Last Monday, the U.S. Embassy launched a new blog: “Peace, Prosperity, and Partnership in Mindanao.” (http://blogs.usembassy.gov/mindanao)
The U.S. Embassy release quoted Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr. saying, “Every time I visit Mindanao I am impressed with its rich cultural diversity, the enthusiasm of its youth, and its tremendous potential.
We are trying to do our part to help create opportunities, foster understandings, and promote good governance and human rights.”
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. “
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.
Based on Justice Secretary Leila de Lima’s account of how she transitioned from being a “reluctant” nominee for Supreme Court chief justice to one who will be a “unifying force” in the judiciary, it happened after her meeting with President Aquino.
It is presumed that unlike Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares who decided to stay put at the Bureau of Internal Revenue after she was told that it is important that the reforms she has introduced in the agency have to sustained, De Lima was encouraged by the President.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said De Lima told him that the President’s encouragement consisted of “It’s up to you, you make your decision.”
Lacierda also said whatever decision De Lima makes, the President will respect it.
Amidst stories of Filipinos being lured by syndicates to a life of misery and degradation, here’s a silver lining:
Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad has granted the request of the Department of Justice for P100 million for the 2013 operations of the Inter-Agency Council against Trafficking.
There were fears earlier that the DBM would only give IACAT P40 million which is even P10 million less.
Justice Undersecretary Jovy Salazar, who is in-charge of IACAT, said “The IACAT 2013 budget approval is a recognition and acknowledgment of the importance of what we do for the most vulnerable members of our society. We are truly grateful and up to the challenge.”
Considering that the government has intensified export of Filipino workers overseas because it cannot provide jobs for them, continuing to avoid going back in the Watch List is a consolation, however small because the ideal situation is that there should be jobs available for Filipinos in the country so that the father or mother, son or daughter does not need to be far away from his or her family in a strange environment just to earn a living.
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.
Former Energy Secretary Raphael “Popo” Lotilla wrote a letter the other day thanking friends who submitted his name to the Judicial and Bar Council, that will screen the nominations and submit to the Malacañang a short list (usually three names) from where the President will choose the next SC justice.
He was nominated by former economic managers and economists Roberto de Ocampo, Calixto Chikiamko, Gloria Tan Climaco, Bong Montes, Simon Paterno and Romeo Bernardo.
Yesterday, former Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo”Teodoro was nominated by Atty. Jose Mallari.
If Rizal were alive today, it is not farfetched that he would be in media.
I would imagine him writing stinging commentaries on the corrupt politicians and self-righteous civil society leaders the way he took on the hypocritical friars and cocky and incompetent Spanish colonial officers in his Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
I would imagine him an advocate of protecting our environment. As noted by an environmental organization EcoWaste Coalition, during his exile in Dapitan, Rizal did various projects such as the construction of an aqueduct that provided people with clean water, draining of swamps to avoid being breeding places of mosquitoes, use of coconut oil lamps to light up streets, beautification of the town plaza, and planting of trees in different parts of the town.
I would imagine him also writing about our state of education because the importance he puts in education was best expressed in his support for the women of Malolos who defied the wrath of Malolos parish priest Fr. Felipe Garcia, who forbade them to attend night school to study Spanish.
As of yesterday, reports said the Judicial and Bar Council, which screens nominees for positions in the Judiciary, for appointment by the President, has received 14 nominations for the position vacated by the recently convicted former Chief Justice Renato Corona.
The latest addition to the growing list are anti-graft crusader Frank Chavez and former Makati representative and writer/TV commentator Teodoro “Teddy Boy” Locsin Jr.
Chavez was nominated by Manuel Baviera of the Whistleblowers Association and Locsin was nominated by lawyer Brigido Dulay and ABAKADA party-list president Jonathan Dela Cruz.
The published names of nominees include Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza, Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares and women’s rights advocate Katrina Legarda,retired Judge Manuel Siayngco Jr.;University of the Philippines’ College of Law dean Raul Pangalangan, Ateneo de Manila University law school dean Cesar Villanueva, Inquirer columnist and former former Laguna Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Marianito Sasondoncillo, lawyer Nepomuceno Aparis,Rafael Morales, a managing partner of the Sycip, Salazar, Hernandez & Gatmaitan law firm.