ellen tordesillas – Page 54 – Making life worth living.

The latest from Duterte

Published by Ellen on November 24, 2015

Thanks to Philippine Star for this photo

The May 2016 elections is now more fun with the entry of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte in the race.

Last Monday, Duterte, after months of flip flopping – even writing an open letter last Oct. 12 saying, “The country does not need me” – he declared last weekend in a birthday party in Cavite, that he is after all running for president in the May 2016 elections.

But, in the first place, can he join the presidential race? Although a member of the PDP-Laban ((Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan), he filed his certificate of candidacy for Davao City Mayor as candidate of Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod.

The slot that he is supposed to take for the presidency is the one filed by former Quezon City Barangay captain Martin B. Dino, who has already withdrawn his candidacy after it was reported that he would be declared a nuisance candidate by the Commission on Elections.

But wait, didn’t Duterte said on Oct. 16, “Hindi ako pang-substitute. Pang original ako.”

Obama and Xi talk about jet lag at APEC reception

Published by Ellen on November 23, 2015

Do powerful persons ever engage in small talk? And what do they talk about?

Former Vice President of Taiwan Vincent C. Siew shared with members of media some tidbits about the Leaders Meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation held in Manila last week.

Chinese Presifent Xi Jinping and U.S. President Obama talk about jet lag at pre-dinner conversation Mall of Asia arena. Beside Obama, hidden from the camera, is Taiwan's Vincent Siew. — Chinese Presifent Xi Jinping and U.S. President Obama talk about jet lag at pre-dinner conversation Mall of Asia arena. Beside Obama, hidden from the camera, is Taiwan’s Vincent Siew.

Siew, who represented Taiwan in the 21-Economy grouping, said during the pre-dinner reception at the Mall of Asia Arena on the evening of Nov. 18 (Wednesday), U.S. President Obama joined him and China’s President Xi Jinping.

The great divide in an ‘inclusive’ APEC

Published by Ellen on November 18, 2015

Thanks to GMA News for this photo by Danny Pata.

The monstrous traffic jam last Monday that caused thousands of people to walk to their destinations under the sweltering heat of the noonday sun shows the disastrous gap between noble intentions and miserable realities on the ground.

That’s what makes many people resist embracing the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation which is holding its 23rd summit today and tomorrow at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

This week is an opportunity for the Philippines to shine in the world stage. (This is the second time that the Philippines hosted APEC Leaders Meeting. The first was in 1996 under Pres. Fidel Ramos. It was held in Subic.) Twenty-one leaders of the Asia Pacific Economies or their representatives are in Manila to discuss how to realize the vision they laid down in 1989 which is to support sustainable economic growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.

PH, Vietnam to hold naval drills, scientific research in South China Sea

Published by Ellen on November 16, 2015

President Aquino and Vietnam President Truong Tan Sang met during the 2014 APEC Leaders’ Meeting in Beijing, China . (Malacañang Photo Bureau)

(On Tuesday, Nov. 17, on the sidelines of the 23rd APEC Leaders Meeting, President Aquino and Vietnam President Truong Tan Sang will hold bilateral talks in Malacanang. They will finally be signing the “Joint Statement on the Establishment of a Strategic Partnership between the Republic of the Philippines and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam” which had long been prepared. VERA Files is reposting this article which was first published on April 24, 2015.)

By Tessa Jamandre and Ellen Tordesillas
VERA Files

The Philippines and Vietnam have agreed to conduct joint naval drills and scientific studies amid concerns over China’s intensified reclamations in the South China Sea.

The planned activities are part of the soon-to-be signed “Joint Statement on the Establishment of a Strategic Partnership between the Republic of the Philippines and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,” a copy of which was obtained by VERA Files.

In the strategic partnership agreement, which is considered a final draft until it is signed, the Philippines and Vietnam “reaffirm their commitment to resolve territorial and jurisdictional disputes by peaceful means, as well as to the freedom of navigation in and over flight above the SCS (South China Sea) all in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).”

In awe of how the French handled the crisis

Published by Ellen on November 15, 2015

Pres. Hollande declares state of emergency. Televised address Saturday.

We join everybody in condemning the attacks in Paris and nearby places that killed more than 120 people and injured about 200 Friday night.

There’s no justification for violence perpetrated on innocent people.

The group ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), a fanatical group that aims to transform the entire earth as an Islamic State and promotes religious violence to achieve its goals, has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

A Metro Manila never seen before during APEC2015

Published by Ellen on November 12, 2015

Next week, we will experience Metro Manila we have not seen before.

For the 23rd summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation or APEC which will be held in Manila on Nov. 18 and 19, stringent measures will be implemented to ensure the safety of leaders or their representatives of the 21 member Economies.

A number of roads leading to the Philippine International Convention Center will be closed from Nov. 16 to 19. Same thing with roads leading to the Mall of Asia Arena where the Leaders will attend an evening event. (Click here for the detailed advisories on road closures: http://apec2015.ph/2015/10/27/apec-aelm-road-advisories/

Covering reality for APEC visitors. Pasong Tamo st. Photo by Chips Guevara from Manila Coconuts.co.

Alibaba’s Jack Ma in APEC

Published by Ellen on November 10, 2015

Aside from President Xi Jinping, another APEC guest from China is stirring interest.

He is Jack Ma, founder and chairman of the Alibaba Group, the largest marketplace in the world which is expected to be worth over $150 Billion by next year, according to Forbes.com.

Ma is the second richest man in China (Forbes: $28.7 billion) and is the 18th richest man in the world.

He will be one of the speakers in the APEC2015 CEO Summit to be held on Nov. 16 to 18 at the Makati Shangrila in Makati.

South China Sea looms large even if not in APEC 2015 agenda

Published by Ellen on November 9, 2015

South China Sea looms large even if it is not in the agenda of the 23rd meeting of the leaders of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in Manila on Nov. 18 and 19.

Foreign Undersecretary Lula del Rosario, chair of the APEC 2015 Senior Officials Meetings, which did all the vital spadework for the Foreign Ministers Meeting and the Leaders Meeting, gave two reasons why South China Sea is not in the agenda.

First, the South China Sea issue is political.

Second, South China Sea is not common to all APEC members.

APEC is an organization of Economies, not countries (That’s why Hongkong is member separate from China. So is Taiwan.) Started in 1989, APEC’s primary goal is to support sustainable economic growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.
Its 21 member economies are home to around 2.8 billion people and represent approximately 57 per cent of world GDP and 47 per cent of world trade in 2012.

Tanim-bala: Nagpapatunay ng kawalang kakayahan ni PNoy bilang lider

Published by Ellen on November 8, 2015

Tanggap ko na na mahina talaga si Pangulong Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III bilang administrator ng bayan. Kasama na sa kanyang kahinaan na ‘yan ang pagpili ng mga tao na kasama niya sa pagpatakbo ng bayan.

Ngunit hindi ko akalain na ganu’n siya at ang kanyang mga kasamahan kawalang alam tungkol sa ordinaryong pamumuhay ng Filipino. Dito sa isyu ng tanim-bala, lumabas talaga angkawalan ng kakayahan mamuno ni Aquino.

Isa pa itong si Mar Roxas na kandidato ng Liberal Party (LP) sa pagka-presidente sa 2016. Inindorso siya ni Aquino para raw ipagpatuloy ang kayang Tuwid na Daan. ‘Yung naman ang isinusulong ni Roxas sa kanyang kampanya.

Hindi nakapagtataka.

Noong isang araw, sinabi ni Roxas sindikato raw ang may kagagawan ng tanim-bala sa NAIA na maliban sa perwisyo na binibigay sa mga kawawang biktima ay naging malaking kahihiyan para sa Pilipinas. Kailangan daw mapanagot ang mga may kagagawan nito.

Maganda pakinggan. Kaya lang, bakit ngayon ka lang nagsalita? Mag-iisang buwan na ang isyu at hindi ninyo pinansin ‘yan. Hello??

Sabi ni Press Sec. Sonny Coloma noong isang buwan nang ibinalita ang pagditene sa isang 56 taong gulang na OFW papuntang Hongkong dahil may nakitang bala sa kanyang maleta, na masyado naman daw pinapalaki ng media ang isyu samantalang libu-libo raw ang dumadaan sa NAIA. “Iilan lang naman ang ganitong mga nakitaan ng bala,” sabi niya.

UN Arbitral Panel Rules In Favor of the Philippines: Now What?

Published by Ellen on November 7, 2015

Former Foreign Secretary Roberto R. Romulo

By Roberto R. Romulo

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario’s dogged determination to pursue the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea dispute through the rule of law has proven his approach correct. The court ruled that the case was “properly constituted” under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, that China’s “non-appearance” (i.e., refusal to participate) did not preclude the Court’s jurisdiction, and that the Philippines was within its rights in filing the case.

In the period before the ruling, there was a lot of pressure on the Secretary to dial down his stance and seek accommodation with China. While China has insisted on resolving the issue on a bilateral basis, the Secretary has maintained that this would leave us at a disadvantage and that in the instances where we tried to open dialogue, China has been unresponsive. That said, now that our hand has been strengthened, the argument in favour of the merits of seeking a peaceful, managed resolution has I think become even more persuasive. However, the responsibility of how to respond to this challenge will now have to be made by the incoming Administration. Unfortunately, the sounds currently coming from presidential aspirants or supporters of the aspirants reveal a misunderstanding of what the case is all about, claiming victory for our sovereign rights over the area. They have to get up to speed on the issue and determine the best way forward to protect the national interest rather than engaging in just nationalistic rhetoric.

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