Category: Foreign Affairs

Philippine envoy to China suffers stroke

Published by Ellen on August 24, 2012

Sonia Brady1 — A competent hand in Beijing

By Ellen Tordesillas, VERA Files

Philippine Ambassador to China Sonia Brady suffered a stroke in Beijing this week.

“Amb. Brady suffered a stroke and is hospitalized where her condition is being monitored closely,” Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario confirmed Brady’s condition in a text message to VERA Files.

Update DFA statement Aug. 25, 2012:

Foreign Secretary del Rosario was in Beijing Saturday to visit Amb. Sonia Cataumber Brady who is recovering well after a stroke.

While in Beijing, Sec. del Rosario also met with his Chinese counterpart Yang Yiechi. Discussions between Sec. del Rosario and Minister Yang were productive and issues of mutual concern were discussed in a positive atmosphere.

An official statement released by DFA Spokesman Raul Hernandez late Friday evening said:

“Amb. Sonia Brady was brought to the hospital last Wednesday after she passed out in her residence in Beijing. She is undergoing tests and waiting for the results. Her condition is stable but she is under observation. ”

“She is better now than when she was brought to the hospital last Wednesday,” Hernandez added in a later text advisory.

Philippines alone in ASEAN vs China

Published by Ellen on July 10, 2012

DFA explains why there was no ASEAN communique: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/44771/why-there%E2%80%99s-no-asean-joint-communique

Update:Southeast Asian summit breaks up in acrimony
Agence France-Presse
Posted at 07/13/2012 2:52 PM | Updated as of 07/13/2012 3:02 PM

PHNOM PENH – Days of heated diplomacy ended in failure Friday as splits over territorial disputes with China prevented Southeast Asian nations from issuing their customary joint statement at a summit Friday.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino/world/07/13/12/southeast-asian-summit-breaks-acrimony

As of late afternoon Tuesday, the foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, who were meeting in Pnom Penh, Cambodia, had not released the joint communiqué which usually concludes the meeting.

Reporters covering the 45th ASEAN FMM said the discussion Monday was contentious between the Philippines and the chair, Cambodia over the subject of Scarborough Shoal.

The Philippines, represented by Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, introduced the following paragraph in the draft communiqué. The capitalized phrases were taken out by Cambodia, apparently in consideration of China, but the Philippines insisted on its restoration: “ In this context,we discussed in depth the recent developments in the South China Sea INCLUDING THE SITUATION IN THE SCARBOROUGH SHOAL, and expressed serious concern over such development in the area PARTICULARLY THOSE CONTRARY TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE 1982 UNCLOS RELATED TO THE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE AND CONTINENTAL SHELVES OF COASTAL STATES. In this connection we called on all parties to respect THE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE AND CONTINENTAL SHELVES OF COASTAL STATES as well as the freedom of navigation in and overflight over the South China Sea as provided for by the universally recognized principles of international law,inclusing the 1982 UNCLOS. “

Has Aquino thought of PH sovereignty in plan for U.S. spy plane over SCS?

Published by Ellen on July 5, 2012

Reuters interview — Claims he was taken out of context but affirms the idea.

President Aquino committed a major blunder when he disclosed to Reuters his plan to ask the United States to deploy spy planes over the Spratlys in South China Sea to help monitor the area which is being claimed by the Philippines, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

Reuters’ quote of Aquino was “We might be requesting overflights on that.”

The report said Aquino was referring to U.S. P3C Orion spy planes. “We don’t have aircraft with those capabilities,” Reuters further quoted Aquino.

The blunder was shocking enough. Imagine the chief executive of the land announcing a major national security plan that would cede Philippine sovereignty to the United States!

But the tragedy is that Aquino does not even know that he committed a blunder.

Ang dalawang J na namamayagpag sa Korea

Published by Ellen on July 1, 2012

Jessica Torralba Kang showing Amb Cruz her insurance agent license.

SEOUL,Korea – Nagkita kami ng ating ambassador sa Korea na si Luis T. Cruz at ilan sa kaniyang mga kasamahan sa embassy. Dumalo kasi ako dito sa seminar ng Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) tungkol sa relasyon ng human rights at internet.

Siyempre kuwentuhan ng kalagayan ng mga Pilipino dito sa Korea na karamihan ay nagtatrabaho sa mga factories. Ngunit ang marami din ay ang mga Pilipino na dito na talaga naninirahan. Umaabot sila ng 6,000 at marami sa kanila ay asawa ng mga Koreano.

Maraming success stories ng mga Pilipino dito sa Korea. Dalawa sa mga kuwento na yun ay sina Jessica Torralba Kang at Jasmine Lee. Parehong “J”.

Nakita ko sa Facebook ang litrato ni Jessica na pinapakita kay Ambassador Cruz ang kanyang lisensya bilang pinakaunang immigrant na nakakuha ng Insurance Agent Certification in South Korea. Nagtatrabaho si Jessica sa Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Co., Ltd.

Official rumor mongering

Published by Ellen on June 26, 2012

Why are high government officials so eager to release unverified information that later turn out to be false?

Spreading false information is not funny at all. Worse, it is coming from official sources.

Last Sunday, Benito Ramos, executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, released to media the information that a Chinese vessel rammed a Philippine fishing boat, Axl John, last June 20 on the waters near Bolinao, Pangasinan.

Four of the eight fishermen aboard Axl John were rescued but one later died. Four are still missing.

How sure was Ramos that it was a Chinese vessel? He said that was according to the fishermen who saw the markings on the ship. Apparently the name was not written in Roman alphabet which Filipinos are familiar with.

Lessons from Scarborough shoal standoff

Published by Ellen on June 24, 2012

Adverse weather situation provided a face-saving exit for both the Philippines and China in the more than two-month standoff over Scarborough shoal, also referred to as Panatag shoal or Bajo de Masinloc by Filipinos and Huangyan island by the Chinese.

President Aquino said there would be no need to send back Philippine ships to Scarborough shoal if no vessel from other countries would be seen during aerial reconnaissance that the Philippine Air Force would be regularly doing.

But before that, careful not to be seen as the one who blinked first, Filipino and Chinese officials issued statements that were both conciliatory and contradictory.

Brady,a good choice as envoy to China

Published by Ellen on May 27, 2012

Update:Brady confirmed

There are times when things have a way of falling into place.

Malacañang has announced the appointment of a China old hand, Sonia Brady, as ambassador to China which was made possible by the withdrawal of businessman Domingo Lee, whose primary qualification was a friend of the President’s parents.

Sen. Serge Osmeña, a member of the Commission on Appointments, had raised questions about Lee’s competence for the important position. Lee has been given the title of special envoy to China for tourism affairs. A perfect position for him while he sports the title “ambassador.”

Another Fil-Chinese businessman, Cesar Zalamea, has also been named special envoy for trade affairs.
Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said the President wanted “someone who is already familiar with the politics and culture of that country. That person can hit the ground running.”

Sonia Brady returns to China as ambassador

Published by Ellen on May 26, 2012

GMA News
As Panatag boils, Aquino appoints career diplomat as envoy to China

During one of the Philippines’ worst diplomatic crises in recent history, a stand-off with Asian superpower China, talks have been hobbled by the lack of an ambassador in Beijing.

President Benigno Aquino III has finally appointed one, career diplomat Sonia Brady, a China veteran who had already been ambassador there from 2006-2010, as well as a young consul in the 1970s.

She is also a former ambassador to Myanmar and Thailand.

Aquino’s previous appointee, family friend Domingo Lee, could not be approved by Congress’ Commission on Appointments because some senators had questioned his qualifications.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said Saturday Aquino appointed Brady to be the ambassador to China with concurrent jurisdiction over North Korea and Mongolia.

Fishing ban not-so-well thought out

Published by Ellen on May 21, 2012

Filipino fishermen unload fish from a boat in Masinloc — Thanks to MSNBC for photo

It’s good that former Marine Capt. Nick Faeldon didn’t push through with his planned voyage Panatag shoal, also known as Scarborough shoal, where an almost one- and- half-month long standoff between the Philippines and China is a subject of informal diplomatic talks.

Faeldon, who was imprisoned for seven years for his participation in the 2003 Oakwood mutiny against Gloria Arroyo, had planned to set sail for Panatag shoal, last Friday together with fishermen from his home province, Batanes and fishermen from Masinloc, who are most affected by the conflict.

A call from the President Aquino Thursday aborted the plan, which would have really further riled the Chinese who are claiming the shoal, more than a thousand nautical miles away from their mainland. (Panatag shoal is 124 nautical miles from Zambales.)

Ex-rebel soldier to make ‘patriotic’ voyage to Scarborough Shoal

Published by Ellen on May 16, 2012

Update:PNoy takes the wind out of planned sail to Scarborough By Tessa Jamandre,VERA Files A year after he swore allegiance to the flag after being…