Category: Malaya

China’s Xi Jinping may boycott Manila APEC meet

Published by Ellen on July 12, 2015

President Aquino is welcomed by China's President, APEC 2014 in Beijing. — President Aquino is welcomed by China’s President, APEC 2014 in Beijing.

China’s President Xi Jinping may boycott the 2015 Leaders Meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to be held in Manila on Nov. 18 and 19, a diplomatic source said.

The source said the reason for Xi’s change of mind about attending this year’s APEC summit was the remarks of President Aquino last month during his visit to Japan comparing China’s activities in South China Sea to Nazi Germany’s expansionism which led to World War II.

“That remark really got the ire of Xi Jinping. Didn’t Aquino think that by comparing Nazi Germany to China today, he was in effect saying Xi is like Hitler? “ the source said.

Unable to defend The Hague junket, Lacierda turns catty

Published by Ellen on July 9, 2015

Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda was being catty when he dismissed as “KSP” lawyer Harry Roque’s criticism of the huge Philippine delegation to the hearing of the U.N. Arbitral Tribunal of the case filed by the Philippines against China in The Hague, Netherlands.

Roque raised a valid issue.

He said: “With only three oralists scheduled to make submissions before the Tribunal, why is it that we have a delegation of at least 35? I say at least because the number does not include our foreign counsels and their staff. I believe the correct number of our delegation should be at least 50. That’s 50 business class tickets and 50 de luxe rooms at five-star hotels in very expensive The Hague!”

Lacierda did not refute Roque’s numbers so I suppose the latter’s information was correct. From news reports from The Hague I have only the following names:

The story of two unreceived notices: 1.Binays of Makati

Published by Ellen on June 30, 2015

Binay supporters throw monobloc chairs at police

Is the scene in Makati – Mayor Junjun Binay defying the Ombudsman’s suspension order – a preview of a Jejomar Binay presidency?

Early evening news yesterday reported that finally, the suspension order by the Office of the Ombudsman of Makati Mayor Junjun Binay was served. But not without violence.

Supporters of the Binays were seen throwing monobloc chairs at police officers. Vice President Jejomar Binay was also seen berating Senior Superintendent Elmer Jamias, deputy director of the Southern Police District (SPD), accusing the latter of preventing their supporters from entering the City hall premises where they were holding a rally/vigil.

Soldier turned legislator Gary Alejano’s concerns on the BBL

Published by Ellen on June 26, 2015

Rep. Gary Alejano interpellating during the deliberations on BBL.

No one was surprised that the Supreme Court junked the petition questioning the legality of the Bangsamoro Basic Law which was still being deliberated by both chambers of Congress when it adjourned sine die last June 11.

The BBL missed its timetable of the Senate and House of Representatives passing it by June 11.

Supporters of the legislation which promises lasting peace for Muslim Filipinos and the country are hopeful that the resumption of the deliberations on the bill after President Aquino’s last State of the Nation Address on July 17 would lead to bill’s eventual passage into a law.

When that time comes, more groups will be questioning it before the Supreme Court.

Before the adjournment of the House of Representatives, Magdalo Representative Gary Alejano raised valid issues during his interpellation of Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop, one of the vice chairs Hoc Committee on the Bangsamoro Basic Law.

Grace’s advisers wary of Poe-Roxas scenario

Published by Ellen on June 18, 2015

Poe-Roxas for 2016: An unlikely scenario

It’s not only Sen. Grace Poe who surged as shown in the results of Pulse Asia’s survey of the people’s pulse for the 2016 elections conducted two weeks ago.

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said he is happy that his score increased by 150 percent! From four percent last March which put him in seventh place, he is now number four with 10 percent. He tied with former President and now Manila mayor Joseph Estrada.

That’s a classic example of looking at the glass half full.

Will Aquino frustrate Roxas’ presidential dream again?

Published by Ellen on June 17, 2015

Who will be PNoy's choice? — Who will be PNoy’s choice?

The call of Liberal Party’s Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice for Sen. Grace Poe to be more transparent on the issue of her residency in the Philippines signals the drawing of the line between Poe and the Liberal Party’s presidential bet, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.

Erice was quoted as saying that he believes that the lady senator, whose surging popularity makes her the frontrunner in the 2016 presidential elections, is a natural born Filipino citizen and should have no problem with the Constitutional requirement of citizenship for the presidency.

Erice said it’s in the requirement of a 10-year residency immediately preceding before the election that it’s not clear whether Poe is qualified or not. “”Si Senator Poe is a natural born Filipino, wala dapat mag-question doon. But I think Senator Grace should be more transparent as far as accusation she’s been using US passport 2006, 2007, 2009, according to former Senator Tatad,” the LP congressman said.

Erice sounded like United Nationalist Alliance interim president and Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco who first exposed the issue of Poe’s residency after the lady senator turned down Vice President Jejomar Binay’s offer for her to be his running mate.

BEST: Binay-Jinggoy Estrada in 2016

Published by Ellen on June 14, 2015

Vice President Jejomar Binay and Makati Mayor Junjun Binay lead a rally to support themselves during Makati City's anniversary last June 11. — Vice President Jejomar Binay and Makati Mayor Junjun Binay lead a rally to support themselves during Makati City’s anniversary last June 11.

Vice President Jejomar Binay won’t be where he is now if he were not an astute political operator.

His strategies reflect a good grasp of the factors involved in the political game.

He must therefore have sensed that things are not going right for him after three of the political personalities he mentioned he is eyeing to be a running mate in 2016 elections turned him down.
It gives the impression that no one wants to be associated with him.

Last month, Binay floated the idea of having Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte as running mate for the 2016 elections.

Duterte, who has stopped saying that he will kill the person behind the Duterte-for-president-movement and is now thinking of running for the highest post in the land, declined the offer.

More tourists and excellent dimsum from Taiwan to Manila

Published by Ellen on June 12, 2015

Taiwan Representative Gary Song-Huann Lin

At the reunion of Filipinos who have been to Taiwan upon the invitation of Taiwan government last week, Dr. Gary Song-Huann Lin, head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Manila, announced a number of good things that would strengthen relations between the Philippines and the Republic of China.

The one that I was interested in was the information that the famous Taiwanese dimsum restaurant, Din Tai Fung, will soon be in Manila.

The other welcome announcement was the increase of flights between Taiwan and the Philippines.

These developments show that despite institutional diplomacy limitations, relations between the Philippines and Taiwan continues to improve.

A wealth of stories from the Murillo Velarde map

Published by Ellen on June 10, 2015

Looking at the almost 300- year-old Philippine map by Fr. Pedro Murillo Velarde which businessman Mel Velarde acquired for P12 million in an auction in London last year, one can see that the Jesuit priest is a great storyteller.

The 1734 Murillo Velarde map shows more than just locations. It has two panels on both sides engraved with images depicting lifestyles and special features of places. One panel shows a farmer plowing the field not far from a river with crocodiles. It’s noted that in Zamboanga, there’s “Pozo de Agua Dulce.” In general it showed Filipinos enjoying a highly civilized society.

But the most significant feature of the Murillo Velarde map is a tiny spot off the shores of Nueva Castilla, which was then the name of Luzon labeled “Panacot.”

Movies Filipinos can relate to in French Film Festival

Published by Ellen on June 7, 2015

In the movie “La Famille Bélier,” which is one of the featured movies in the ongoing 20th French Film Festival, there’s an election campaign because the father of the main character was running against the incumbent mayor.

Filipinos, who loves election campaigns, should be able to identify with the movie especially when the mayor was trying to look down on his opponent who was a deaf dairy farmer.

The mayor condescendingly asked Paula, the farmer’s 16-year old daughter who can hear and speak, if they really think anyone will vote for a deaf person for mayor. The young girl replied: “Well, they did vote for an asshole.”

That was a good one.