That’s what friends are for
Credit to Author: Rolly G. Reyes| Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2020 16:37:44 +0000
TPLEx, SCTEx, NLEx, SLEx, Cavitex, Skyway and others: Would you please talk to each other once and for all? The “ITranslate app” is free on online stores.
Former Health secretary and incumbent Iloilo representative Janette Garin and several others, including officials of the Food and Drug Administration (Philippines) and Sanofi Pasteur, were charged by the Department of Justice for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide due to the deaths of eight children injected with the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia. They now realized that vaccination is hazardous to their health.
Bureau of Immigration officials are now on a diet. Eating too many “pastillas” have ruined their fitness regimen. The mayor of Davao has sent them to the gym of unemployment to lose those unwanted calories.
I assume that Beijing is on a difficult balancing act. Weighing on the strictest measures of containment while urging workers to return to work to help businesses and trade to be back on the road is a juggler’s nightmare.
China bashing won’t do any good. Do we really think that blame should be heaped totally on the Chinese? Are they having a field day being immobilized and losing billions every day? Are they happy with escalating deaths and more fear of contamination? Remember the bubonic plague that struck Europe and Asia in 1437? Did they bash the countries of origin when the plague killed 20 million? Are they happy that most of their health workers are also contaminated and some died to save others? Social media is abuzz with political undertones hinged on biases and racial attitudes. Yet we see some of our countrymen spitting, sneezing, coughing and urinating on walls.
The topic of the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement should be confronted with historical facts and possibilities for the future. Our alliance with America should be reviewed thoroughly. It is not about being anti-United States or pro-China. All agreements should be recalibrated as pro-Filipino.
We have the talent to be attracted to alliances without considering that the outcome may place us as targets of the enemies of the US. The world’s number one superpower is now facing more enemies than ever. We have never learned our lesson that we were included in the line of fire when we got too close with Uncle Sam before the Second World War. Our two bases were immediately placed in the crosshair of Japan’s artillery. And before that, we sparkled like diamonds to be taken away from Spain by the same man who wears that stars and stripes outfit.
Remember US Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton? It showed us that we could not even detain any American soldier who violated Philippine laws. And yet the Philippines became the biggest casualty in Southeast Asia with more than 1 million dead, defending the US from Japan — only to be abandoned when the priority was to save Australia and New Zealand.
It was not too long ago that US ships pointed guns at Filipinos in the Tubbataha Reefs to prevent our soldiers from boarding and inspecting. Such friendship.
After being retaken from Japan’s grip, Americans threw chocolates and cigarettes amid our adoration but built railways and subways in the “Land of the Rising Sun.” And after exploiting our natural resources, they chose to import sugar from South America.
It is recorded that the Philippines remains one of the lowest recipients of foreign investments vis-a-vis our neighbors in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations that were poorer than us decades ago. As of now, the US is helping Vietnam more than us, considering that it used to be their enemy.
The military exercises are veiled showcase of their armaments to condition our thoughts to commence on a buying spree of military goods that bears the sign “Made in USA.”
Our foreign policy should be independent and flexible enough to lean and rely on chosen friends under different circumstances. No permanent friends and no permanent enemies.
Maybe, a shift to being friendlier with our Asian neighbors is a better option than being close with some distant “self-proclaimed friends” that are more tilted toward their previous enemies like Vietnam, Japan and Germany.
Calibrated posturing may give us a better negotiation tool. Relations should be based on trade and economy, not on warfare and militarization. The shortage of money hinders our advancement to protect ourselves. By experience, our distant friends operate on “No free lunch” policies.
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The UP Beta Sigma Fraternity Shooting Club is holding the Jesus R. Jayme Shooting Competition, the 1st Beta Sigma Cup, on March 21 and 22 at the Armscor Facility in Marikina City to help raise funds for the victims of the recent Taal Volcano eruption.
Philippine Shooters and Match Officers Confederation-sanctioned match with 10 stages, will also honor Jesus R. Jayme, the late organizing founder and first president of the Beta Sigma Fraternity, which was organized at the University of the Philippines barely a month after the country gained independence in 1946.
Sen. Emmanuel Pacquiao, who will deliver the inspiration message, will lead key government and Philippine National Police officials, including LtGen. Camillo Cascolan and Director General Aaron Aquino of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
The event organizers said it was initially planned to raise funds for the Fraternity’s worthwhile projects but because of Taal Volcano’s eruption, they decided to redirect proceeds and designate it “for the needs of those affected by this dreadful disaster.”
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Good work, good deeds and good faith to all.