavierville, Quezon City, gave a glimpse of how Ching Vargas was viewed with love, respect and admiration by these who paid homage to her on her last days on earth.
Ching Vargas was a classic beauty and brains individual. She graduated Valedictorian in her high school class at the San Nicolas College in Surigao City, where she grew up like every typical probinsiyana lass fond of movie actors and actresses, and even collected pictures of them, dutifully and fondly brought to her by her sister, Miren Dumlao-Santos, a Ph.D in molecular biology. She was a candidate for Binibining Pilipinas in the late sixties.
Her 1972 classmates, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, former Ombudsman Mercy Gutierrez, Atty. Teddy Cruz, among others from the Ateneo Law School, from where she finished her Bachelor of Laws degree, recall that Ching was the classmate with beautiful face that had a captivating smile, who was a bubbly and kind student who had a talent for singing, guitar-playing and dancing. It is no wonder that daughters Bunny and Caron had exceptional singing voices, who together with Ching’s grandchildren, who apparently got the same genes, gave an excellent performance at her wake.
Ching Vargas had also a talent for oil painting as evidenced by four (4) of her oil paintings of various beautiful flowers. Ching’s law classmates, who called themselves Barangay ’72, also dished out a song for their dear departed friend. Basil Valdez, the singing sensation of the seventies and eighties also did live renditions of beautifully crafted songs that contributed to the solemnity of the occasion, flooding back memories with beautiful and unforgettable moments with the person lying in state.
Likewise, the famed violinist John Lesaca played the favorite songs of Ching. Speakers after speakers at the necrological rites eulogized Ching, from her dorm-mate at the UP Diliman, Carmen Roa-Africa, her law classmates, former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, former Ombudsman Mercy Gutierrez, Atty. Teddy Cruz. Even retired Supreme Court Justice Flerida Ruth-Romero, who was incidentally my law professor in the UP College of Law, paid tribute to her and so with many others as well as this writer.
They were all one in saying that Ching Vargas was the epitome of grace, kindness, competence, honesty, caring and thoughtfulness. Her thoughtfulness as a friend is legendary. She always remember to greet her friends on their birthdays, on Father’s Day, on Mother’s Day, in every special occasions – gifting them with all kinds of souvenirs that she brought from her travels abroad.
Ching Vargas was a loving person, a principled wife, a caring mother, a doting grandmother, a very thoughtful friend. Ching Vargas not only was a public servant, par excellence – but one with solid rock integrity, unsullied and unchallenged. In sum, Ching Vargas was a walking testament of a caring, generous, and compassionate human being. She was the quintessential mother, friend and public servant – that is to say, she is the perfect example of a class or quality.
I met Ching in the UP College of Law when she was freshman in the Ateneo Law School though a mutual friend, Freddie Alday, who is also a lawyer. Freddie Alday describes Ching as an “extra-ordinary person” and “super kind”, who accommodated every referral he made for her assistance, regardless of their status in life or political beliefs.
Ching Vargas touched and moved many lives. Her wholesome persona, her humble ways, her accommodating demeanor, and her limitless extension of her helping hand to those who sought her assistance won her the hearts of those who had the golden chance to cross her path – and they were legions – which was apparent from the continuous flow of people who went to her wake from day 1, to pay their last respects and say their prayers for her.
She spoke highly and proudly of her children, Bunny, Caron, Alfred or Alfie, and PM whom she showered with undying love, endless tenderness and unyielding devotion as a single parent for twenty (20) years. That she molded her children to her admirable image is quiet evident by the boundless charming traits they have exhibited to those who came to share in their grief.
Ching Vargas reared her children under circumstances not exactly comfortable and ideal, yet her innate goodness and fierce mother instinct moved her to raise them into fine individuals. That she deserves admiration from those who look for a role model of a mother, in unquestionable.
In her death bed, Ching Vargas asked her children to strictly live by the highest standard of ethics, of which she herself lived, of which qualities are apprehended to her name: integrity, competence, compassion and honesty.
On July 16, 2013, 10:07 a.m., apparently hearing from the news that I have been engaged by Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to handle the case of Davao policemen charged of murdering the kidnappers of a Chinese businesswoman while she was in captivity, I received the following message from Ching:
“Good evening Sal! Hurrah, you are the Davao cops’ lawyer. My heart bleeds for the police. Warms regards to you and Mayor Duterte. Hope he remembers me.”
Her compassion for the policemen despite adverse public perception on men on uniform could not be hidden.
Of course, the popular and controversial Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of Davao City remembers Ching Vargas. Despite Mayor Duterte’s hectic and back-breaking schedule, coming from Kuala Lumpur, as an official guest of the Department of Tourism of Malaysia, he went to pay his last respects to her personal friend at her wake on April 2, 2014, at about 2:00 p.m. before he flew back to Davao.
Merci Gutierrez, the former Ombudsman, one of her closest and dearest friends, she is a wedding Godmother to Caron, while Ching was the baptism Godmother of Mercy’s daughter, lawyer Marge Gutierrez, Ching, and I had dined together at a fine dining place in Ortigas Center sometime before she fell ill – and in our exchange of text messages – we planned to have a three-some dinner as soon as Ching got well. Of course, we had hoped she would lick the big C – but as faith would have it, we finally have that dinner at the wake on April 2, 2014 – with Ching in our midst but in the spiritual plane.
Farewell our dearest friend Ching Vargas, we will miss your abundant charming ways, your unparalleled thoughtfulness, your beautiful face and endearing smile.
Your children will miss your boundless love, your everlasting caring, and your unending tenderness – but the sweet memories you left behind shall be in our hearts and minds forever – and as we look up above the galaxy of stars – we will remember you as we see the brightest of stars – because among the mortals that walked amongst us – you were the brightest, the kindest and the most loving. We love you Ching Vargas.
For feedback: Please text mobile Phone No. 0917-5655100. Email:salvadorpanelo@rocketmail.com. Facebook: panelosalvador@gmail.com
Reds Condemn China And US Bullying
In a statement released by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP),the insurgent group condemns both the US and Chinese governments for “acting like bullies in their effort to fortify their military foothold in the South China Sea to the detriment of the Filipino people’s sovereignty claims over the islands and land formations and territorial waters within the country’s 200-mile exclusive economic zone.”
The CPP denounced both the Chinese and US governments for carrying out maneuvers and counter-maneuvers last March 29, while a Philippine boat delivered supplies to the Philippine outpost ship BRP Sierra Madre, stationed at the Ayungin Shoal since 1999. News reports indicate that the Chinese Coast Guard attempted to prevent the Philippine supply boat from reaching the Ayungin shoal.The group also criticized the US military for reportedly carrying out fly-bys to project and assert its power and control of the area.
The CPP further denounced the Aquino regime for playing to the US hegemonist plan to establish its permanent presence in the South China Sea by invoking US military support, seeking increased US military financing and protection. The group says that the fly-by of US jets over the Ayungin shoals last March 29 was carried out with the permission of the Philippine armed forces, although AFP officials feigned ignorance. Malacañang also pretended to be unaware of the US fly-bys when it declared that the Philippine supply boat just “somehow managed” to reach the outpost ship despite the presence of the Chinese Coast Guard ship.
The CPP claims that it has long supported the demand of the Filipino people to assert Philippine sovereignty over the small islands and land formations in the South China Sea within the country’s 200-mile economic zone. It also asserted that the group has long called for a peaceful resolution of the conflicts through diplomatic negotiations and international arbitration.
“The US imperialists have long been the biggest violators of Philippine sovereignty,” the group insists in their public statement. They said that the United States’ historical record of aggression and colonization of the Philippines is “incomparable to that of China, which has never deployed its military in the Philippines, prior to sailing its coast guard boats in Philippine territorial waters.”
The CPP notes, “The US has further entrenched itself in the Philippines. It has further strengthened its foothold by maintaining a permanent military presence in the Philippines.”
The CPP contends that further strengthening the US’ military foothold in the Philippines does not help the Philippine cause to advance sovereign claims over the South China Sea islands, formations and territorial waters. Heightening US military presence, according to them, counters the Philippines’ efforts to strengthen its sovereignty claims as it puts the Philippines under the dominance of the US military.
The group further adds, “In asserting Philippine claims while invoking US military support, the Aquino regime is actually seeking to become a protectorate of the US government, subjecting the entire country, including the international trade routes in the South China Sea, to US control. To be ‘protected’ by a bigger bully who claims to be a friend to fend off another bully is to forever be under the sway of that bigger bully.”
Ictsi To Develop New Terminal In Colombia
MANILA– The Philippines’ biggest port operator has begun constructing a container terminal at the Port of Buenaventura in Colombia to cash in on that country’s burgeoning trade and logistics demand.
Estimated to cost US$180 million, the terminal is a joint project of the Manila-listed International Container Terminal Service, Inc. (ICTSI) and the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA).
Through their subsidiaries, the ICTSI and PSA recently signed an agreement to jointly develop, construct and operate a terminal and ancillary facilities in Aguadulce, Buenaventura, Colombia.
Based in Manila, ICTSI is involved in the operations and development of 27 marine terminals and port projects in 19 countries worldwide.
PSA is one of the leading global port groups with port projects across Asia, Europe and the Americas and flagship operations in Singapore.
The agreement involves PSA’s investment, through unit PSA International Pte. Ltd., in Sociedad Puerto Industrial Aguadulce S.A. (SPIA), an indirect subsidiary of ICTSI.
SPIA holds a 30-year concession for the Aguadulce Port Project granted by the Agencia Nacional de Infraestructura of Colombia. It also owns 225 hectares of land in Aguadulce.
Under the terms of the agreement, ICTSI’s wholly-owned subsidiaries Kinston Enterprises Corporation and Future Water S.A. agreed to the purchase by PSA Colombia Pacific Pte. Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of PSA, of SPIA shares representing 45.64 percent of SPIA’s issued and outstanding share capital.
Upon completion of the agreement, ICTSI and PSA, through their respective subsidiaries, will jointly own 91.28 percent of issued and outstanding share capital of SPIA.
ICTSI and PSA also agreed to work jointly towards the success of the Aguadulce Port Project.The new container terminal will have an annual capacity of 700,000 TEUs (twenty foot equivalent unit).
The construction, which started last November, will be completed in 18 to 24 months. The new container terminal, which is expected address Colombia’s expanding trade, will have its own access road to ease congestion at the port.
“We are excited about the prospect of working with PSA to develop a terminal that we know will be key to Colombia’s trade growth,” says Enrique K. Razon Jr., ICTSI chairman and president.
He adds PSA and ICTSI share the same aspirations for the Aguadulce Port, adding both are confident and look forward to the success of this important collaboration.
An ICTSI statement also quoted Tan Chong Meng, PSA Group CEO, as saying: “We are delighted to partner with ICTSI and co-invest in the Aguadulce Port Project.”
He noted that ICTSI and PSA will bring their complementary strengths to ensure that this greenfield terminal will support the growing demand for trade and logistics in Colombia amidst the improving business environment in the region.
ICTSI also operates container terminals in Poland, Brazil, Madagascar, Indonesia, Syria and Japan, and recently signed contracts to operate container terminals at the Port of Guayaquil in Ecuador.
U.S. Embassy Showcases Strong US-PH Business TIES
The United States Embassy Manila, in partnership with the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute and the U.S. Potato Board, hosted an event showcasing food, wine, and beverages from the American Pacific Northwest region.
The event is one in a series designed by the Embassy’s Foreign Agricultural Service to promote theuse of quality U.S. Food and beverage products in the Philippines.
Agricultural Counselor Philip Shull underlined the importance of agricultural trade between both countries:
“U.S. food and beverage exports to the Philippines grew 15 percent in 2013, and reached the US$1 billion milestone.
The Philippines is the number one market in South East Asia and the tenth largest market in the world for U.S. food and beverage products.
$1 billion in food and beverage exports is roughly 25,000 container trucks stretching more than 300 kilometers.
Us Upgrades Ph Aviation Status
PAL (Philippine Airlines) president Ramon S. Ang commended the Civil Aviation Authority of the Phils (CAAP) on receiving a Category 1 status from the US Federal Aviation Administration. The PAL head considers this major achievement for the Philippine aviation industry. “This will no doubt boost our country’s travel and tourism sectors and the economy in general,”says Ang.
With this upgrade, the Philippines now joins the ranks of the important aviation nations in the world made up of 79 countries that meet the US safety standards. According to Ang, this means that country is definitely back on the global aviation map. The Philippines used to be on the Category 2 blacklist for six years when it failed to comply with international flight safety standards in the past.
Ang says that it is great news for Philippine Airlines, as this means that it can immediately deliver the kind of flight experience that customers would be eager to try, repeat and share via the new, state-of-the-art Boeing 777-300 ERs that will be deployed for the flag carrier’s non-stop flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco. He says that PAL can finally be able to execute on future plans to expand its route network in the US, one of PAL’s biggest passenger markets.
Without a doubt, this upgrade ushers in a new chapter in the flag carrier’s trans-pacific service. “We look forward to serving our customers and kababayans both here and in the United States, and providing to them the trademark warmth and hospitality that PAL has always been known for,” the airline president says.
Filipinos In China Urged To Comply With Visa Conditions
The Philippine Embassy in Beijing has reminded all Filipinos in China to comply with the conditions and restrictions of their visas to avoid arrest, prosecution, detention, deportation and blacklisting in the host country.
In a statement, the embassy noted that about 200 foreigners were expelled from China in 2013. Out of this number, 48 or 24% were Filipinos.
The Filipinos were apprehended and detained for holding spurious Chinese
visas or forged passports, working without proper employment visas and
permits, assuming false identity, and overstaying in the country.
Some were arrested for illegally entering China then using it as jumping-off
point for travel to other countries.
The embassy’s information campaign sought to increase the Filipinos’ awareness of Chinese immigration policies, particularly rules for foreigners entering the country on a visitor or tourist visa.
The salient points of the campaignfollow:
1. Filipinos should respect the laws of China and observe the
restrictions of their visas. If their visa is for tourism purposes
only, they should not engage in any employment without proper visa
or permit, whether they are compensated or not.
2. They should not be involved in any unlawful activities or criminal
acts, such as illegal drugs trade and prostitution.
3. They should return to the Philippines on or before the expiry of
their authorized period of stay in China to avoid violating
immigration and labor regulations of that country.
Jokowi, Jojo And Erap (Happy Birthday!)
Much sooner than most of us know or are aware of, our neighbour, Indonesia (with a population of 250 million) will hold its National Elections for President and Vice President. These were preceded by Legislative (including the Lower House of Parliament) Elections last Wednesday, April 9, 2014. 186 million voters were eligible to vote for 230,000 candidates for 20,000 seats in National (560) and Regional or Local Legislatures (2,137 seats in 33 Provincial Assemblies {DPRD}: 17,560 seats in 497 District Assemblies.).
The most important of these three levels was the election for the 560 seats in the Lower House of the National Parliament (DPR). The results have to be tallied and completed by law within 30 days. Under Clause 9, Law 42 of 2008, only parties that won at least 20 % of the DPR seats or 25 % of the popular vote in the Legislative elections can nominate a candidate for President and VP. If a party failed to achieve these criteria, then it has to combine with another party or a combination of other parties if it wants to field a candidate (s). The nominations have to be completed within seven days of the above results.
The Presidential and Vice Presidential Elections will be held on July 9. The campaign will be in May and June. Then another two months of campaigning in June and July for the Run-off elections which will be held in September. The new President will take office on October 20. 2014, when the incumbent President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, steps down. The latter was elected in 2004 and 2009 in the first and second direct elections for President. He is barred from seeking a third term.
The main opposition party, the Indonesian Democratic Party – Struggle (Megawati Sukarnoputri), will nominate the Governor of Jakarta (since Oct 15, 2012; defeated the incumbent in the September 20, 2012 Run-off elections.), Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, age 52, born June 21, 1961, in Surakarta (Solo), Central Java. He was the Mayor there from July 28, 2005 to Oct 1, 2012.
In most of the Opinion Polls, Jokowi is now leading the race. His Party got the highest number of MP’s as well as popular votes. Both Suharto’s Golkar, the Gerindra Party and the Incumbent’s Democratic Party are trailing behind both in the polls as well as in the elections. Meanwhile five Islamic parties increase their combined total dramatically from 26 % in 2009 to the present 32 %.
Jokowi was educated in public schools in Surakarta at the Primary (Grade School) and Junior and Senior Secondary (High Schools) Levels. He took up Engineering at the Gadjah Mada University and graduated in 1985. He was a property and furniture businessman before he entered politics.
In both positions, as Mayor of Surakarta and as Governor of Jakarta, he adopted an interactive approach and relationship with his constituents. At the same time he adopted the development framework of European cities. He gained the trust of his constituents and was recognized for his achievements both at the National and International levels.
Jokowi reminds me of both President/Mayor Joseph “Erap” Marcelo Ejercito Estrada of Manila and the Philippines and Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Cabauatan Binay, Mayor of Makati from 1986 to 1988 and 2001 to 2010. Jokowi became a Mayor at the age of 44 and a Governor at the age of 51.
Erap was born on April 19, 1937 in Tondo, Manila. He was elected Mayor of San Juan in 1967 (However, he was cheated and lost the elections but won an electoral protest and assumed office in 1969.) at 30, Senator in 1987 at 51, Vice President in 1992 at 55, President in 1998 at 61 and again Mayor of Manila in 2013 at 76.
Jojo was born on November 11, 1942 in Paco, Manila. He was appointed OIC Mayor of Makati in 1986 at 43. He was elected Mayor in 1988, 1992, 1995, 2001, 2004 and 2007. He was elected VP in 2010 at 67. In May 2016, he will be 73.
The three of them, Jokowi, Erap and Jojo share the same populist style. The big difference is that unlike Erap, neither Jokowi nor Jojo were actors or showbiz personalities before they became Mayors. The other difference is that Erap had to go through serving five years as a Senator before he ran for President and then slid down to Vice President in 1992.
The third difference is that undoubtedly, Jokowi as opposed to all the other strong candidates or candidates of the big parties, represents the new politics in Indonesia. On the other hand, will both Jojo and Erap be identified with the old politics in the Philippines? Or can they reinvent themselves into something new but proven. The difference between the Philippines and Indonesia is that the latter had a little taste of the new politics a decade and a half ago. The former has just had a big taste of the failed new politics in the incumbent President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino.
The question is whether the revulsion with Pork, Corruption and Plunder will make the majority of voters gamble with the new and the young again or will they choose to stay with the old but proven leaders. If the former becomes true, then we will have a myriad of possible – Grace Poe, Alan Peter Cayetano, Vilma Santos, Sonny Trillanes and maybe even Bongbong Marcos. If the latter remains true, then we will have Binay and Estrada to choose from. They will have Mar Roxas and Chiz Escudero and others to choose from.
Meanwhile, Erap will be celebrating his 77th Birthday this coming Sabado de Gloria. Meanwhile, he will have to think and ponder whether to retire in 2016 after one term as Mayor or go on and run again for President in 2016. Will he be forced to run and win at the National level to vindicate his family just as Dra. Loi and Jinggoy ran and won as Senators in 2001 and 2004 and served to vindicate Erap then. Happy Birthday!
Setting New Sails On Rp-China Relations
This is in the spirit of “Welcome” to the new Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianua. I’ll highlight the significant elements from the excellent 4,862 word article written by the Chinese Embassy in Manila’s spokesperson and deputy chief of the Political Section, Mr. Zhang Hwa, in response to the Philippine’s filing of its “memorial” to the Arbitral Tribunal.
China’s Position
The Chinese Embassy spokesman’s paper made ten essential points:
1) The Philippines’ push for international arbitration undermined China-Philippines relations as it disregards China’s position;
2) China does not accept the arbitration because “direct negotiations is the most common and preferred way to resolve such disputes… “ and China has successfully solved the boundary issues with 12 of its land neighbors…. 20,000 kms. Of boundary… In 2000, China and Vietnam equitably delineated the maritime boundary in the Beibu Gulf and …. signed the Agreement on Fishery Cooperation….China sees no reason to abandon such successful practices….” Refusal of arbitration is a right under international law which many invoke, denying China this right is “double standard”;
3) China wishes disputes to be settled through bilateral negotiations … “Forcing the arbitration is not conducive to the settlement … “;
4) China’s Basic Position on the South China Sea issue… “the Chinese side has always adhered to resolving relevant disputes with sovereign states directly concerned…. through consultations and negotiations. … and conforms to the consensus that China and ASEAN countries reached in the DOC (Declaration of Conduct)… “;
5) On “The Nature of China-Philippines Disputes… China…. was the first to discover, name, develop and operate on the Nansha Islands….exercised… sovereign jurisdiction….Philippines’ territory was determined by a series of international treaties,… (that) state that the border line of… .the Philippines is 118° East in longitude.… Nansha … and the Huangyan… do not lie within…”
Distance Is Not Relevant
“Some people believe that these islands and reefs are closer to the Philippines, and therefore they belong to the Philippines. This has no basis in international law. Geographical proximity has never been a criterion that determines the ownership of territory. Many countries in the world possess territories far away from their mainland or closer to other countries. .…” 6) Focuses on previous “Consensus” reached in agreements between China and the Philippines … the Joint Statement-PRC-RP Consultations on the South China Sea …. in August 1995 …. The Joint Statement between China and the Philippines on the Framework of Bilateral Cooperation… in May 2000… In 2002, China and the ASEAN… signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties…. (DOC),… adhering to negotiations as the mode and not arbitration.
Territories Lost In R.P. Maps
The 7th, on the Huangyan Island (Scarborough Shoal) issue, the paper states “The Philippines once clearly stated that the island is not within its territory. First, a series of international treaties defining the domain of the Philippine territory provide that the Huangyan Island is outside the territory of the Philippines. The then Philippine ambassador to Germany explicitly stated in 1990 in his letter to German radio amateurs that the Huangyan Island is not within the territory of the Philippines. The documents issued in 1994 by the Philippine National Mapping and Resources Authority …. all confirmed …. The Philippine official map issued in 2011 also marked the Huangyan Island outside the Philippine territorial border limits.”
The 8th point on “The Issue of Ren’ai Reef (Second Thomas Shoal)” recalls the commitments of previous Philippine government administrations to “tow away” the stranded Philippine navy derelict there. But the DFA, China states, “on March 14 openly stated the vessel ‘grounded’ 15 years ago was actually meant to occupy the reef, which proves that the Philippine side has been lying for 15 years….The sitting Philippine government was not the one 15 years ago, but as a country, the Philippines is obliged to honor its commitment. A public denial …. will make it lose credibility to the international community.” The 9th point, “Freedom and Safety of Navigation”, states that the “…South China Sea is the main sealane for China’s trade and transportation .… actions taken by China in safeguarding its sovereignty and maritime interests …. do not affect other countries’ freedom of navigation and overflight….”
South China Sea Peace
The paper ends with a Commitment of China to “a South China Sea of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation”, highlighting a measure it proposes to the harmonious climate over the shared waters: China setting up US $ 500-Million maritime cooperation fund to promote maritime cooperation, science, navigation, safety, connectivity, and combating transnational crime; and establishment of a maritime emergency hotline. It concludes: “So long as all parties earnestly implement relevant consensus, adhere to consultations and negotiations, promote practical maritime cooperation and joint development, the South China Sea will become a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation. “
The winds of change in the China-Philippines relations seem to be rallying on change not only in theory but in reality. The surest sign of this was revealed in the April 2 AIM forum “Understanding 21st Century China: All Under Heaven?” sponsored by such big-named institutions as Asia Society, Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Association of the Philippines, Tufts Fletcher School Alumni Association-Philippines, the hangers-on Ramos Peace and Development Foundation Inc. (where did FVR get the money?), and Former Senior Government Officials (hangers-on to hangers-on-governments dragged along by Uncle Sam). Three speakers highlighted the forum: Prof. Marwyn Samuels of Syracuse University ; Dr. Liping Zheng of the Asian Development Bank; and Chito Sta. Romana , the fountainhead of wisdom on China for Filipinos.
Puzzled Patriots
Public reactions at the forum were emailed to us by Internet journalist Jerry Quibilan: from Alex to Jerry : “I noticed something very different from the forum today compared to the forum of anti-China activist Raffy Alunan, Roilo Golez and President Ramos also at the AIM in December … They got ex-commodores and ex-commanders of the US 7th Fleet to tell us Filipinos we have to prepare for war with China and shed our blood …We got videos on recycled airplanes and ships to buy for the coming war with China… videos on the Korean war where 10,000 Filipinos allegedly killed 40,000 Chinese. Today President Ramos laughed at the Philippines’ decision to buy 12 new jet planes …. That shook me up. My impression is that Raffy Alunan and President Ramos have noticeably lost their belligerence … They were as nice to China as apple pie. Both said Filipinos should try to understand China and restore normal relations soonest. I am quite puzzled to say the least.”
I suggested an answer to Puzzled Alex: The P20-billion deal to buy the used FA-50 from South Korea has already been signed and sealed; and so the syndicate can now relax the propaganda scare-mongering. Then came this quip from one reactor in the forum, Wilson Lee Flores: “We were colonized four times–the Spanish, the British, the Americans, and the Japanese … Filipinos were killed and …. plundered. On the other hand, what have the Chinese done in over a thousand years here? They just traded and gave us siopao, siomai, mami, and lomi.”
(Tune in to “Sulo ng Pilipino” on 1098 AM, dwAD, Tuesday to Friday, 5 p.m.; catch GNN’s Talk News TV with HTL on Destiny Cable Channel 8, SkyCable Channel 213, and http://www.gnntv-asia.com, Saturday, 8:00 p.m. and replay Sunday, 8 a.m., this week on “Meralco siphoning capital out of the country” with Butch Junia and “Consumer protection groups: Unite!”; visit http://newsulongpilipino.blogspot.com; text your reactions to 0917-8658664)
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