Ang Mga Dapat Gawin ng mga Maiingay

ANG MGA DAPAT GAWIN NG MGA MAIINGAY…

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

 

 

SA HALIP NA MAG-INGAY TUNGKOL SA MGA PINAPATAY NA MGA DRUG PERSONALITIES, ANG DAPAT GAWIN NG CATHOLIC BISHOPS CONFERENCE OF THE PHILIPPINES (CBCP) AY UTUSAN ANG MGA PARI AT MADRE NILA PATI NA ANG MGA RELIGIOUS GROUPS NILA NA GUMAWA NG PARAAN KUNG PAANONG MATULUNGAN ANG MGA LUMANTAD NA MGA DRUG USERS, PUSHERS AT RUNNERS NA GUSTONG MAGBAGO.

 

ANG COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS AT MGA GRUPONG MAY ADBOKASIYA SA KARAPATANG PANTAO SA PILIPINAS AY DAPAT NAMANG HUMINGI NG TULONG SA UNITED NATIONS AT MGA KAALYADO NILA SA ADBOKASIYA NA NASA IBANG BANSA UPANG MAKAPAGPATAYO NG PASILIDAD PARA SA MGA GUSTONG MAGPA-REHABILITATE.

 

ANG AMERIKA NAMAN AY TUMIGIL NA SA PAGBATIKOS KAY DUTERTE DAHIL MISMONG ANG BANSA NILA AY TADTAD NG MGA KASONG MAY KINALAMAN SA PAG-ABUSO SA KARAPATANG PANG-TAO.

 

ANG UNITED NATIONS NAMAN AY GAWIN ANG DAPAT NITONG GAWIN DAHIL MISTULANG KINUKUTYA NA ITO NG TSINA DAHIL SA GINAWA NITONG PAGHIMPIL NG MGA EROPLANO SA WEST PHILIPPINE SEA; WALA RIN ITONG NAGAWA UPANG MAAPULA ANG MGA KARAHASAN AT MABAWASAN ANG KAGUTUMAN SA MARAMING BANSA.

 

AT, ANG MGA NAG-IINGAY NA NAGPAPAKUNU-KUNONG KRISTIYANO KAYA CONCERNED SA MGA PINATAY, DAPAT AY MAGTANGGAL NG MUTA SA MGA MATA UPANG MALINAW NILANG MAKITA  NA ANG MGA PINAPATAY AY MGA KRIMINAL!

Ang “Isla” sa West Philippine Sea

ANG “ISLA” SA WEST PHILIPPINE SEA

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

 

Sa isyu ng West Philippine Sea, ang tanging layunin ng Pilipinas kaya dumulog ito sa UN Arbitral Tribunal ay upang matukoy ang tunay na hangganang karagatan ng bansa. Nagkataon lang na mayroong bahura o reef sa lugar na yon kaya atat na atat ang China na sakupin ito. Upang malubos ang kanilang layunin, ang bahura na hindi angkop na tirhan ng tao ay tinambakan ng mga dinurog na korales mula sa paligid kaya tuluyang tumaas at naging “isla”. Ngayon ay may mga pasilidad na pang-military… mga gamit pandigma, kasama na ang mahabang paliparan.

 

Seryoso ang usapin. Noon pa binanggit kong dahil sa pagpupursige ng China na makamkam ang bahaging ito ng karagatan ay siguradong hindi ito papayag na basta-basta na lang patatalo lalo na sa pipitsuging bansa tulad ng Pilipinas. Sa kamalasan naman ng China, dahil sa desisyon ang UN tribunal tungkol sa naaangkop na pagturing sa karagatang yon hindi lang Pilipinas kundi buong mundo ang kalaban niya ngayon. Solohin ba naman ang karagatang yon na ang turing ng buong mundo ay “maritime highway”. Para siyang nagbakod ng isang right of way kaya walang madaan ang mga taong naapektuhan at nakulong!

 

Para walang gulo, pabor ang Pilipinas sa pakikipag-usap ng maayos upang kahit papaano ay umabot sa “sharing agreement”. Sa ganitong punto, wala nang pinakamagandang paraan kundi gawin itong” open trading post” ng China at Pilipinas. Hindi puwedeng mag-refund ang Pilipinas kahit sa maliit na bahagi ng ginastos ng China dahil noon pa man ay sinabihan na silang itigil ang ginagawa nilang reclamation. Kung magkaroon ng oil exploration dapat ay “sharing” din ang usapan.

 

Sa isang televised interview kay Duterte, sabi niya gusto niyang ipadala si dating presidenteng Ramos sa China upang masimulan ang pakikipag-usap sa kinauukulan. Marami ang nagtaas ng kilay dahil noong kapanahunan yata niya nang magkaroon ng bentahan ng military base na ngayon ay naging tinatawag na “Global City”, ang sabi ay gagamitin daw sa military modernization ang mapagbentahan. Marami ang nagtatanong kung anong nangyari sa pangako dahil hanggang ngayon ay “antique” pa rin ang mga gamit ng military.

 

Nitong bandang huli nga, dahil sa isyu ng West Philipppine Sea, ay tila naalimpungatan ang gobyerno dahil nakita ang kawalan pala ng maaayos na barko ang Philippine Navy at Philippine Coast Guard. Kailangan pa naman ang mga ito dahil ang bansa ay maraming isla kaya napakahaba ng coastline nito. Hindi nga maeskortan ang mga gustong mangisda sa West Philippine Sea at hindi nga mapatrulyahan ang karagatang dinadadaan ng Abu Sayyaf tuwing maghakot sila ng kidnap victims mula sa karating bansa upang dalhin sa Sulu, Basilan, at Tawi-tawi. Paano na daw kung si Ramos ang makikipag-usap sa China tungkol sa isang maayos kuno na “sharing agreement”?

 

Sa ambush interview kay Ramos pagkatapos ng miting, sinabi yata niyang hindi siya interesado…..mabuti naman. Mabuti pa siguro ipadala si Lucio Tan at Henry Sy at siguradong hindi sila patatalo sa usapin kung paano pagkitaan ng Pilipinas ang artipisyal na isla dahil siguradong patatayuan ito ng airport ng PAL at Air Philippines at napakalaking Shoemart mall ….isama na rin pala ang PAGCOR para ang hindi ma-accommodate na mga casino sa Manila ay doon na lang itayo. Kung kulang pa ang artipisyal na isla, gumawa ng mga submerged casino – first in the whole world yan!

Who Takes the Blame for the Emboldened ISIS and Uncontrolled Chinese Expansion towards the West Phil. Sea?

Who Takes the Blame for the Emboldened ISIS

and Uncontrolled Chinese Expansion towards the West Phil. Sea?

By Apolinario Villalobos

 

When ISIS broke away from Al Q’aida, no nation ever got worried, thinking perhaps, that it is just another struggling terrorist group trying to get noticed by the world, every time it claimed responsibility for certain bombings. Not even the African nations that are located, a stone’s throw away from the lair of this fledgling terror group. Not even when the fledgling group started to conduct kidnapping of foreign correspondents. But when beheadings that they made were posted on facebook and began to invade surrounding villages, the directly-affected nations began to take notice. When cities after cities, and provinces after provinces were overran and European recruits began to trek to the ISIS camps, more nations became apprehensive. When historic and biblical shrines were flattened to the ground the group, and finally, indiscriminate bombings in Paris were made, the whole world took notice….but, too late.

 

ISIS terrorists practically walked their way into unsuspecting European nations with the so-called evacuees who escaped unrests in their countries. No high-tech device can ever set a low-profile terrorist or a freshly-trained terrorist with no international record yet, apart from an ordinary displaced businessman say, from Turkey, Syria, or wherever within the beleaguered region. All of them practically look alike with their piercing eyes, beards, high aquiline nose, etc.

 

Pinching attacks were made by an affected nation or two, and there was even a time when the cry for help of Syria was not heeded. But since the attacks were nothing but just pinches, it was not felt by ISIS that has successfully controlled vital cities of Syria. When the uncontrolled mass emigration of Syrians, both civilian and covert terrorists began to cross borders, the whole world got worried, because even the far Southeast Asian nations were asked by the United Nations to accommodate them.

 

The United Nations made noise when it realized that ISIS is serious in its threats in eroding the global peace. The condemnation of some Islamic nations that do not recognize ISIS as a legitimate jihadist group cannot repair the damage that has been it. Where’s the United Nations organization while all these transpired?

 

On the West Philippine Sea meanwhile, when only a single atoll was “developed” by China by constructing a military stronghold on its scant topsoil, the Philippines did not mind as it has her own Kalayaan island with huts and a motley number of settlers, as well as, a dirt-topped runway. The presence of Chinese patrol boats did not alarm the Filipino fishermen as the latter were reportedly, swapping foods with the crew. That was about ten or more years ago.

 

When the Chinese navy crew-Filipino fishermen relationship began to get sour, reports were considered petty so they were not given much attention. Even until the time that the Chinese Navy started acting harshly by driving Filipino fishermen away from Ayungin Shoal, the Philippine government was still not alarmed. Only when bigger Chinese Navy boats began arriving and discreetly reclaimed the Ayungin shoal, did the Philippine government file a protest in the international tribunal of the United Nations, in charge with the law of the sea. America did not lift a finger, because, accordingly, she is on the other side of the world, far from the disputed body of water. It instead, concentrated on the joint-military exercises with the Filipino military. Or, could it be that it was the time when she was in the process of obtaining loans from China?

 

Of late, however, America seems to be “noisy” as regard the West Philippine issue. Is she really serious, or just displaying a nauseating travesty? Several months back then, while Filipino fishermen were being drenched by the Chinese Navy with water cannons, the president of America is having a grand time meeting with his Chinese counterpart.

 

In the meantime, what has the United Nations done, since the very start of the controversy? Nothing! It waited until the issue has grown enormously out of proportion in view of the high-tech military facilities that the Chinese have installed on the artificial island that they have boldly built out of an insignificant atoll. Worst, the double-talking Chinese are heaping blames on the Philippines for the transformation of simple bickering on boundary, into an inveterate magnitude today.

 

The big question now is on the relevance of the United Nations in the face of all the fiascos from Africa to Asia, not to mention, the somewhat contained turmoil in Europe. How can it be called an arbitrational organization of nations when it cannot even prevent tensions among member- nations, much more, control violent eruption of pockets of unrests around the world? Is the United Nations chartered for the expedient and systematic exploitation of the poor member-nations by the powerful ones?

China Did it Again…Passing the Blame to the Philippines and Playing the Downtrodden on the Issue of the West Phil. Sea

China Did it Again…Passing the Blame to the Philippines

and Playing the Downtrodden on the Issue of West Phil. Sea

By Apolinario Villalobos

Here is another disturbing dispatch from Reuter on the latest declaration of China as regards the disputed West Philippine Sea:

“BEIJING/MANILA (Reuters) – Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the Philippines’ case against China at an arbitration tribunal over rival claims in the South China Sea had strained relations and that it was up to the Philippines to heal the rift.”( By Sui-Lee Wee and Manuel Mogato)

China is not stopping from presenting an image that oozes with weakness, humility and innocence to illicit sympathy from fence-sitting nations as regards the West Philippine Sea where she has built artificial islands that anytime from now shall be inhabited by thousands of her military personnel, as well as, equipped with military facilities. This is despite her insistence that the reclaimed islands shall be utilized for researches and emergency rescues, although, her covert objective, is first and foremost, expansion of her territory. She is perceived with disdain as a double-talker. Proof to this was when she declared that reclamation in the West Philippine Sea was stopped, but weeks later, the world was gaping at the wonder of the transformation of an atoll into a “high-tech island”, complete with military facilities and runway.

The issue on the West Philippine Sea shall put to test the guts of the United Nation’s International Tribunal charged with the Law of the Sea. Will it go on with the investigations and trials despite the vehement refusal of China to participate as she does not recognize the tribunal’s authority? What will the other co-members of China in the UN Security Council do? Will they join hands and gang-up on her? Will the United Nations order the dismantling of the facilities on the disputed natural and man-made islands, once the tribunal decides in favor of the Philippines?

Practically, the economy of the whole world is in the tight grip of China, as even powerful nations are indebted to her. The Chinese President was recently a guest of Honor in London and accorded very special treatment which their high officials unabashedly admitted to be equated with “economic assistance”. China has also, spearheaded the opening of a bank that competes with the World Bank in offering loans to distressed countries.

The peoples around the globe practically depend on China – from their toothpick, gadgets, food products, equipment, and machineries. Due to the cheap Chinese labor, companies from all over the world, transferred the manufacturing of their goods in China, although, marketing of the products are done in their home countries  In this view, it would seem that once the machines of factories in China will stop, the whole world shall come to a complete stop, too. When the Chinese money declined in value, other moneys in the world followed suit. So, what other manifestations do we need to show that the Chinese, have by their wily manipulation, able to control the world, and that the leaders of the nations that are supposed to be defenders of democracy, are just playing charades to avoid losing face?

Meanwhile, in the “game of the West Philippine Sea”, the pawn is the Philippines…if China will get what she wants, it would be goodbye to the rest of the claims by other SEA nations!

The Entry of Great Britain in the “China Scene” Shows that Everything is Alright with the Dragon Power

The Entry of Great Britain in the “China Scene”

Shows that Everything is Alright with the Dragon Power

By Apolinario Villalobos

President Xi of China was accorded a very warm reception recently when he visited London. The Prime Minister of the host country admitted that such warmth was equivalent to investments that could be equated to thousands of job.

The Security Council of the United Nations is permanently occupied by the world’s four powers – the United States, Russia, Great Britain, China and France. Of the four, only France has not yet shown an obvious affinity to China. However, with what happened in London, will the nation of great chefs, follow suit, by coming up with an alibi to invite China to their romantic country and entice the touted richest country today, to invest, too? But the biggest question is: what will happen to the United Nations, now that the “check and balance” is lost?

Clearly, the lesser nations shall be at the mercy of the four nations’ charades. It will not be long when the four will finally talk among themselves on how to fairly divide the sickly sphere among them. The United States and China have been patting each other’s back indiscreetly, as while the former has been releasing “threats” of incursion in the latter’s artificial boundaries in the West Philippine Sea… China likewise releases “threats” of appropriate actions as needed – all press release. But in the eyes of those in the know, such are just charades. China’s relation with Russia has no problem at all, as there is a silent understanding about the difference in their respective interest – that of Russia in Europe and that of China in Southeast Asia and even the whole of Asia and the Pacific area, thus, her claim of the West Philippine Sea.

Initially, when China released a statement about her reclamation of islets in the West Philippine Sea, only the United States was specially mentioned that can use the facilities to be installed. Later, general statements were made about the use of facilities for maritime rescue, but still no mention about the claimant countries’ involvement. Very obvious is the ultimate objective of China for a one sided compromise, in her favor, of course. China will definitely not allow the dismantling of her installed facilities if the United Nations will decide on the illegality of reclamations. And, in this case, China has found a new and almost equally powerful supporter – Great Britain, a fellow member of the UN Security Council.

Great Britain has been known for condoning piratical activities of her adventurous seafaring people, notorious among them was Drake. Although, the piratical activity was draped with political intents on the issue of maritime boundaries in conflict with Spain, still the selfish and illegally notorious motive was there – piracy.  In her effort to rid her main territory of criminals, she dumped convicts in the far away island of Australia, to make sure that criminals would not be able to swim their way back home. Finally, her colonial effort resulted to the peopling of the New World – America, that later became the “cradle” of world democracy. By the way, Great Britain supports Malaysia against the Philippines on the issue of Sabah.

Today, the wisdom of China seems to have tamed the world powers. The dragon is, indeed, wise when it has awaken again after thousands of years of slumber.

China: from reclusive to cunningly dominant and aggressive

China: from reclusive to cunningly dominant and aggressive

By Apolinario Villalobos

When the Philippines rejected the move for the extension of the U.S. military base in the Philippines, China saw its chance to stealthily proceed with her claim of a vast area of the West Philippine Sea. The Big American Brother, grossly hated by militant Filipinos has been booted out of the Philippine soil, making the country, practically vulnerable in the face of threats from inside and out.

Still losing no hope, the Americans thought of using the yearly joint military exercises between the Philippines and their “visiting” US military forces, a move which, however, did not deter China from pursuing her massive reclamation projects in the disputed West Philippine Sea. In no time, the world has witnessed the “birth” of an island, complete with an airstrip and high-tech military structures, although, what China kept on insisting was that they were for marine research and rescue purposes. She even had the temerity of accusing, instead, the Philippines, as the one building structures on Kalayaan Island, where can be found a “village” of huts and unpaved short airstrip, and as for the “military structure”, it is actually, a hardly- floating, corroded and barnacle-covered ship.

Lately, the Americans discovered the presence of a Chinese naval ship in the waters of Alaska. All that the Americans did was throw a question into the air, as to what such ship was doing in their territory. They never ever thought that China might have been conducting surveys on how to tow into place a floating island that she is very much capable of building, and which no country can dispute, for as long as it is outside their territory. A floating island may just be huge barges with the area of several football fields overlaid with soil and planted to grass and shrubs. The Chinese have been successful in building an island in the disputed West Philippine Sea, and they proved that no nation has been courageous enough to stop them, not even the United Nations.  So, why not build more in other oceans? Such is how China conceives what a modern-day expansionism should be!

Building an island is no different from reclaiming fringing coastal areas that would eventually extend the territory of a country. Many countries are doing this. Coastal reclamation is a discreet extension that a nation can do to expand its territory. Expansion may accommodate an airport or provide more area for an existing wharf or conglomerate of business districts. Practically, many countries are doing this, which would eventually change maritime maps, and the face of the earth.

Manila reclaimed a big portion of the Manila Bay which is now being developed into a “Dream City”.  But before that, and during the time of Marcos, a big portion of the bay has been reclaimed to accommodate the whims of Imelda – the Hotel Sofitel (formerly, Philippine Plaza Hotel), Folk Arts Theater, Philippine International Convention Center, Film Center, Cultural Center of the Philippines and many other structures to support the country’s tourism industry. But China has gone further when she has embarked into a bold maritime colonization, as she squint her eyes to survey the vast bodies of oceans for her taking!

On economy, China has flooded the world with her cheap products churned out by factories that are alive with cheap labor. This phenomenon has practically devastated the local production of third world countries which could not stand against the almost give-away prices of China products. She has also been lenient in granting loans to allied countries which eventually, she now has a fatal economic stranglehold. She even spearheaded the founding of a bank akin to the UN-supported international banks that extend loans to member countries. Include here the standing loans that tied even powerful countries to this once reclusive country behind the Bamboo Curtain.  The wise moves of China virtually made her in control of the whole world!

Today, China is feigning a downhill trend of her economy, which of course, pulled down along, countries that have become dependent on her. This phenomenon includes the Philippines that now suffer from the weakening of her peso.

China is not a fool to reveal “how much” she is really worth. No nation ever knows the volume of her gold bullions and total reserves. What China may be showing the world, and which she can afford to devalue could be just an insignificant portion of her wealth, which may still be comparably even better than any powerful nation. China knows that the longer she maintains the downhill economic trend, the more harm that it can do to the world, and the better for her to tighten her stranglehold.

Meanwhile, China knows that not even the United Nations can force her to dismantle what had been constructed in the Spratleys. If the UN or the United States, for that matter, with her “Manifest Destiny”, had been contemplating on this decision for the sake of the rest of nations that use the disputed maritime highway, they should have demanded for the stoppage of reclamations long time ago, as they were not discreetly carried on, anyway. The goings on were not kept from the world’s scrutiny. The progress has been monitored via the internet, and which even elicited blogs of anticipation and wonderment from different parts of the world. To save face, the United States has been maintaining a stance, as if ready to strike, but for those in the know, it is more like of a shadow boxing, than one that can land a painful punch.

China cunningly employed a little sacrifice in the beginning, when she offered cheap labor to ensnare the world manufacturers into her fold, then she made the world economically dependent on her by being lax on her loans and flooding the world with cheap basic commodities, peddled influence to break the cohesiveness of Southeast Asian nations that now cannot stand as one against her on the crucial issue of the West Philippine Sea which she is considering as launching ground for her other ventures in other parts of the world. And, finally,

manipulated the world economic trend by devaluing her currency.

So what else can China do? Perhaps, show more vintage world maps of islands with Chinese names! China might even show a map of California with Chinese name!

China is Wise

China is Wise

By Apolinario Villalobos

Politics aside, I could say that China has utilized wisdom to the maximum in her effort to dominate the world. The country is the most populated nation on earth, hence, plenty of hands available for all kinds of job, making labor very much cheap. Historically, too, the nation has plenty of wise men, one of whom is Confucius, aside from scientists who invented many contraptions, even wooden nose sold to one of the members of the Magellan expedition to the Philippines in the 1500s.

With cheap labor, her enterprising citizens opened sweat shops for the manufacture of cheap goods, even going to the extent of counterfeiting brands that are originally made in distant Italy. Cellphones, especially, Nokia that is originally a Scandinavian product was not spared, as counterfeit models have been mass-produced, and ironically, with some models even made with better features, one of which is the ability to alter the voice of the caller! The international policy against forgery and fraud is proved no match to China. Product owners finally decided to open factories in China to give credence to the “made in China” mark. And, as the saying goes, the rest is history. So, today China prospers!…the first step for the rest of her endeavor.

China practically, has flooded the world with her produce – from toothpicks and cotton buds to the deadly weapons and jets. What materials that she does not have, she gets from other countries such as the mineral-laden sands and ores from the Philippines, a struggling country because of its corrupt political system. Tons of these sands are mined along the beaches of the coastal areas of the Philippines while residues laden with chemical from inland mines flow to the rivers and streams, decimating the fish population in the process.

In order to expand her boundaries, China went back to her history and cited names of islands on which her fishermen of long ago rested, and which are unfortunately being claimed by other Asians, too. She tested the temper of these claimants by first constructing a seemingly harmless beacon facility on one of the islands. When only whimpers from them have been heard, the facility was improved to become a fully- equipped island- barracks.

She eyed the other islands and still went on with tests for reactions if she does something, such as building of airstrip on one. There was a howl, but just that – a helpless howl from one of the claimant nations. Being helpless, coming from a fledgling member of an equally helpless organization of small countries, she went ahead with her massive reclamation…a success!

There are howls here and there, and complaints lodged somewhere, but China is furiously serious in claiming what she says is hers. Not even big nations can move, for how can they, with their huge debts that practically shackle them to her influence? China has finally, whipped the world with her economic clout!

Indeed, China is wise…starting with the lowly toothpick and cotton buds that the world needs she is now lording over the nations whose farms made way to condos and malls – agricultural nations who face starvation if they defy her!

Now, she is contemplating on building massive floating islands that shall become her moveable territorial boundaries in the West Philippine Sea or rather, South China Sea, the better for her to show tangible proof that indeed, that body of water is hers!

Can the United Nations whose committees are manned by representatives from third world countries indebted to China, be wiser? Can the United States, the nation with self-determined destiny as guardian of other nations be wiser?  Will the defying acts of China that practically humiliate the United Nations, signal the latter’s “demise”?

China and the World

China and the World

By Apolinario Villalobos

While China has tricked the US in the latter’s ploys in Asia, it has gone way ahead of Russia in territorial expansion. While the US uses its “big brother” approach, China uses cheap labor as the main factor in becoming an economic giant which made practically the whole world dependent on its cheap and fake products. No wonder why no country, even the United Nations, ever made an attempt to slap China with some kind of an embargo or boycott, which has been the practice to punish other countries, despite its unbecoming actions, particularly,  its reclamations at the West Philippine Sea.

While the US has not done anything yet, as regards territorial expansion, Russia uses force and has been successful in the Ukraine region, and China on the other hand, uses its “resourcefulness” by building fake islands to legally extend its territories, as well as, money to win the confidence of economically-ailing nations.

The ASEAN is obviously helpless in counteracting the moves of China, with most members even blatantly showing their once covert image as allies. There is no hope for the Philippines on the other hand as regards the West Philippine Sea, as even if the United Nations shall decide on its favor, there is a question on how the decision shall be implemented. China is a member of the Security Council of the UN, together with the USA, France and Russia. While the US is obviously helpless even in checking the ongoing reclamations in the West Philippine Sea, France is helplessly silent on the woeful issues that are now befalling third-world member countries, and Russia is clearly on China’s side because it is also doing what the latter is doing, aside from their obvious close relationship to date due to their common objectives. That is the sad picture of the United Nations which China could have perceived a few years after the WWII!

China has already made its presence in the African continent strongly felt with its various investments disguised as “aids”. The nearby Mediterranean could be the next target, thanks to the economic downfall of Greece which China could be regarding as a timely opportunity for their entry into the Mediterranean region. If Greece will eventually get out of the European Union, it will be on its own, but how can it be possible without help from outside, unless drastic moves by the government shall be made such as declaring a Martial Law to enforce stringent measures on spending? The issue on Greece is money. If the Greeks would like to recover from their misfortune, there are so many things that they should sacrifice, so that they will be left with a difficult choice – give up luxurious life under a Martial Law? Or, still enjoy the same life under a “caretaker country” such as China through its “aids”. There is no way for the US to get into the picture because it is also indebted to China.

China could have foreseen the problem of the world which is centered on money that is why it has initiated the organization of AIIB which gained many members in so short a time after the launching. If the image of the United Nations as a reliable organization of nations continues to slide, the World Bank would definitely follow suit. There is no problem with the UN as it has been seen as a helpless organization anyway, so it can just melt away. Besides, the world is seemingly being apportioned today, either three-way or two- way: three-way among the USA, China and Russia, or just two-way between Russia and China. It will be a goodbye to the “manifest destiny” of America as fighter for democracy…and a welcome to the “economic destiny” of China!

Is the world nearing the epoch of “world confederacy”?… in which all nations shall be federated under a permanent leader while left as they are with their own cultural identity?…in which only one monetary token shall be used?…in which two or three universal languages shall be used?…in which the ideology shall be the “hybrid communism”?

Ang Mga Ninuno ng mga Tsino ay Mangangalakal, hindi Mananakop…kaya hindi sila dapat idahilan sa issue ng West Philippine Sea

Ang mga Ninuno ng mga Tsino ay Mangangalakal
Hindi Mananakop…kaya hindi sila dapat idahilan
sa issue ng West Philippine Sea
Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Unang-una, hindi dahil ang West Philippines na tinatawag ding “South China Sea” ay may “China”, ay nangangahulugang pagmamay-ari na ito ng mga Tsino. Ang pangalang “South China Sea” ay ginamit bilang reference o batayan ng direksyon ng mga manlalayag noong unang panahon. Wala ni isa mang pahina ng history books ang nagsasabi na sinakop ng Tsina ang karagatang ito. Mangangalakal ang mga Tsino noon kaya kung saan-saan sila nakakarating at ginawang animo ay “highway” ang pinagtatalunang karagatan. Nadatnan ng mga Kastila ang mga Tsino noon bilang tahimik na mga negosyante, subalit may pagkatuso nga lang. Sinona o pinatira sila sa iisang lugar sa kabila ng Pasig at tinawag itong “Parian”. Tinawag din silang “Sangley”, na ang ibig sabihin ay “trader”. Ang Parian ay ang maunlad na ngayong Manila Chinatown, ang kauna-unahang Chinatown sa buong mundo.

Patunay sa kawalan nila ng intensyong manakop ang hindi pagtulong ng emperor ng Tsina noon sa mga Tsino sa Manila, nang mag-aklas ang mga ito laban sa pagmamalabis ng mga Kastila na umabot sa madugong labanan. Ayaw kasi ng emperor nila noon na umalis sila ng Tsina at tumira sa ibang lugar, kaya lumalabas na para silang itinakwil. Nagkaroon pa nga ng tinatatawag na “Bamboo Curtain” noon dahil sa inasal ng Tsina na hindi pakikipagrelasyon ng lubusan sa ibang bansa.

Kaya ang sinasabi ng mga lider ng Tsina ngayon na “nakakahiya” sa kanilang ninuno kung hindi nila ipaglalaban ang “karapatan” nila sa West Philippine Sea ay malabo. Ideya na lang yan ng mga pinuno ng Tsina ngayon dahil nangangailangan sila ng mapaglalagyan ng iba pa nilang mamamayan na umaapaw na sa mainland China, at nangangalap din sila ng pagmumulan ng langis na sinasabing matatagpuan sa West Philippine Sea. Bumabagsak na kasi ang Tsina at nadagdagan pa ng problema nila sa Hongkong dahil gustong kumalas mula sa mainland ang mga Honkongites.

Noong panahon ni Gloria Arroyo, nagkaroon ng joint exploration sa West Philippine Sea ang Tsina at Pilipinas, para sana sa joint exploitation ng matatagpuang langis. Subalit nang makumpirma na mayaman nga sa langis ang ilalim ng karagatan, biglang kumalas ang Tsina sa magandang pakikipagtulungan. Tumahimik sila, at nang bumuwelta ay umiba na ang tono ng kanilang sinasabi, at inungkat pa ang “nine dash” na kaek-ekan nila. Dahil sa “nine dash” na yan, pinalabas nilang “sakop” daw nila ang malaking bahagi ng West Philippine Sea, kaya nag-double time sila sa pag-reclaim ng mga bahura upang maging artificial islands ang mga ito. At, dahil pa rin diyan ay nagkaroon na ng “extension” ang kanilang nasasakop na teritoryo. Ngayon, lumalabas tuloy na talagang legal ang pangangamkam nila! Mga tuso nga…hindi na nagbago!

Mula noong naging aktibo ang Tsina sa pag-reclaim ng mga bahura sa West Philippine Sea, nasira rin ang maganda sanang samahan ng mga Pilipinong mangingisda sa mga kapwa nila mangingisdang Tsino, pati na sa mga nagpapatrulyang Chinese Navy. Nagpapalitan pa sila noon ng pagkain. Ang alam kasi ng lahat noon ay “neutral” ang nasabing karagatan dahil may iba pang mga bansang umaako sa mga bahagi nito, tulad ng Brunei, Malaysia at Vietnam, at wala pang maayos na napapagkasunduan hanggang ngayon.

Ayaw ng Tsina na mamagitan ang United Nations dahil alam nitong kung makialam ang ibang bansa, lalo na ang malalaki, ay matatalo sila. Ang gusto ng Tsina ay bilateral talk lamang sa pagitan nito at ng Pilipinas. Kung mangyayari ito, Pilipinas naman ang matatalo dahil siguradong dodominahen ng makapangyarihang Tsina ang usapan.

Ngayon, ang mayabang na Amerika ay walang magawa kundi mamangha at magbanta. Ang mga bansa namang nakiki-angkin din ng bahagi sa nasabing karagatan ay tahimik lamang dahil walang magawa. Ang isang maliit na hakbang kasi na gagawin ng maliliit na bansang nakiki-angkin ay maaaring gawing dahilan ng Tsina upang lumusob sa kanila. Sa katusuhan ng Tsina, maaari nilang sabihin na ito ay “act of aggression” o di kaya ay “trespassing”, at ang matindi ay baka sabihin nilang nilulusob sila! Hindi malayong mangyari ito, dahil sa kasisinungaling nila, pinapalabas pa nga nila na sila ang inaapi ng Pilipinas dahil nagsampa ito ng reklamo sa United Nations!

Kung sakaling magkaroon ng labanan sa karagatang ito, ang kawawa ay mga bansa ng Timog –kanlurang Asya na ilang daang milya lang ang layo sa mga bahura, kung saan ay mayroon nang base-militar ang Tsina. Malabong asahan ang Amerika na wala naman talagang naitulong sa Pilipinas mula pa noong pinalitan nila ang mga Kastila bilang mananakop. Nagtayo nga sila ng mga eskwelahan, mga tulay at kung anu-ano pa, pero ang kapalit naman ay ang walang pakundangang pakialam sa pamamalakad ng ating gobyerno at pangangahas (exploitation) sa ating likas-yaman (natural resources).

Ang malinaw ngayon, naisahan ng mga Tsino ang wise na mga Amerikano. Ang dahilan kung bakit nagkaroon ng base- militar sa Pilipinas noon ang mga Amerikano ay upang mapangalagaan nila ang kanilang mga interes sa rehiyong ito ng Asya, kaya nga hanggang ngayon ay may base-militar pa rin sila sa Okinawa, Japan. Malas lang nila dahil napatalsik sila noong panahon ni Erap Estrada. Ang ginawang paraan na lang upang maparamdam ang kanilang presensiya sa rehiyon ay ang pagkaroon ng taunang joint military exercises na nakapaloob sa isang tratado na kinukuwestiyon naman ng mga makabayang sector. Ngayon, ang pinakamasakit na black-eye nila ay ang kabiguang maunahan ang mga Tsino sa West Philippine Sea. Akala nila kasi ay hanggang pagnenegosyo at pamemeke lang ang alam ng mga Tsino. Dahil sa mga pangyayari, napatunayang hindi pala ganoon kagaling ang Amerika, na nagbigay ng kahulugan sa kasabihang, “matalino man daw ang matsing ay napaglalangan din!”

Ang Hindi Pagpatawag ng National Security Council Meeting at iba pang Kapintasan ni Pnoy

Ang Hindi Pagpatawag ng National Security Council Meeting
at iba pang Kapintasan ni Pnoy
Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Isa sa mga dapat ipaliwanag ni Pnoy ay ang hindi nito pagpatawag ng National Security Council Meeting sa kabila ng banta ng mga ginagawa ng Tsina sa West Philippine Sea na sumaklaw na sa teritoryo ng Pilipinas. At, hindi lang pagsaklaw ang ginawa ng mga Tsino, kundi ang pagtaboy pa sa mga Pilipinong mangingisda mula sa dati na nilang pinangingisdaan na saklaw naman ng teritoryo ng Pilipinas. Ang ginawa na lang mga apektadong mga mangingisda ay dumiretso sa United Nations upang magsampa ng reklamo, na dapat ay sampal kay Pnoy. Subalit ang aksiyon nila ay wala pa ring epekto sa kanya, kaya lumalabas na talagang wala itong pakialam sa kapakanan ng mga Pilipino at buong bansa. Ang tanong: ano ang problema niya?

Hindi lang iisang tao ang nag-udyok sa kanya upang magpatawag ng miting ng National Security Council…marami, at kasama na diyan ang dating presidente, Fidel Ramos. Subalit wala siyang pakialam sa mga panawagan, at ni walang paliwanag man lang kung bakit ayaw niya. Dahil ba natatakot siya na ang ano mang “payo” ay lalabas na “utos” ng mga miyembro ng konseho…bagay na ayaw niyang mangyari dahil ayaw niyang “mautusan”??? Subali’t ngayong pati ibang bansa na ang pumupuna sa ginagawa ng Tsina, nagpapa-istaring na siya sa pagsalita at kinumpara pa ang Tsina sa East Germany noong panahon ni Hitler, na napakalayong paghahambing kaya pinagtawanan siya ng mga ito! Sa kata-try hard niya na magtunog man lang na “matapang”….pumalpak na, napahiya pa siya!

Inatake ng MNLF ang Zamboanga, pero manhid pa rin siya. Hindi pa rin pinulong ang National Security Council ganoong may banta na sa seguridad na pangloob ng bansa dahil gusto ng MNLF na itiwalag ang Mindanao sa Pilipinas, na umabot pa sa tangkang pagwagayway ng kanilang bandila. Ni hindi man lang niya hiningan ng payo ang nasabing konseho nang gawin ang ikalawang draft ng BBL, dahil ang una ay ni-reject ng Supreme Court. Ilang kalamidad na ang inabot ng Pilipinas – bagyo, baha, lindol, pero ganoon pa rin ang asta niya na animo ay normal lang ang mga nangyari…hindi pa rin binigyang halaga ang konseho na sana ay kaagapay ng National Disaster Coordinating Council.

Nakitaan na ng tunay na kulay at pagkatao si Pinoy mula pa noong mga unang araw ng kanyang panunungkulan subalit pinagbigyan siya dahil anak siya nina Cory at Noynoy. Napuna ang hindi niya pagiging bukas sa mga saloobin ng ibang tao…hindi siya nakikinig. Napuna din ang kawalan niya ng damdaming makatao, nang hindi niya sinilip mang lang ang mga bangkay ng SAF 44 nang unang araw na dumating ang mga ito mula sa Mamasapano, Maguindanao, na dapat ay SOP sa kanya bilang pinuno ng Hukbong Sandatahan ng Pilipinas at Presidente. Ipinagpalit niya ang mahalagang pagkakataon sa isang simpleng inagurasyon ng pagawaan ng sasakyan sa Laguna na pwede namang daluhan ng uutusan niyang kinatawan.

Nang pumaimbulog ang mga presyo ng mga pagkain lalo na bigas na hangga ngayon ay hindi na bumalik sa mga dating presyo, nagkibit-balikat lamang siya, at itinuro ang Department of Agriculture at Department of Trade. Nang nagkasabugan ng problema sa mga international airports ng Manila, pati na sa MRT, hindi siya naringgan man lang ng pag-alala. Nang sumabog ang mga eskandalo ng pork barrel at PDAF, dedma pa rin siya. Nang pumagitna na naman sa kontrobersiya ang National Bilibid Prison at Bureau of Customs, pikit-mata pa rin siya. Nang nagbatuhan ng sisi dahil sa hanggang ngayon ay masikip na pier dahil sa nakatambak na mga container kaya naapektuhan ang pag-release ng mga kargamento, ganoon pa rin ang pinakita niya – walang pakialam…walang imik.

Dahil sa mga nabanggit, marami tuloy ang nagtatanong kung may presidente ba ang Pilipinas!

Pero may kagalingan din si Pnoy…ang magbato ng sisi sa iba upang mapagtakpan ang mga sarili niyang kapalpakan. Kaya kawawa ang isang maliit na ay lalo pang pumayat na babaeng dating presidente na hindi na nga makalingon at makalunok ng pagkain ay maya’t maya pang sinisisi sa lahat ng kabantutang naamoy ngayon sa administrasyon. Magaling din siyang manumbat, tulad ng ginawa niya nitong nagdaang araw nang magresayn si Binay. Sa ginawa niyang panunumbat kay Binay, naging bulag siya sa mga ginawa rin niyang pagkakamali…dahil ang gusto yata niyang mangyari ay lumabas na hindi siya nagkakamali maski kapiraso, na masigabo namang pinalakpakan ng mga nasa Malakanyang, lalo na ng “maamong” si Roxas!

Sa pagbaba niya sa puwesto, bitbit ni Pnoy ang mga tatak na: “presidenteng masyadong bilib sa sarili“ at “ang taong hindi tumitingin sa salamin”. Sikat siya dahil maitatala din ito sa kasaysayan ng Pilipinas, kaya mababasa ng mga kaapu-apu-apohan ng mga Pilipino ngayon. At, kung direktor lang ako ng pelikula, gagawin ko ang siguradong award- winning na: “Pilipinas: Anim na Taong Walang Presidente”…siyempre, ang idol kong si Nora Aunor ang babaeng maliit na inaapi! …at ang istaring naman, maraming makukuha diyang pakalat-kalat lang sa paligid…