by Tessa Jamandre
Three months after three other countries formally submitted to the United Nations their claims over the disputed Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), the Philippines finally registered its protests to those claims.
Two protests to the unilateral submissions of Vietnam and Palau and another on the Joint Submission of Malaysia and Vietnam were filed by the Philippine Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York.
The diplomatic protests were received by the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea of the United Nations in New York on Aug. 4, shortly before the deadline. The Philippines almost exhausted the 90-day period given to states to lodge their protest.
Click here (VERA Files) for the complete article.
Whether we are late in submitting our protestations over this matter or not, the lingering question that must be addressed by our gov’t — are we ready to lay claim on the KIG and make a stand given the state of our military assets? Obviously no.
Malaysia and Vietnam have already upgraded their air force, both procuring the latest Sukhoi SU-35 from Russia. Malaysia has squadrons of Mig-29 Fulcrums and F-18 Hornets on top of the latest Sukhoi fighter jets. They have just inaugurated their first modern SUBMARINE from France and they are going to deploy a total of 5 subs. Most of their naval destroyers have mid and long range surface-to-surface missiles.
As for Sabah, I don’t think the populace in Borneo will be overjoyed in being ruled by the Phils., especially with the kind of politicians that we have. Sa ganda nang current infrastructure nila and their social welfare and services far superior than ours (e.g., public housing and quality public education), ipaglalaban ng mga Borneans hanggang kamatayan na they remain within Malaysia.
Imagine, I travelled from their Kota Kinabalu capital to the boondocks of Renau and Poring (220 kms. ang distance), lahat nang public schools may parking lots (because many public school teachers have their own Proton sedans), satellite dish for e-learning, decent playground, and school buildings that will rival our private school facilities. And project ads or billboards with the faces of the trapos are almost nill!! When I asked my young Filipino-Malay guide bakit walang mukha ni Mayor or MP (Congressman sa atin), he looked at me with awe, asking me why? He told me it is their public servants’ obligation to enable these public projects, so di nila utang na loob sa politicians yun.. ako naman ang na-shock, nabigla on such a high level of political maturity. Kung ikaw ba e yung young Fil-Malay guide ko sa Borneo, gusto mo pa bang mapunta sa Pilipinas ang probinsiya mo?
At hanggang sa kanila sa Sabah at sa Sarawak, balita na sa kanila ang corruption ng GMA administration. Naaawa nga sila sa atin kasi malaki daw ang potential natin compared to them pero tila daw binigo tayo ng mga liders natin, di tulad nang pagtingala nila kina Tunku Abdul Rahman, Razak, at Mahathir Mohammad na mga naging Prime Ministers nila.
Ms. Ellen:
I hope you won’t mind kung medyo long itong posting ko na ito. I just felt the need to share this latest WEF (World Economic Forum) ranking report. Kasi exasperated na ako sa mga nagtutulog tulugang mga dumedepensa sa GMA regime dito sa Ellenville, at para na rin sa mga tulad kong anti-GMA para may palaisipan tayo kung ano dapat ang priority natin pag nasipa na ang squatter sa Malacanang ngayon.
For a better and contextual benchmark, let us compare our country’s competitiveness vis-a-vis our ASEAN neighbors, and believe me you will be surprised, or aghast, or depressed by these latest 2009 WEF Reports.
A. Global Enabling Trade (121 countries) — sukatan kung gaano kahusay ang ating pamahalaan sa pagpapatupad ng sound economic policies, strengths in institutionalizing consistent economic and trade policies na talagang magsisilbi sa national interest ng isang bansa
1 – Singapore
2 – Hongkong
25 – Taiwan
28 – Malaysia
50 – Thailand
61 – Indonesia
82 – Philippines
89 – Vietnam
91 – Cambodia
Note: Lamang lang natin sa Vietnam dahil mas maluwag tayo sa free trade and market accessability compared to them. Pero in terms of business environment, lesser red tape, and transportation and communication infrastructure, lamang na sa atin ang Vietnam. And to my disbelief, starting this year nalamangan na tayo nang Cambodia sa business environment and lesser red tape aspect!! KAYA SAYANG LANG ANG ADVERTISEMENT NG PCSO NA UMAANGAT DAW TAYO ECONOMICALLY.. WITH MATCHING GMA BACKGROUND PHOTO..
B. I.T. Readiness Report (134 countries) — sukatan kung ang educational system and fundamentals natin is aligned towards the future knowledge economy at ano na ang level ng teknolohiya natin sa impormasyon kumpara sa ibang bansa
4 – Singapore
12 – Hongkong
13 – Taiwan
28 – Malaysia
47 – Thailand
63 – Brunei
70 – Vietnam
83 – Indonesia
85 – Philippines
126 – Cambodia
Note: Kaya lang tayo lumapit sa Indonesia dahil sa mga call centers natin. Pero in terms of quality education and IT infrasturcture, pati Vietnam nilagpasan na po tayo this 2009.
C. Travel and Tourism Competitiveness (133 countries) — sukatan nang pagiging handa nang bayan natin sa pananaw ng mga turista at mga negosyong nasa industriya ng turismo. TAKE NOTE ANG PINAGYAYABANG NI GMA NA MAHUSAY SI SEC. ACE DURANO AT NAPARAMI ANG TURISTA SA PILIPINAS, aber tingnan nga po natin ang score natin kumpara sa mga kapitbahay natin:
10 – Singapore
12 – Hongkong
32 – Malaysia
39 – Thailand
43 – Taiwan
69 – Brunei
81 – Indonesia
86 – Philippines
89 – Vietnam
108 – Cambodia
Ate Ellen, take note — we were #81 last year, bumagsak tayo to 86. Vietnam was 96 last year at lumipad to 89!! Ang Cambodia last year is 112, this year 108. A friend of mine who is a veteran tourism professional told me last night, within 2-3 years malalagpasan na tayo nang Vietnam sa tourism competitiveness.
Ganito po ang tunay na kalagayan nang bayan natin. Puro propaganda lang ang mga sinasabi ng gobyerno ni GMA na RAMDAM KO ANG PAG-UNLAD, ika nga sa advertisement nila, hayy…
Kaya sa susunod na election, we should include the following in our checklist kung may matibay at pangmatagalang strategy and program ang ihahalal natin sa mga sumusunod:
1. Social housing na GENUINE..
2. Quality public education focusing on technology, math, and science subjects
3. Better business environment with very minimal red tape (pag may humingi nang lagay nang dahil sa simpleng barangay or health permit sa maliit na negosyo, dapat barilin sa Luneta yung gov’t official or employee na ‘yun!!)
4. World-class transportation, communication, and tourism infrastructure
Yan na muna po at tila nobela na ito.. react naman kayo..
Sandinista, pls just give the link. The URL. Thanks.
Nasa likod ng Pilipinas ang US sa protest ng huli sa Kalayaan.
The US would use RP as pawn once again against other claimants. Mas gusto ng US na ang RP ang manalo para makagamit din ang US. Isa kaya ito sa mga pinag-usapan nina Gloria at Obama noon?
Ms. Ellen:
Sorry po sa nobela ko — eto po link to WEF
http://www.weforum.org/en/initiatives/gcp/Global%20Competitiveness%20Report/index.htm
We should not be surprised why our claim to our territory is without energy. According to sandinista, we do not have the military muscle to back such claim. We should not be surprised why we do not have the military muscle to back such claim. It is because that has been the program of the Americans after they have been under their control ever since they invaded us in 1899.
If we have the military muscle to assert our rights, will we still be dependent on them. Will they be able to control us as they do now without us resisting them? Now how can we resist their controlling our nation when we do not have any national identity to define our nation in the first place? All of our inherited systems form our fathers: from defense; language; constitution; to culture were replaced by the Americans which developed us into worshipping dependents of a people who continue to step on our sovereignty and who continue to rape our Filipinas with impunity.
Before we can claim our territories, before we can think of becoming globally competitive among community of nations, before we can be a respectable nation, let us first have respect for our selves by putting a conclusion to that resistance started by our elder warriors against the American invasion of 1899 perpetuated by the continued American control of our systems. Let us recover that nation born in 1898, we inherited from our fathers. Let us recover our having been the first republic in Asia we so proudly claim by reclaiming that Malolos Constitution which was arbitrarily discarded. Only after we recover our organic and original nation can we start to be independent of the Americans. Only when we become an independent nation can we start claiming a legitimate defense, foreign policy, economic system and other resources inherent in a whole and sovereign nation.
I do agree with Jose Miguel’s proposition to revive our unfinished revolution as a nation when the Americans invaded us. But we have to be pragmatic and realistic though given the current situation.
We can continue to lay claim on the KIG but we need to have aggressive diplomats in the UN and ASEAN who are savvy negotiators, who can strike a balance in our patriotic claim and yet not strike the sensitivities of other nation-claimants.
We need to take advantage of our ties with the Americans to provide or compliment our security for the mean time because we cannot rely on China, it being one of the claimants of the KIG. We have to take this bitter pill while we are rebuilding our economy by actively supporting both the manufacturing and service sectors, implementing an aggressive public housing, health, and education programs, building transportation, communication, IT, and tourism infrastructure to escalate our capability to compete with other countries. A sustained economic growth rate of at least 8% per year for the next 20-25 years is our minimum target to be able to reach a developed country status and be a part of the OECD.
A no non-sense implementation of strict anti-graft and corrupt practices law that would make it foolhardy for public officials and employees not to follow.
We need to abolish pork barrel in our legislative branch so we would have additional resources for our housing, health, and education programs.
Such a laundry wishlist you might say — that is why I agree with Jose Miguel. To implement such a wishlist, it is short of establishing a revolutionary government.
Salamat kay sandinista sa mga datos na kanyang pinadala. Ikalat natin ito para malaman ng buong bayan ang katotohanan at pabulaanan ang mga kasinungalingan ni evil bitch at ng kanyang mga alepores.
Bakit kaya inantay pa ng DFA kung saan malapit na ang deadline at doon pa nag sampa ng protesta sa UN? Ningas cogon, katamaran o inantay pa ang utos ni evil bitch?
Ang China naman binantaan ang Pilipinas sa pagbibigay ng karapatan na kumuha ng langis at gas sa Palawan. Abangan ang mga susunod na kabanata lalo na sa gagawin ng rehimen ni arroyo.
China yesterday warned the Philippine government against granting concessions to a UK-based firm and its Filipino partners to explore and extract oil and gas off Reed Bank in southern Palawan which Beijing considers part of its territory in the disputed South China Sea.
“Something done unilaterally by the Philippine side is violating the sovereignty of China. That’s why we are against it,” Chinese Ambassador Liu Jianchao told a media forum.
“Even if it’s a commercial agreement, if it’s in the disputed area, it’s not commercial anymore,” he noted
British firm Forum Energy and some Filipino partners were supposed to enter last year into a service agreement with the government, granting them the license to explore possible energy resources in the Reed Bank.
The signing of the contract did not push through since the scope
of the geophysical survey and exploration contract number 101 (GSEC 101) is within the area of the Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU), a marine exploration activity of the Philippines, China and Vietnam in the Spratlys. The first phase of the JMSU was completed and expired in July last year.
China, Vietnam and the Philippines, three of the claimants in the SCS territories, cannot proceed with the second phase of the JMSU due to pending legal case before the Philippine Supreme Court due to questions of constitutionality on the pact entered into by the Arroyo administration with the two countries.
Forum Energy earlier said it had been notified in writing by the Department of Energy that the service contract was
thanks,Sadinista for sharing to us what you know about the present situation of our country.
Bakit si Sandinista alam iyan, pero iyong mga batugan sa Senado, Tongreso, etc., nagmamaang-maangan pa? Di dapat binoboto ang mga inutil na iyan sa totoo lang.
Naalala ko bigla ito….
————–
WALANG AGINALDO KAY AGUINALDO
(tula sa ika-140 taong kaarawan ng unang
dikatador ng Pilipinas – Marso 22, 2009)
– Jun Panganiban Austria
Isandaan at apatnapung taon na ang nakaraan
Isinilang ang heneral na taksil sa sambayanan
Kay Bonifacio at Luna ay utak ng pamamaslang
At sa Kawit, nagdeklara ng huwad na kalayaan
Kumampi sa Amerika, nangamkam ng mga lupa
Kung bakit hanggang sa ngayon, ngala’y dinadakila
Kasaysayan ang salamin ng katotohanan
Ihiwalay natin ang bayani sa taksil at gahaman!
from
http://karwaskil.multiply.com/journal/item/55
Patria aodrada:
Alam din po iyan ng mga trapos natin, pero delusional na lang sila o dedma. As long as may cut sila sa mga projects na pinondihan ng pork barrel nila, as long as may brown envelope galing sa squatter ng Malacanang kapag may pagbobotohang importanteng legislation, as long as makasama sila sa mga junket trips ni GMA (at mag dineer at tulad ng Le Cirque), as long as di nila maisabuhay na bilang public servants e referees sila sa nagtutunggaling business interests at interes ng mamayan instead of being active business participants in many public sector transactions, ASA PA TAYO!!!
Kahit na anong sistema pa ng gobyerno ang ilatag natin (presidential, parliamentary, etc.), kung ang values ng mga lider is beyond reproach, makakaangat tayo and in due time we may even increase our leverage in engaging with our neighboring countries in cases like the KIG clams.
Ang kailangan natin iluklok e mga liders na technocrat ang training pero may charisma makipag-engage sa mga tao, matibay ang sikmura sa laban, at tunay na naniniwala sa transparency and accountability — para bang mutation ng values ni Tita Cory, tibay ng sikmura nina Gen. Danny Lim, at technocratic but nationalistic thinking ni Renato Constantino (the old man).. baka meron dito sa Ellenville na marunong sa genetic engineering, mag mutate tayo nang ganitong mga bata, he he he
If Marcos is still the President today, what would he do to the Kalayaan Islands and Spratleys? In his time, he almost attacked and reclaimed Sabah if not for the expose that resulted in that Jabiddah Massacre.
kaibigang sandinista,magandang pagmumulat sa atin ang mga nasabing datos…
si queen gloria nga ang nagpaunlad at nagpalaki ng advertising industry sa ating bansa dahil sa dami ng billboards at tarpaulin,isama mo pa ang paulit-ulit na tv at radio ads…puro panlilinlang,kapal ng mukha at tibay ng sikmura ng magsinungaling at magsinungaling.
dahil sa husay niya sa false propaganda at self-glorification image ay gumaya ultimo mo kagawad ng barangay sa pagsasabit ng tarpaulin…mga trapos talaga!
sa amerika at maging sa mga bansa sa asia at southeast asia,di naman uso sa mga politicos nila na magbida ng kanilang nagawa para sa kanilang distrito o sa kanilang bayan…bukod tangi sa ‘pinas, africa, nokor at latin americas lang uso na dapat todo tarpaulin at billboards ang mga politicos, na parang nagsasabing “o yan pinagawa ko yan,yun at yun pa ha,kaya may utang na loob kayo sa akin”
trapos talaga!
sa isyu ng kalayaan group of islands ay may legal tayong basehan upang angkinin ang nasabing teritoryo, pero ang nakakalungkot wala tayong kakayahan na ipagtanggol ang nasabing “yaman” kung saan bilyong bariles ng langis ang pangunahing interes ng mga claimants countries.
ang afp modernization na isang batas ay nanatiling pangarap,kaya ang ating tagapagtanggol ay umaasa na lang sa bigay at military aid ng us, korea, italy and etc. kawawa naman ang ating bansa,hindi malinaw ang posisyon sa usaping ‘to.
sa isyu ng sabah,malayo ng makuha muli natin ang nasabing teritoryo at kailanman ay di papayag ang malaysia na mabawi ang nasabing “parte ng ‘pinas” dahil malaki na ang pakinabang nila dito at aktibo sila sa pagtulong sa muslim armed groups para magpatuloy ang kaguluhan sa mindanao at di mabaling ang interes sa mayamang sabah…hindi rin malinaw ang posisyon ng gobyerno sa usaping ‘to,sabi nga…takot eh!
trapos talaga ang pahirap sa ating bansa,kaya umpisahan na natin maglinis ng trapos para umayos naman ang ating bayan….
NO TO TRAPOS 2010!
Sinabi mo pa. Sayang, wala silang culture of suicide in the Philippines.
Over where I am based, it is still the best way to eliminate the creeps in the government. Pag nabisto sila, nagbibigti o tumatalon sa mataas na building. Mas marami iyong nagbibigti (favorite place pa nga mga bathrooms sa mga hotel where they hang themselves by the curtail rail) kesa tumatalon kasi ayaw nilang makaperhuwisyo. Messy kasi iyong sumasabog ang utak pagbagsak from a high rise building!
Sa Pilipinas, nakakaharap pa ng TV para lang magsabi ng mga kabulastugan. Para pang nakakainsulto sa totoo lang. Bakit ba pinababayaan ang mga animal na iyan?
Tama ka bitchevil. Kaya si Pres. Estrada pinakuha agad sa AFP ang Camp Abubakar at mga satellite camps at napilitang tumakas sa ibang bansa ang mga matataas na pinuno ng mga rebeldeng Muslim. Naging matahimik ang Mindanao pero nang umupo si evil bitch pinabalik niya ang mga ito at pinasundo pa kay Norberto Gonzales. Kaya ngayon magulo uli ang Mindanao at maraming mga buhay ang nasawi at nagkalokoloko ang mga buhay ng tao kung saan may gulo.
Mumbaki,
OK iyong tula mo re Aguinaldo. Matutuwa ang lolo ko diyan.
Naalala ko ang paghabol niya sa amin na hawak ang itak niya by merely uttering the name “Aquinaldo.” Maliit pa kasi ako nooon. Kundi, na-interview ko sana siya tungkol sa pagpatay kay Gen. Antonio Luna. Nandoon kasi siya noon kasi sidekick siya ng heneral na kamag-anak niya. Ang alam ko pinsan ng lolo ang mga Luna, pero sabi naman ng isang kamag-anak namin, pamangkin daw. Whatever, kamag-anak pa rin!
Duda ko nga planted ng mga kastila si Aguinaldo sa KKK. Kundi bakit nila bibigyan ng malaking pabuya nang mabuwag ang KKK and he left for Hong Kong with his entourage, kunyari pa daw exile.
When I get the chance, I shall resume my historical researches para maituwid na ang kasaysayan ng Pilipinas. Iyan kasi naman ang major ko sa totoo lang.
My maternal grandfather died in 1958, 8 years after he returned to the Philippines. Na-exile kasi siya for refusing to pledge allegiance to America. Marami silang napatapon as a matter of fact dahil ayaw nilang magpasakop sa mga kano.
We are losing Sabah because we did not include it in our claim. Malayasia is bold enough to claim it even on a wrong meaning of LEASE. Any realtor would say lease is not close enough in fee simple. Our pseudo lawyers up there should take up a little review in real estate.
Little Palau is now a thorn on our side. If only we claim Guam, Palau would just be part pf our eastern front. Guam does not belong to the US. US is only a protectorate. Guam is our ancestral land.
FYI ang Forum Energy ay kumpanyang pag-aari ng #1 crony ni Putot – si Ricky Razon, kasama, si Dr. Walter Brown ng Philex Mining at Transco, ang magkapatid na Oscar at JDV jr, at ang anak ni JDV na si Joey. Huwag kayong magtaka kung kasosyo din diyan yung matabang mama.
Drama lang yan ng China. Meron nang kapalit para sa China na isang milyong ektaryang sakahan ng biofuel inputs, pati na ang pagmimina sa Mt. Diwalwal.
Kaya lang inaanunsiyo na kunwari may mga legal na problema sa Reed Bank upang walang ibang magka interes na mag-drill ng langis sa island group na iyon. Hindi ko nabasa kung saan mo nakuha yang balitang yan, boyner. Pero kung sa Manila Standard, hindi ako maniniwala dahil panlilinlang lang yan ni Razon na siyang may-ari ng diyaryong yan.
Ang tunay na dahilan kaya hindi napirmahan yang service agreement GSEC101 ay dahil nung panahong iyon, ang Forum Energy ay pag-aari ng mga De Venecia sa pamamagitan ng Oriental Petroleum. Kasabay niyan yung pagbulgar ni Joey ng NBN-ZTE. Umaareglo si JDV kaya napilitang isama ang grupo ni Razon, syempre sabit si Taba at Putot.
Hindi politika ang pinag-aawayan nila JDV at mga Arroyo kundi LANGIS!
Kaya nga hindi dapat pagkatiwalaan itong si Tenga. Siya ang numero unong Palakpak boy sa SONA. He now says GMA asked Washington for permission to declare Martial Law and it was JDV who was assigned to talk to Washington. Hindi pumayag ang US kaya hindi na daw pumayag si JDV. Anong klaseng paliwanag na iyan? Did he mean that if Uncle Sam say yes, he would also say yes?