Opinion
The docking of the USS North Carolina (SSN77) at Subic Bay, May 13, appears to be a sign that the issue of US military bases and the concomitant presence of US military troops has gone full circle. The submarine is being touted as “one of the stealthiest, most technologically advanced submarines in the world. It brings to the region the capability to conduct the full spectrum of potential submarine missions including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike, naval special warfare involving special operations forces, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and mine warfare.”
“They will beat their swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks,” proclaims a granite tablet fronting New York ’s 43rd street entrance to the UN. “Nation will not take up sword against nation”. These lines are from the prophet Isaiah.
They’re reflected in a statue that dominates the UN park along East River. Sculpted by Evgeniy Vuchetich, it depicts a man shattering a bent sword with hammer. “Never again will they train for war", the prophet Micah wrote.
CHICAGO (jGLi) – From the early fifties, after every time a Philippine president visited the White House in an annual ritual, he would get home to the Philippines always with a largess (U.S. foreign aid) to brag around.
As a result, Filipino politicians got the impression that the Philippines and the United States really had “special relation.” But in reality, there was really no such relation to speak of because at that time any U.S. President was in default to help any Philippine president no matter how bad or how good he handled the human rights or labor rights issues in the Philippines. Why?
“Oppression can only survive through silence.” Who’d gag the Ombudsman from testifying before the impeachment court on sealed dollar accounts of Supreme Court chief justice Renato Corona?
“I will obey the Senate,” said Ombudsman Conchita Caprio-Morales, subpoenaed to appear Monday. She’d respond to questions by 23 senator judges. That includes her order to Corona: explain within 72 hours, charges of stashing $10-million.
No, interjected Supreme Court spokesman Midas Marquez. Senator judges and citizens may have to cool their heels. Suppose some one “questioned Morales order before the SC on the ground of grave abuse of discretion?”, Midas asked. The high court may “rule on legality of the Ombudsman’s order.
In its “Food Security and Poverty in Asia and the Pacific” report released the first week of May, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) noted that while the Philippines achieved a reduction in poverty (in terms of official statistics), it still has to address undernourishment and hunger. The release of the report came at the heels of the annual governor’s meeting of the ADB held in Manila. In the said meeting, noted “development economist” Jeffrey Sachs was the keynote speaker, who stressed that while there is economic growth in Asia, it has to look into the social and environmental costs of this growth, i.e. inequality and climate change.
It was a blistering hot day in November 2009 when I went to the protest picket line outside the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).There were about forty people on hunger strike in tents led by father Edwin Gariguez. He is a servant-leader dedicated to empowering the Mangyan indigenous people of Mindoro, to organize and protect their rights and lands from the onslaught of the massive open-pit mining project of the Intex Resources.
“Trees fail to flower,” Aetas huddled at the Bataan mountain top meeting told Fr. Shay Cullen. “Bees are disappearing. Storms blow away our nipa huts as never before.”
With Preda Foundation coworkers, the priest toiled up the two hour steep trail on horseback. PREDA buys Aeta wild mangoes at double what lowland hawkers offer and markets them abroad.
Half a world away , Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research scientists documented what Aetas learned from seat-of-their pants.
Supreme Court chief justice Renato Corona’s defense team barnstormed in Cebu before the impeachment trial resumes Monday. Their man will be acquitted, they predicted.
But the spiels skirted what is on everybody’s mind.
How will Corona respond to Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales’ 20 April order: Explain where an estimated P10 million in PSBank and other deposits in BPI came from. His Statement of Assets and Liabilities (SALN) don’t reflect them. (Current exchange rate: P42.1= US$1).
"Know the past to understand the present.” The late astronomer Carl Sagan’s counsel is tailor fit for the dispute over what the Philippines calls the Scarborough/Panatag Shoals. China dubs these rock formations, as Huangyan Island.
On April 10, two Chinese surveillance ships blocked Philippine Navy from inspecting poached marine life on eight Chinese fishing boats. A standoff has continued, overlooked as world attention focuses on blind Chinese dissident. Chen Guangcheng trying to leave Beijing for the US.
CHICAGO (jGLi) – She can thank Filipinos outside the United States for their prayers. But she should thank Filipinos in America for their votes.
During the last three Wednesday nights, ever since Jessica Sanchez was “saved” by American Idol judges Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson after being nearly eliminated for having the fewest number of votes from the audience, some Filipino Americans, who normally do not watch, this search for a singing superstar, have suddenly warmed up to this top-rated prime-time TV talent contest every Wednesday night.
And when the program is over, that’s the only time that these Fil Ams would start to pull up their sleeves and let their fingers do the work.
