Have you ever seen anyone win second place as triumphantly and with as much grace as Jessica Sanchez? In a world which seems to believe, “second is first loser,” Jessica demonstrated to us that there are times when there is no such thing as losing. One can win just as much or even more than the winner even by coming in second.
After all, American Idol is a voting contest. There is no guarantee the voters will vote correctly and for the right reasons. In the case of Jessica, there was no question at all who was the better singer. She presented one big performance after another finishing finally with a screaming jazz and soul duet number with Jennifer Holliday that left no doubt at all what she was capable of, no doubt at all we were looking at another great Filipina singer following after a very long tradition of great Filipina singers. This tradition follows after big names like Pilita, Kuh Ledesma, Lea Salonga and so many others. Their image resonates in the minds of most Filipino viewers. It was this role Jessica played so well. Is it any surprise the Americans missed it entirely? Phillip Phillips looked exactly like the all-American-male, guitar strumming, country-folk singer, an image which dominated the American Idol competitions for the last five years. He was bound to win.
And yet it was the manner by which Jessica took in all these that should make all of us proud. Her statements after the contest, how she loved Phillip’s music, the way she never complained about losing gives us a good example of sportspersonship at a time when competitions often grow desperate and bloody. It is an example which should not be lost on those who have viewed or have been directly involved in the impeachment trial of CJ Renato Corona.
Read more here and American Idol news here
Monday, May 28, 2012
Corona is best witness for prosecution, says Palace
Malacañang is not shaken by Chief Justice Renato Corona’s dramatic second turn at the witness stand, and thinks the top magistrate is “the best witness for the prosecution.”“Mr. Corona has finally admitted what the impeachment court [wants] to find out: [Did he withhold] information from his [statements of assets, liabilities and net worth]? He did,” said Edwin Lacierda, President Aquino’s spokesperson, after the impeachment hearing in the Senate on Friday.
Lacierda said Corona declared only P3.5 million in cash in his 2010 SALN, but testified on Friday that he had P80 million and $2.4 million in the bank.
“The issues have been joined,” Lacierda said. “Mr. Corona has become the best witness for the prosecution. He has proven, by his demeanor and his very own statements, the validity of the charges against him, and provided evidence more than sufficient to determine his fate.”
Lacierda noted that Corona, in his testimony on Friday, claimed that the Foreign Currency Deposits Act (FCDA) enacted in 1974 was superior to the requirements of the 1987 Constitution.
“[Mr. Corona] has made his legal legacy a Get-Out-of-Jail-Free-Card for all officials who are plunderers and crooks,” Lacierda said.
If Corona’s interpretation of the law is right, Lacierda said, all that thieving officials need to do is “park their ill-gotten funds in foreign currency accounts” to make themselves immune to prosecution under the antigraft laws.
For banks, not depositor
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said on Saturday that FCDA isn’t necessarily in conflict with the financial disclosure requirement in the Constitution.
“Let us remember that the FCDA is directed at the banks,” Valte said over state-run radio dzRB. “That’s why there are sanctions. [I]t’s not directed at the depositor.”
Valte said there were exceptions to the Bank Secrecy Law, among them impeachment, prosecution in court, and an expressed waiver
But even the FCDA provides an exception, Valte said, pointing out that the depositors may grant permission to inquiries into their accounts.
The law “does not bar the depositor from talking about his own deposits,” Valte said. “It empowers the depositor to sign a waiver to talk about his own deposits. So that law is not directed at the depositor, but at the banks who handle and take care of the deposits,” she said.
Constitution or the law?
Asked whether the law should be amended so that foreign-currency bank accounts will not serve as a safe haven for the loot of corrupt officials, Valte said, “Let’s wait for what would happen [in the impeachment trial] and that would also depend on our lawmakers because it was made to seem that there is a conflict.”
Valte said that most lawyers believed there was no conflict between laws. “It was asked, which should prevail, the Constitution or the law?” she said. “That’s rather clear [even] for first-year law students because the principle of the hierarchy of laws is also quite clear,” she said.
Corona Witness
Jessica Sanchez defends ‘American Idol,’ says protest ‘not necessary’
With those words, “American Idol” runner-up Jessica Sanchez brushed aside a protest by a Filipino-American community group. Migrant Heritage Commission, which is based here in D.C., is asking Fox TV to disclose “in the interest of transparency” how the voting was counted and how much of the 132 million votes went to the young singer.
Jessica, a close second to winner Phillip Phillips, told The FilAm: “I don’t think it’s necessary. I think Phil deserves to win, I think it was all fair. They wouldn’t ever cheat or anything like that. I think it was completely fair.”
I caught up with Jessica at a rehearsal of artists scheduled to perform at the May 27 National Memorial Day Concert to honor soldiers and veterans. With Jessica in the program are fellow Idol Chris Daughtry and Grammy-winning singer Natalie Cole.
“It means the world,” the 16-year-old was gushing. “My dad is part of the military and so is my grandfather. I’m excited, I feel like I’m really part of this and it’s an honor to be singing for everybody here today.”
Jessica’s Mexican father, Gilbert, is a Navy veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mother Editha is Filipino. Her maternal grandfather is a retired U.S. Navy man.
“I’m excited because my grandfather is a big part of the military, and he’s here to celebrate this time with me,” she said of the PBS program dedicated to active duty soldiers, veterans and their families. “It’s like I’m singing not only to him but to everybody else here.”
Wearing tight black jeans and an airy gray top that bared her belly, Jessica arrived here in late morning and took her place at the stage directly across from the Capitol’s west lawn. She looked drained and a wee bit cross. I was looking for the toothy smiles that became her endearing Idol trademark, but they did not flash naturally across her face. Maybe the post-Idol schedules are now taking their toll on her disposition.
She listened to a briefing by the PBS production crew then proceeded to belt the “Star-Spangled Banner.” There were moments when her voice cracked, but she would pause and continue to sing as if in a whisper. Seemed to me she was saving her big voice for the big night.
From two songs, PBS decided that Jessica will be singing three — the national anthem, “The Prayer” and “America, the Beautiful,” which is the finale song. After rehearsal, she took a 30-minute break to rest, freshen up, retouch her makeup and settle down for her interview.
She said she was eternally grateful to her Filipino-Mexican background which formed the backbone of her overwhelming support. “I had a lot of support and it doesn’t necessarily mean voting-wise, I just had support from my people, and I appreciate it so much.”
Jessica, the oldest of three children – she has two younger brothers — said she speaks only English at home, but is looking forward to learning Tagalog in the future. “I grew up with my grandma and so is my mom who are from the Philippines, they make Filipino food and dishes for us all the time.”
Jessica said she plans to pursue her music career wherever it takes her, but will definitely go to college “as a back-up.”
“Music is pretty much my number one priority, next to family. I’m going to be working on some songs pretty soon,” she said. The latest word is that Tommy Mottola has offered to produce her first album for his Casablanca-UMG label Jessica was mum about the details.
“I’m definitely working on some things right now,” she said. “I’m at this event and we all worked it out and definitely trying to keep myself busy and I’m excited for the future. More Jessica Sanchez news here.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Navy exec says size of PH warships shouldn’t matter
FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City—The American vessels that the government bought and turned into warships may not have impressed a public awed by modern Chinese ships now guarding the contested Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
But Vice Admiral Alexander Pama, Navy flag officer in command, on Saturday said the vessels’ size and age should not really matter. He said the Navy is upgrading its technology, not in response to the standoff at Scarborough, but as part of a scheduled upgrade that was started several years ago.
Yet improving the Navy’s technology also requires enough time for its personnel to familiarize themselves with modern equipment, he said, after addressing the cadets comprising the Philippine Military Academy’s “Gabay-Laya” Class of 2016.
“Even if I had all the money in the world, I myself will not be getting all the top-of-the-line equipment [immediately] … the reason being there has to be some form of transition. You are used to riding a bicycle or a tricycle and suddenly you buy a Mercedes Benz,” Pama told the Inquirer.
In his speech, Pama said: “The constant challenge we face, as with the rest of the other branches of service, is the urgent need for our capacity-enhancement and capability-building in the face of regional and transnational threats.”
Amid scarcity of resources, he said the government had found ways of securing the cutters BRP Del Pilar PF-15 and BRP Alcaraz PF-16, which would be commissioned in December.
He said the government is also buying frigates and has improved the country’s coast watch systems.
“There has to be a sort of transition for our people to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills and that’s even more important than acquiring anything else,” he said.
When asked, Pama said public impressions were correct about the Navy’s outdated equipment.
He said the shoal standoff had drawn policymakers to the demands of beefing up the country’s fleet.
“Admittedly, the military did not receive proper attention for a while, which is understandable because the government has other priorities,” he said.
The new warships were former US Coast Guard vessels, which were outfitted and sold to the Philippines without their weapon systems.
Pama said these vessels “serve our purpose, the purpose being the size of the ship [enables the Navy] to bring it to patrol areas when before, navigating these seas had been difficult for the older vessels.”
“Just because [these vessels are] X number of years, it does not mean they are useless. They are not,” he said.
“The size of the ships conforms with our operational demands. It’s not that new but then again, it’s an easier step to transition into the necessary skills [for operating modern vessels],” he said.
Vincent Cabreza, Inquirer Northern Luzon
Scarborough Shoal news
But Vice Admiral Alexander Pama, Navy flag officer in command, on Saturday said the vessels’ size and age should not really matter. He said the Navy is upgrading its technology, not in response to the standoff at Scarborough, but as part of a scheduled upgrade that was started several years ago.
Yet improving the Navy’s technology also requires enough time for its personnel to familiarize themselves with modern equipment, he said, after addressing the cadets comprising the Philippine Military Academy’s “Gabay-Laya” Class of 2016.
“Even if I had all the money in the world, I myself will not be getting all the top-of-the-line equipment [immediately] … the reason being there has to be some form of transition. You are used to riding a bicycle or a tricycle and suddenly you buy a Mercedes Benz,” Pama told the Inquirer.
In his speech, Pama said: “The constant challenge we face, as with the rest of the other branches of service, is the urgent need for our capacity-enhancement and capability-building in the face of regional and transnational threats.”
Amid scarcity of resources, he said the government had found ways of securing the cutters BRP Del Pilar PF-15 and BRP Alcaraz PF-16, which would be commissioned in December.
He said the government is also buying frigates and has improved the country’s coast watch systems.
“There has to be a sort of transition for our people to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills and that’s even more important than acquiring anything else,” he said.
When asked, Pama said public impressions were correct about the Navy’s outdated equipment.
He said the shoal standoff had drawn policymakers to the demands of beefing up the country’s fleet.
“Admittedly, the military did not receive proper attention for a while, which is understandable because the government has other priorities,” he said.
The new warships were former US Coast Guard vessels, which were outfitted and sold to the Philippines without their weapon systems.
Pama said these vessels “serve our purpose, the purpose being the size of the ship [enables the Navy] to bring it to patrol areas when before, navigating these seas had been difficult for the older vessels.”
“Just because [these vessels are] X number of years, it does not mean they are useless. They are not,” he said.
“The size of the ships conforms with our operational demands. It’s not that new but then again, it’s an easier step to transition into the necessary skills [for operating modern vessels],” he said.
Vincent Cabreza, Inquirer Northern Luzon
Scarborough Shoal news
Leftists back Chief Justice Corona
During his three-hour opening statement on Tuesday, Corona said President Benigno Aquino III was dominated by leftists.
“We dare them to speak with the same tone of self-righteousness that they used when they signed the complaint,” KMU chairman Elmer Labog said, referring to the congressmen.
Anakbayan chairman Vencer Crisostomo said: “It should not be difficult for the advocates of impeachment to sign the waivers as a gesture of sincerity and commitment to transparency and accountability in government.”
Chief Justice Corona
‘American Idol’ reality: No guaranteed big bucks for Jessica Sanchez as No. 2
LOS ANGELES—Coming in second on “American Idol” may still be a path to superstardom, but it no longer offers guaranteed paychecks worthy of the next pop idol or rock star.Wednesday night’s (Thursday morning in Manila) runner-up, 16-year-old Filipino-Mexican Jessica Sanchez, doesn’t have a definite shot at producing an album and could be paid as little as $30,000 in advances for recording singles, according to the “Idol” contract she and other season 11 contestants signed earlier this year.
The agreement appears to be the first time in “Idol’s” history that producers are not offering the show’s runner-up an album deal that in previous years came with a guaranteed advance of at least $175,000, an Associated Press review of the Fox show’s contracts reveals.
The analysis covers eight of “Idol’s” 11 seasons during which contracts filed for contestants under the age of 18 were available. The contracts were reviewed by judges in accordance with a California law that requires at least 15 percent of a minor entertainer’s earnings be set aside for their benefit once they reach adulthood.
Read more Jessica Sanchez news here.
Corona is best witness for prosecution, says Palace
Malacañang is not shaken by Chief Justice Renato Corona’s dramatic second turn at the witness stand, and thinks the top magistrate is “the best witness for the prosecution.”“Mr. Corona has finally admitted what the impeachment court [wants] to find out: [Did he withhold] information from his [statements of assets, liabilities and net worth]? He did,” said Edwin Lacierda, President Aquino’s spokesperson, after the impeachment hearing in the Senate on Friday.
Lacierda said Corona declared only P3.5 million in cash in his 2010 SALN, but testified on Friday that he had P80 million and $2.4 million in the bank.
“The issues have been joined,” Lacierda said. “Mr. Corona has become the best witness for the prosecution. He has proven, by his demeanor and his very own statements, the validity of the charges against him, and provided evidence more than sufficient to determine his fate.”
Lacierda noted that Corona, in his testimony on Friday, claimed that the Foreign Currency Deposits Act (FCDA) enacted in 1974 was superior to the requirements of the 1987 Constitution.
“[Mr. Corona] has made his legal legacy a Get-Out-of-Jail-Free-Card for all officials who are plunderers and crooks,” Lacierda said.
If Corona’s interpretation of the law is right, Lacierda said, all that thieving officials need to do is “park their ill-gotten funds in foreign currency accounts” to make themselves immune to prosecution under the antigraft laws.
For banks, not depositor
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said on Saturday that FCDA isn’t necessarily in conflict with the financial disclosure requirement in the Constitution.
“Let us remember that the FCDA is directed at the banks,” Valte said over state-run radio dzRB. “That’s why there are sanctions. [I]t’s not directed at the depositor.”
Valte said there were exceptions to the Bank Secrecy Law, among them impeachment, prosecution in court, and an expressed waiver.
But even the FCDA provides an exception, Valte said, pointing out that the depositors may grant permission to inquiries into their accounts.
The law “does not bar the depositor from talking about his own deposits,” Valte said. “It empowers the depositor to sign a waiver to talk about his own deposits. So that law is not directed at the depositor, but at the banks who handle and take care of the deposits,” she said.
Constitution or the law?
Asked whether the law should be amended so that foreign-currency bank accounts will not serve as a safe haven for the loot of corrupt officials, Valte said, “Let’s wait for what would happen [in the impeachment trial] and that would also depend on our lawmakers because it was made to seem that there is a conflict.”
Valte said that most lawyers believed there was no conflict between laws. “It was asked, which should prevail, the Constitution or the law?” she said. “That’s rather clear [even] for first-year law students because the principle of the hierarchy of laws is also quite clear,” she said.
Corona Witness
Jessica’s bright tomorrow
Filipinos all over the world were disappointed with the result of the American Idol contest when Filipino-Mexican finalist Jessica Sanchez wasn’t declared the ultimate winner. Many thought she was once again a victim of racism because she doesn’ look American. It would be a great insult to America if a Filipino became the champion of the show.
Audience votes in American Idol eliminated one of its best performers and a juror favorite Joshua Ledet. Was it because he was black and gay?
Jessica was outvoted by white Georgia guitar-player Philip Phillips who I believe preformed better than Jessica on finals night. But Jessica’s duet with Jennifer Holiday brought the house down and was the best performance of the night.
I think Jessica is already considered a successful singer after the contest and the future has a lot in store for her.
Read more American Idol news here.
Audience votes in American Idol eliminated one of its best performers and a juror favorite Joshua Ledet. Was it because he was black and gay?
Jessica was outvoted by white Georgia guitar-player Philip Phillips who I believe preformed better than Jessica on finals night. But Jessica’s duet with Jennifer Holiday brought the house down and was the best performance of the night.
I think Jessica is already considered a successful singer after the contest and the future has a lot in store for her.
Read more American Idol news here.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Aquino OKs aid for banana farmers
Ricky Carandang, head of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office, said Mr. Aquino met with members of the Cabinet’s economic cluster on Thursday and ordered that details of the program be finalized.
Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told reporters the assistance program was the government’s short-term response to the situation and that the long-term plan was to find new markets.
“The exports in China only constitute 30 percent. (For the) 70 percent, we are doing well,” he said.
Lacierda said the President had asked his economic team “to come up with a definitive package assistance plan by next week.”
Read more Scarborough Shoal news here.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Leftists back Chief Justice Corona
During his three-hour opening statement on Tuesday, Corona said President Benigno Aquino III was dominated by leftists.
“We dare them to speak with the same tone of self-righteousness that they used when they signed the complaint,” KMU chairman Elmer Labog said, referring to the congressmen.
Anakbayan chairman Vencer Crisostomo said: “It should not be difficult for the advocates of impeachment to sign the waivers as a gesture of sincerity and commitment to transparency and accountability in government.” Jerome Aning
Read more Chief Justice Corona here.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Aquino: Iglesia ni Cristo leaders didn’t threaten me
It never happened.
In a text message to his spokespersons, President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday said a Philippine Daily Inquirer report quoting Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) officials as having warned him in a meeting the other day with INC Executive Minister Eduardo Manalo to keep the religious sect out of the controversy over impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona was a kuryente story (bum steer).“That part of the conversation never happened,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte told a press briefing Tuesday.
Valte said she received a text message from the President denying the report.
Asked what the President said about what Manalo had told him at the meeting, Valte said she did not ask him. “The sense that I got is that their conversation was OK. There was no mention of anything untoward.”
Asked to comment on the report that Manalo only met with the President briefly and that it was the INC’s Council of Elders that had spoken to him, Valte said Mr. Aquino had told his aides that it was Manalo who talked to him.
Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda earlier admitted that Mr. Aquino and Manalo had met the other day at the INC’s Quezon City headquarters and that they had discussed Corona’s impeachment trial, among other topics.
He said Mr. Aquino met with Manalo in order to “touch base” with him and the INC, which had supported his runs for senator and for president.
But an Inquirer source in the INC said that at the meeting, the Council of Elders had bluntly told the President to keep the INC out of the Corona affair. Christine O. Avendaño
Iglesia ni Cristo news
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Lady Gaga turns emotional in Manila concert
MANILA, Philippines—Lady Gaga played the roles of queen, warrior, goddess and sex symbol with theatrical flair on Monday, May 21 – the first of her two-night concerts at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.An appreciative crowd – which came in droves, almost filling up the newly-constructed venue – marveled at the elaborately designed stage with a medieval Gothic castle serving as the setting for the singer-songwriter’s wild vision of “the birth of a new race.”
There was drama in every part of the show, which opened with Lady Gaga riding a horse; in another instance she was on a motorcycle; but mostly she was all over the stage carousing with a cast of agile dancers and singing about standing up to authority and asserting one’s right to be free and happy.
She dared speak her mind out over the controversy stirred by her provocative image and songs – at one point mouthing expletives but later turning emotional and teary-eyed.
The concert had many highlights, but most striking was the moment when the star of the show emphatically said, “It’s not about the music, but about being yourself!”
The show may have exposed a lot of skin and simulated sex acts, but the moral crusaders and public officials who were there to find cause to punish Lady Gaga might have been too stunned to complain against the larger-than-life showcase of talent that unfolded.
The concert’s second day on Tuesday night, May 22, will push through, according to organizers.
| Lady gaga manila |
Lady Gaga turns emotional in Manila concert
MANILA, Philippines—Lady Gaga played the roles of queen, warrior, goddess and sex symbol with theatrical flair on Monday, May 21 – the first of her two-night concerts at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.An appreciative crowd – which came in droves, almost filling up the newly-constructed venue – marveled at the elaborately designed stage with a medieval Gothic castle serving as the setting for the singer-songwriter’s wild vision of “the birth of a new race.”
There was drama in every part of the show, which opened with Lady Gaga riding a horse; in another instance she was on a motorcycle; but mostly she was all over the stage carousing with a cast of agile dancers and singing about standing up to authority and asserting one’s right to be free and happy.
She dared speak her mind out over the controversy stirred by her provocative image and songs – at one point mouthing expletives but later turning emotional and teary-eyed.
The concert had many highlights, but most striking was the moment when the star of the show emphatically said, “It’s not about the music, but about being yourself!”
The show may have exposed a lot of skin and simulated sex acts, but the moral crusaders and public officials who were there to find cause to punish Lady Gaga might have been too stunned to complain against the larger-than-life showcase of talent that unfolded.
The concert’s second day on Tuesday night, May 22, will push through, according to organizers.
Lady gaga manila
Saturday, May 19, 2012
4 killed in car accident inside posh village in Muntinlupa
The Muntinlupa Police identified the fatalities as Thomas Eric Nguyen, 16, Bruce Garcia, 14, and the brothers Timothy, 18, and Joshua Syyap, 15.
According to initial investigation made by Senior Police Officer 1 Henry Sayson, the four were in a speeding Hyundai Elantra (TOQ 397) when the accident happened at around 4 a.m.
“They were traversing Acacia Avenue inside the subdivision, heading northward, when they suddenly hit a Meralco post at the corner of Acacia and Guijo streets,” Sayson said in a telephone interview.
The vehicle was going “considerably fast” when it hit the post, said Sayson, who had viewed footage from security cameras of the village. After hitting the post the car slammed onto the concrete fence of a house, he added.
“The impact was so strong that the car was a total wreck, and the victims were thrown out of the vehicle. We found them along the road and in the pavement,” Sayson said.
The victims were rushed to the Asian Hospital for treatment, but three of them were pronounced dead on arrival and the fourth one succumbed top severe head and body injuries hours later.
Sayson could not tell yet whether the teenagers were drunk or if the car lost its brakes, as investigation was still in progress to determine the actual cause of the accident.
“There was no witness when the incident happened, so we will be looking at the car, the medical report on the victims, and other… evidence to establish what caused the accident,” he said.
Ayala Alabang Accident
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Aquino: Philippines willing to share resources but not sovereignty
“I am not empowered to give up any of our territory,” Aquino said during an open forum at a gathering of Wharton business school alumni in Makati City on Wednesday night.
Aquino was reacting to a suggestion that the Philippines and China enter into a 50-50 sharing arrangement for the energy resources in various disputed areas of the West Philippine Sea.
“Now, we have not stopped having communications with them in trying to look for the win-win situation,” the President went on. “But at the same time, you know, I am still bound by an oath that I took to defend and uphold the Constitution and enforce all of our laws.”
“If it’s clear that we have a 200-mile economic zone, exclusive economic zone, designated by the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea, and both of us are parties to it, is it too much to ask that our rights are respected by our neighbors in the same token that we respect their rights?” he added.
Aquino stressed the government’s position to have the dispute resolved diplomatically. He said the Philippines was in no position to engage China militarily.
“We do not want to present a threat to them in any shape, manner or form, or whatsoever in terms of military action,” he said. “I keep using a joke, even if it were just a boxing match, they’re 1.3 billion and we’re 95 or 93 million. We will not prevail, and that is not the route.”
“So I go back, if we are able to exploit these resources (in a manner) that redounds to benefits for the entire region, we will be less dependent on oil from the Middle East and North Africa,” he said.
| South China Sea news |
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
China’s propaganda war
The most popular Filipino in China today is “a retired investment and merchant banker, a retired Certified Public Accountant, and a retired economist who loves to dabble in history and political science, among many other interests”. His name is “Victor N. Arches II” and he is the reported author of an op-ed article that appeared in the Manila Standard Today on April 28, 2012. The article, “It belongs to China”, has been reproduced in its entirety in hundreds, if not thousands, of print publications and online news sites all over China.
“Even Filipino admits Huangyan Island belongs to China!” is typical of the introduction to the article in English or in Chinese Pinyin character.
Just who exactly is this “Victor N. Arches II”? Ever since it appeared in the Manila Standard Today, I have been scouring the Internet to find out who he is anything but I found nothing. I could not even find a single Filipino with that surname. The closest I got was a “Victor Arch” from Indonesia who graduated from a university in Jakarta in 1994 but his postings in Facebook are in Bahasa Indonesia.
He could be a real person but if he had written an article in the past, it would surely have surfaced in the Internet. If he graduated from any college or university in the Philippines or if he ever worked as a CPA in the Philippines, his name would invariably have appeared somewhere in the Internet and a search engine would have surely tracked it.
It is also suspicious that he would use “II” instead of “Jr.” which is what most Filipinos are accustomed to.
My suspicion about the true identity of the author was also aroused by the style and substance of the article which was uncannily similar to the way Chinese articles have dealt with the subject.
Read more here or more South China Sea news here.
“Even Filipino admits Huangyan Island belongs to China!” is typical of the introduction to the article in English or in Chinese Pinyin character.
Just who exactly is this “Victor N. Arches II”? Ever since it appeared in the Manila Standard Today, I have been scouring the Internet to find out who he is anything but I found nothing. I could not even find a single Filipino with that surname. The closest I got was a “Victor Arch” from Indonesia who graduated from a university in Jakarta in 1994 but his postings in Facebook are in Bahasa Indonesia.
He could be a real person but if he had written an article in the past, it would surely have surfaced in the Internet. If he graduated from any college or university in the Philippines or if he ever worked as a CPA in the Philippines, his name would invariably have appeared somewhere in the Internet and a search engine would have surely tracked it.
It is also suspicious that he would use “II” instead of “Jr.” which is what most Filipinos are accustomed to.
My suspicion about the true identity of the author was also aroused by the style and substance of the article which was uncannily similar to the way Chinese articles have dealt with the subject.
Read more here or more South China Sea news here.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Jessica tells Filipino fans: I love you all so much
Thousands of people turned out to show support for the Filipino-Mexican bet on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) in two grand homecoming events—set in a high school stadium and on a historic aircraft carrier—in the “American Idol” tradition of a hero’s welcome.
“Thank you for showing up,” Sanchez told adoring fans on the flight deck of the USS Midway Museum, where she auditioned for the “Idol” judges last year.
The 16-year-old Top 3 finalist performed the “Star-Spangled Banner” and three other songs, including Luther Van Dross’ “Dance With My Father,” which she dedicated to her father, Mexican-American Gilbert Sanchez, a member of the US Navy.
“I’m very proud of her,” Gilbert told the Inquirer.
It was a family affair for Sanchez, who was joined in the landmark aircraft carrier by her father, Filipino mother Editha Bugay (who hails from Samal, Bataan province), her two brothers and other family members.
Earlier, Sanchez performed before 6,000 fans who gathered at Eastlake High School’s Canaris Football Stadium in Chula Vista. More Jessica Sanchez news here.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Philippines, China talking again
The Philippines and China are talking again, and they are trying to work out a temporary solution to their dispute over Scarborough Shoal, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said on Friday.
In a text message to the Inquirer, Del Rosario said the two sides resumed consultations earlier last week to break the stalemate.
The good news from Del Rosario came as Malacañang reiterated that the government had no hand in the anti-China protests in Manila and other capital cities around the world on Friday.
Hong Lei, spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, accused the Philippines on Friday of escalating tensions between the two countries by encouraging protests against China’s intrusion on Scarborough Shoal, a group of coral and rock formations in the South China Sea well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
“It’s a wrong action that complicates and magnifies the issue,” Hong told Asian journalists in Beijing.
Hong said the Philippine side broke diplomatic contact “for a period of time” but Chinese officials kept in touch with their counterparts both in Beijing and in Manila, as China was committed to resolve the dispute through diplomacy.
Late on Friday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Filipino and Chinese diplomats in Manila had resumed talks to break the deadlock over Scarborough Shoal.
The department did not disclose the negotiation points but going by China’s “requirements,” as Hong mentioned in his talk with journalists in Beijing, the consultations would lead to, at best, temporary agreements that would allow the two sides to disengage without losing face.
China’s demands, Hong said, were that Chinese public service ships at Scarborough Shoal—called Panatag Shoal and Bajo de Masinloc by the Philippines—not be disturbed, that Chinese fishing boats be left alone to go about their normal activities, and that Philippine vessels leave the shoal, which China calls Huangyan Island.
Face-off at the shoal
On Tuesday, the military reported that the number of Chinese vessels at Scarborough Shoal had increased to more than 30, from 14 last week.
China now has three big ships in the area, in addition to seven Chinese fishing vessels and 23 utility boats.
The Philippines has only two vessels in the lagoon, the BRP Edsa, a Coast Guard search-and-rescue ship, and the MCS 3001, a vessel belonging to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
Not this early
The Philippines will never agree to those demands, although Del Rosario did not say how Manila was responding. But he indicated that both sides did not expect to reach a lasting solution to the dispute this early.
“A diplomatic result ending the current impasse in Bajo de Masinloc, which we hope can be achieved, will at best be a temporary one,” Del Rosario said. “Ultimately, we will need an overall solution.”
The Philippines has already decided to go for that by going to international courts and forums to force China to recognize its sovereignty over parts of the South China Sea—called West Philippine Sea by Manila—within its exclusive economic zone.
Legal track
According to Del Rosario, the Philippine side is “moving forward with the legal track as a durable solution to our disputes in the West Philippine Sea.”
Stressing the need to “pursue a peaceful resolution” of the conflict with China, he said the DFA would follow a three-track approach: political, through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations; legal, through United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) settlement; and diplomatic, through continuing consultations to defuse the current tensions at Scarborough Shoal.
Raul Hernandez, the DFA spokesperson, said the department would press ahead with the legal track. “As Secretary Del Rosario has said, the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (Itlos) would provide an impartial venue for ascertaining who between the Philippines and China has sovereign rights over the waters around Bajo de Masinloc and also around the Reed Bank area,” Hernandez said.
Rules-based approach
Del Rosario has repeatedly asserted that abiding by the rules set by the Unclos was the legitimate way of dealing with conflicting and overlapping claims in the West Philippine Sea.
In a statement on the 30th anniversary of the 1982 signing of the Unclos by 159 UN member states in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Del Rosario said the convention “has never been more important to the Philippines than today when overlapping maritime claims threaten as never before the peace and prosperity in our part of the world.”
“The Philippines believes that the rules-based approach in Unclos, together with the norms in the UN Charter and international law, are the way forward in addressing in a just, peaceful and lasting manner the maritime disputes in the West Philippine Sea,” Del Rosario said.
Great equalizer
Scarborough Shoal is located 220 kilometers west of Zambales, but China insists it is Chinese territory even though the nearest Chinese landmass is more than 500 kilometers away.
Last week, Del Rosario said the Philippines would unilaterally bring the conflict to Itlos following Beijing’s rejection of Manila’s proposal for international arbitration.
In a text message from Washington, D.C., Del Rosario said the DFA was preparing for the presentation of the dispute to the Itlos.
The tribunal is based in Hamburg, Germany.
He pointed out that Chinese ships were “engaged in illegal activities in Bajo de Masinloc.”
“The whole world knows that China has myriad more ships and aircraft than the Philippines. At day’s end, however, we hope to demonstrate that international law would be the great equalizer,” he emphasized. With a report from Christine O. Avendaño
More China Philippines news here.
In a text message to the Inquirer, Del Rosario said the two sides resumed consultations earlier last week to break the stalemate.
The good news from Del Rosario came as Malacañang reiterated that the government had no hand in the anti-China protests in Manila and other capital cities around the world on Friday.
Hong Lei, spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, accused the Philippines on Friday of escalating tensions between the two countries by encouraging protests against China’s intrusion on Scarborough Shoal, a group of coral and rock formations in the South China Sea well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
“It’s a wrong action that complicates and magnifies the issue,” Hong told Asian journalists in Beijing.
Hong said the Philippine side broke diplomatic contact “for a period of time” but Chinese officials kept in touch with their counterparts both in Beijing and in Manila, as China was committed to resolve the dispute through diplomacy.
Late on Friday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Filipino and Chinese diplomats in Manila had resumed talks to break the deadlock over Scarborough Shoal.
The department did not disclose the negotiation points but going by China’s “requirements,” as Hong mentioned in his talk with journalists in Beijing, the consultations would lead to, at best, temporary agreements that would allow the two sides to disengage without losing face.
China’s demands, Hong said, were that Chinese public service ships at Scarborough Shoal—called Panatag Shoal and Bajo de Masinloc by the Philippines—not be disturbed, that Chinese fishing boats be left alone to go about their normal activities, and that Philippine vessels leave the shoal, which China calls Huangyan Island.
Face-off at the shoal
On Tuesday, the military reported that the number of Chinese vessels at Scarborough Shoal had increased to more than 30, from 14 last week.
China now has three big ships in the area, in addition to seven Chinese fishing vessels and 23 utility boats.
The Philippines has only two vessels in the lagoon, the BRP Edsa, a Coast Guard search-and-rescue ship, and the MCS 3001, a vessel belonging to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
Not this early
The Philippines will never agree to those demands, although Del Rosario did not say how Manila was responding. But he indicated that both sides did not expect to reach a lasting solution to the dispute this early.
“A diplomatic result ending the current impasse in Bajo de Masinloc, which we hope can be achieved, will at best be a temporary one,” Del Rosario said. “Ultimately, we will need an overall solution.”
The Philippines has already decided to go for that by going to international courts and forums to force China to recognize its sovereignty over parts of the South China Sea—called West Philippine Sea by Manila—within its exclusive economic zone.
Legal track
According to Del Rosario, the Philippine side is “moving forward with the legal track as a durable solution to our disputes in the West Philippine Sea.”
Stressing the need to “pursue a peaceful resolution” of the conflict with China, he said the DFA would follow a three-track approach: political, through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations; legal, through United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) settlement; and diplomatic, through continuing consultations to defuse the current tensions at Scarborough Shoal.
Raul Hernandez, the DFA spokesperson, said the department would press ahead with the legal track. “As Secretary Del Rosario has said, the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (Itlos) would provide an impartial venue for ascertaining who between the Philippines and China has sovereign rights over the waters around Bajo de Masinloc and also around the Reed Bank area,” Hernandez said.
Rules-based approach
Del Rosario has repeatedly asserted that abiding by the rules set by the Unclos was the legitimate way of dealing with conflicting and overlapping claims in the West Philippine Sea.
In a statement on the 30th anniversary of the 1982 signing of the Unclos by 159 UN member states in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Del Rosario said the convention “has never been more important to the Philippines than today when overlapping maritime claims threaten as never before the peace and prosperity in our part of the world.”
“The Philippines believes that the rules-based approach in Unclos, together with the norms in the UN Charter and international law, are the way forward in addressing in a just, peaceful and lasting manner the maritime disputes in the West Philippine Sea,” Del Rosario said.
Great equalizer
Scarborough Shoal is located 220 kilometers west of Zambales, but China insists it is Chinese territory even though the nearest Chinese landmass is more than 500 kilometers away.
Last week, Del Rosario said the Philippines would unilaterally bring the conflict to Itlos following Beijing’s rejection of Manila’s proposal for international arbitration.
In a text message from Washington, D.C., Del Rosario said the DFA was preparing for the presentation of the dispute to the Itlos.
The tribunal is based in Hamburg, Germany.
“The whole world knows that China has myriad more ships and aircraft than the Philippines. At day’s end, however, we hope to demonstrate that international law would be the great equalizer,” he emphasized. With a report from Christine O. Avendaño
More China Philippines news here.
Philippines, China talking again
The Philippines and China are talking again, and they are trying to work out a temporary solution to their dispute over Scarborough Shoal, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said on Friday.
In a text message to the Inquirer, Del Rosario said the two sides resumed consultations earlier last week to break the stalemate.
The good news from Del Rosario came as Malacañang reiterated that the government had no hand in the anti-China protests in Manila and other capital cities around the world on Friday.
Hong Lei, spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, accused the Philippines on Friday of escalating tensions between the two countries by encouraging protests against China’s intrusion on Scarborough Shoal, a group of coral and rock formations in the South China Sea well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
“It’s a wrong action that complicates and magnifies the issue,” Hong told Asian journalists in Beijing.
Hong said the Philippine side broke diplomatic contact “for a period of time” but Chinese officials kept in touch with their counterparts both in Beijing and in Manila, as China was committed to resolve the dispute through diplomacy.
Late on Friday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Filipino and Chinese diplomats in Manila had resumed talks to break the deadlock over Scarborough Shoal.
The department did not disclose the negotiation points but going by China’s “requirements,” as Hong mentioned in his talk with journalists in Beijing, the consultations would lead to, at best, temporary agreements that would allow the two sides to disengage without losing face.
China’s demands, Hong said, were that Chinese public service ships at Scarborough Shoal—called Panatag Shoal and Bajo de Masinloc by the Philippines—not be disturbed, that Chinese fishing boats be left alone to go about their normal activities, and that Philippine vessels leave the shoal, which China calls Huangyan Island.
Face-off at the shoal
On Tuesday, the military reported that the number of Chinese vessels at Scarborough Shoal had increased to more than 30, from 14 last week.
China now has three big ships in the area, in addition to seven Chinese fishing vessels and 23 utility boats.
The Philippines has only two vessels in the lagoon, the BRP Edsa, a Coast Guard search-and-rescue ship, and the MCS 3001, a vessel belonging to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
Not this early
The Philippines will never agree to those demands, although Del Rosario did not say how Manila was responding. But he indicated that both sides did not expect to reach a lasting solution to the dispute this early.
“A diplomatic result ending the current impasse in Bajo de Masinloc, which we hope can be achieved, will at best be a temporary one,” Del Rosario said. “Ultimately, we will need an overall solution.”
The Philippines has already decided to go for that by going to international courts and forums to force China to recognize its sovereignty over parts of the South China Sea—called West Philippine Sea by Manila—within its exclusive economic zone.
Legal track
According to Del Rosario, the Philippine side is “moving forward with the legal track as a durable solution to our disputes in the West Philippine Sea.”
Stressing the need to “pursue a peaceful resolution” of the conflict with China, he said the DFA would follow a three-track approach: political, through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations; legal, through United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) settlement; and diplomatic, through continuing consultations to defuse the current tensions at Scarborough Shoal.
Raul Hernandez, the DFA spokesperson, said the department would press ahead with the legal track. “As Secretary Del Rosario has said, the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (Itlos) would provide an impartial venue for ascertaining who between the Philippines and China has sovereign rights over the waters around Bajo de Masinloc and also around the Reed Bank area,” Hernandez said.
Rules-based approach
Del Rosario has repeatedly asserted that abiding by the rules set by the Unclos was the legitimate way of dealing with conflicting and overlapping claims in the West Philippine Sea.
In a statement on the 30th anniversary of the 1982 signing of the Unclos by 159 UN member states in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Del Rosario said the convention “has never been more important to the Philippines than today when overlapping maritime claims threaten as never before the peace and prosperity in our part of the world.”
“The Philippines believes that the rules-based approach in Unclos, together with the norms in the UN Charter and international law, are the way forward in addressing in a just, peaceful and lasting manner the maritime disputes in the West Philippine Sea,” Del Rosario said.
Great equalizer
Scarborough Shoal is located 220 kilometers west of Zambales, but China insists it is Chinese territory even though the nearest Chinese landmass is more than 500 kilometers away.
Last week, Del Rosario said the Philippines would unilaterally bring the conflict to Itlos following Beijing’s rejection of Manila’s proposal for international arbitration.
In a text message from Washington, D.C., Del Rosario said the DFA was preparing for the presentation of the dispute to the Itlos.
The tribunal is based in Hamburg, Germany.
He pointed out that Chinese ships were “engaged in illegal activities in Bajo de Masinloc.”
“The whole world knows that China has myriad more ships and aircraft than the Philippines. At day’s end, however, we hope to demonstrate that international law would be the great equalizer,” he emphasized. With a report from Christine O. Avendaño
In a text message to the Inquirer, Del Rosario said the two sides resumed consultations earlier last week to break the stalemate.
The good news from Del Rosario came as Malacañang reiterated that the government had no hand in the anti-China protests in Manila and other capital cities around the world on Friday.
Hong Lei, spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, accused the Philippines on Friday of escalating tensions between the two countries by encouraging protests against China’s intrusion on Scarborough Shoal, a group of coral and rock formations in the South China Sea well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
“It’s a wrong action that complicates and magnifies the issue,” Hong told Asian journalists in Beijing.
Hong said the Philippine side broke diplomatic contact “for a period of time” but Chinese officials kept in touch with their counterparts both in Beijing and in Manila, as China was committed to resolve the dispute through diplomacy.
Late on Friday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Filipino and Chinese diplomats in Manila had resumed talks to break the deadlock over Scarborough Shoal.
The department did not disclose the negotiation points but going by China’s “requirements,” as Hong mentioned in his talk with journalists in Beijing, the consultations would lead to, at best, temporary agreements that would allow the two sides to disengage without losing face.
China’s demands, Hong said, were that Chinese public service ships at Scarborough Shoal—called Panatag Shoal and Bajo de Masinloc by the Philippines—not be disturbed, that Chinese fishing boats be left alone to go about their normal activities, and that Philippine vessels leave the shoal, which China calls Huangyan Island.
Face-off at the shoal
On Tuesday, the military reported that the number of Chinese vessels at Scarborough Shoal had increased to more than 30, from 14 last week.
China now has three big ships in the area, in addition to seven Chinese fishing vessels and 23 utility boats.
The Philippines has only two vessels in the lagoon, the BRP Edsa, a Coast Guard search-and-rescue ship, and the MCS 3001, a vessel belonging to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
Not this early
The Philippines will never agree to those demands, although Del Rosario did not say how Manila was responding. But he indicated that both sides did not expect to reach a lasting solution to the dispute this early.
“A diplomatic result ending the current impasse in Bajo de Masinloc, which we hope can be achieved, will at best be a temporary one,” Del Rosario said. “Ultimately, we will need an overall solution.”
The Philippines has already decided to go for that by going to international courts and forums to force China to recognize its sovereignty over parts of the South China Sea—called West Philippine Sea by Manila—within its exclusive economic zone.
Legal track
According to Del Rosario, the Philippine side is “moving forward with the legal track as a durable solution to our disputes in the West Philippine Sea.”
Stressing the need to “pursue a peaceful resolution” of the conflict with China, he said the DFA would follow a three-track approach: political, through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations; legal, through United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) settlement; and diplomatic, through continuing consultations to defuse the current tensions at Scarborough Shoal.
Raul Hernandez, the DFA spokesperson, said the department would press ahead with the legal track. “As Secretary Del Rosario has said, the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (Itlos) would provide an impartial venue for ascertaining who between the Philippines and China has sovereign rights over the waters around Bajo de Masinloc and also around the Reed Bank area,” Hernandez said.
Rules-based approach
Del Rosario has repeatedly asserted that abiding by the rules set by the Unclos was the legitimate way of dealing with conflicting and overlapping claims in the West Philippine Sea.
In a statement on the 30th anniversary of the 1982 signing of the Unclos by 159 UN member states in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Del Rosario said the convention “has never been more important to the Philippines than today when overlapping maritime claims threaten as never before the peace and prosperity in our part of the world.”
“The Philippines believes that the rules-based approach in Unclos, together with the norms in the UN Charter and international law, are the way forward in addressing in a just, peaceful and lasting manner the maritime disputes in the West Philippine Sea,” Del Rosario said.
Great equalizer
Scarborough Shoal is located 220 kilometers west of Zambales, but China insists it is Chinese territory even though the nearest Chinese landmass is more than 500 kilometers away.
Last week, Del Rosario said the Philippines would unilaterally bring the conflict to Itlos following Beijing’s rejection of Manila’s proposal for international arbitration.
In a text message from Washington, D.C., Del Rosario said the DFA was preparing for the presentation of the dispute to the Itlos.
The tribunal is based in Hamburg, Germany.
He pointed out that Chinese ships were “engaged in illegal activities in Bajo de Masinloc.”
“The whole world knows that China has myriad more ships and aircraft than the Philippines. At day’s end, however, we hope to demonstrate that international law would be the great equalizer,” he emphasized. With a report from Christine O. Avendaño
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Jessica, Joshua, Phillip last 3 standing on ‘Idol’
LOS ANGELES—It’s going to be a race to the finish for Jessica Sanchez, Joshua Ledet and Phillip Phillips—the last three standing on “American Idol” season 11—after Hollie Cavanagh was sent packing in the reality singing competition’s elimination night on Thursday (Friday in Manila).
Philippine bet Sanchez, who got her fourth standing ovation this week, thanked her followers on the social networking site Twitter, saying it’s an honor to land on the Top 3. “Just hit 300k followers :) Love you,” posted the 16-year-old high school student from San Diego, California, with Mexican and Filipino heritage.
Sanchez’s father Gilbert is a Mexican-American originally from Texas while her mother Editha Bugay is a Filipino who hails from Samal, Bataan province.
Sanchez got no less than US Ambassador Harry Thomas cheering with Filipino-Americans after she earned a slot in the final three and a ticket to homecoming week, during which she will return to her hometown in Chula Vista, San Diego.
Big fan
“I hope she wins,” said Thomas, who met with Fil-Ams at an evening meet-and-greet event hosted by the US Pinoys for Good Governance at Carla’s Café inside CBS Studio in Studio City, California.
Should Sanchez fail to make it to the top, Thomas said she is still poised to have a stellar career. “Jessica is a winner no matter what,” he said.
Sanchez is the second contestant of Filipino descent to get elevated to the Top 3 of “Idol.” Filipino-American Jasmine Trias finished third..... Read more Jessica Sanchez news here.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Jessica Sanchez sings the blues, ‘steals away’ the hearts of millions
MANILA, Philippines—Jessica Sanchez is definitely not going anywhere but to be on top of her game after she got her fourth standing ovation with her renditions of Jennifer Holiday’s “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” for the Top 4 performance in the final stretch of “American Idol.”
The four remaining contestants, Sanchez, Phillips Phillips, Joshua Ledet, and Hollie Cavanagh were made to choose two songs on Wednesday night (early Thursday, Philippine time) to perform; the first coming from
California artists while the second has to be the song they wish they had written.
Sanchez picked Holiday’s song from the hit Broadway musical, “Dreamgirls.” It became a dream come true for her with all the praises given by the judges.
For the second choice, she did Etta James’s “Steal Away”.
Judges’ reactions
Jennifer Lopez said it felt like it’s going to be a real race to the finish.
Sanchez’s rendition of “Steal Away,” which is basically a blues classic, impressed the judges more.
Randy Jackson said, “She’s 16 and singing Etta James. The blues is all about pain.”
He added Sanchez was really in it to win the competition.
Rock icon Steven Tyler said her performance was “just over the top”.
“You’re just one of the best,” Lopez told Sanchez.
Jessica Sanchez news
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
China prepared for escalation of Philippine standoff
BEIJING—Chinese vice foreign minister Fu Ying said Beijing was fully ready for an escalation of a drawn-out maritime standoff with the Philippines, as a tense row over a disputed shoal continues.“The Chinese side has… made all preparations to respond to any escalation of the situation by the Philippine side,” she told a Philippine diplomat in Beijing Monday, according to a statement posted on the foreign ministry website Tuesday.
The two countries have been locked in a territorial row over the disputed Scarborough Shoal — or Huangyan island in Chinese — in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) for one month, with both sides sending ships to the area in a tense standoff.
It is one of the most high-profile flare-ups in recent years between the two countries over their competing territorial claims to parts of the West Philippine Sea, which is believed to sit atop vast oil and gas deposits.
The row erupted on April 8 when Chinese vessels blocked a Philippine warship from arresting crews of Chinese fishing boats off the shoal, which both countries claim as their own.
Currently, four Chinese surveillance ships and 10 fishing boats have anchored off the disputed shoal, facing off with two Philippine coast guard ships and a fisheries bureau vessel.
On Monday, Fu summoned Alex Chua, charge d’affaires at the Philippine embassy in China, to make a “serious representation” over the situation, according to the statement.
“It is obvious that the Philippine side has not realized that it is making serious mistakes and instead is stepping up efforts to escalate tensions,” she told him.
Originally posted at 01:36 pm | Tuesday, May 08, 2012
More Scarborough Shoal news here.
Gwen spotted in PBA finals
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia watched Sunday’s Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup title match next to businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan on Sunday night.
Her presence at the basketball game spurred speculations about whether the tycoon would support Garcia’s senatorial bid.
“Actually, I had a previous meeting with Manny Pangilinan and since he’s the owner of the Smart Araneta Colliseum and then there was a finals game between Talk N’ Text and B-Meg he asked if I would wish to watch the game so I said, yes why not,” she said.
Garcia said she went to the game with some Capitol staff.
She said Pangilinan, who leads the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), Smart Communications, looks up to Cebu province’s firm leadership.
‘Let’s just leave it at that. There’s really strong interest to invest in Cebu from Mr. MVP himself and that should be very, very good for Cebu.” she said.
“Maynilad has been part of the proposal of the Manila Water Consortium and he saw, his people saw, how we conducted the bidding process in the most fair and transparent manner. According to him, they really saw this brand of firm leadership and political will thatr we exhibited in the entire process because it was a difficult process. It was the first of its kind.”
“We are very elated with MVP’s proposal and this development for Cebu.
Garcia’s presence in game seven of the Finals series was acknowledged on air by PBA commentators. Correspondent Peter L. Romanillos.
PBA finals | B-MEG vs TNT
Her presence at the basketball game spurred speculations about whether the tycoon would support Garcia’s senatorial bid.
“Actually, I had a previous meeting with Manny Pangilinan and since he’s the owner of the Smart Araneta Colliseum and then there was a finals game between Talk N’ Text and B-Meg he asked if I would wish to watch the game so I said, yes why not,” she said.
Garcia said she went to the game with some Capitol staff.
She said Pangilinan, who leads the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), Smart Communications, looks up to Cebu province’s firm leadership.
‘Let’s just leave it at that. There’s really strong interest to invest in Cebu from Mr. MVP himself and that should be very, very good for Cebu.” she said.
“Maynilad has been part of the proposal of the Manila Water Consortium and he saw, his people saw, how we conducted the bidding process in the most fair and transparent manner. According to him, they really saw this brand of firm leadership and political will thatr we exhibited in the entire process because it was a difficult process. It was the first of its kind.”
“We are very elated with MVP’s proposal and this development for Cebu.
Garcia’s presence in game seven of the Finals series was acknowledged on air by PBA commentators. Correspondent Peter L. Romanillos.
PBA finals | B-MEG vs TNT
Monday, May 7, 2012
Megafight with Mayweather ‘still possible,’ says Pacquiao
LOS ANGELES — A megafight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. “is still possible,” Manny Pacquiao said after watching the unbeaten American subdue Miguel Cotto in their 12-round super welterweight title bout in Las Vegas.“It was a good fight. They both fought well,” Pacquiao added in Filipino.
Mayweather used his speed and accuracy to win a unanimous decision over a game Cotto in one of his toughest fights ever.
Mayweather dominated late, rocking Cotto in the 12th round to pull out a win and remain unbeaten in 43 fights. But it wasn’t easy, with Mayweather getting his nose bloodied and Cotto fighting until the final bell.
Two judges scored the fight 117-111 and the third had it 118-110. The Associated Press had Mayweather winning 116-112.
Fight with Pacquiao
Mayweather was guaranteed $32 million for the fight. After the decision was announced, Mayweather discussed a possible fight with Pacquiao, his rival for the title of the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter.
Fans have been clamoring for the megafight, which has hit various stumbling blocks, including Mayweather’s insistence that Pacquiao agree to blood testing and how the revenue from the fight is to be divided.
“I tried to make the Pacquiao fight and that didn’t work, so I fought Miguel Cotto instead and.... Read more Pacquiao Bradley news here.
Goin’ gaga
(PBA finals)Everyone’s going gaga over the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals. The Smart Araneta Coliseum was packed with more than 18,000 fans watching Game 4 between the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters against the BMEG Llmados.
Danica Sotto-Pingris is one of the celebrities always present, cheering for her husband Marc of BMEG.
She observed that things were more exciting now: “Even the younger generation, nagka-interest sa games.
Maganda yung ginawa ng AKTV, TV5’s sports channel, giving the series a title. It’s also a lot better now, kasi may Twitter and Facebook at interactive na. Parang nabalik yung dati. Nabuhay ulit yung mga taong nanonood ng PBA.”
Also spotted at The Big Dome enjoying the games were Baby James cheering for his Daddy James Yap, BB Gandanghari, Ruffa Mae Quinto, Anna Capri and LJ Moreno cheering for her hubby Jimmy Alapag of Talk and Text. Go and have a ball yourself!
Danica Sotto-Pingris is one of the celebrities always present, cheering for her husband Marc of BMEG.
She observed that things were more exciting now: “Even the younger generation, nagka-interest sa games.
Maganda yung ginawa ng AKTV, TV5’s sports channel, giving the series a title. It’s also a lot better now, kasi may Twitter and Facebook at interactive na. Parang nabalik yung dati. Nabuhay ulit yung mga taong nanonood ng PBA.”
Also spotted at The Big Dome enjoying the games were Baby James cheering for his Daddy James Yap, BB Gandanghari, Ruffa Mae Quinto, Anna Capri and LJ Moreno cheering for her hubby Jimmy Alapag of Talk and Text. Go and have a ball yourself!
Friday, May 4, 2012
Four to go: Fil-Ams rally behind Jessica Sanchez to the end
LOS ANGELES, California—On Friday, another “Idol” heads for the chopping block.As “American Idol” season 11 nears the homestretch, Filipino-Americans continue to rally behind Filipino-Mexican Jessica Sanchez, as she sang her heart out in Thursday’s episode “British invasion” for a slot in the Fox reality singing competition’s Top 4 this week.
Filipino-American followers were all praises for Sanchez, who at 16 is the competition’s youngest finalist.
Performing two very different songs, Sanchez rocked it with Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary” and showed her soulful side in Joe Cocker’s “You Are So Beautiful,” once again drawing raves from the judges and fans.
“It’s like listening to an old soul,” actor Bernardo Bernardo, now based in the United States, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. “She looks so innocent but there’s maturity and depth in the way she sang her songs. There’s such beauty in her voice.”
Bernardo, who has launched a social media campaign to garner more votes for Sanchez, said he included both the Philippine and Mexican flags in the flyer he designed and posted on Facebook “to also get support from the Mexican-American community.”
‘Seasoned pro’
Filipino-American concert director Vic Perez noted Sanchez’s “mature rendition of songs way beyond her age.”
“She sang like a seasoned pro,” said Perez, who cast his vote online and via text many times over after watching Sanchez and the four other finalists perform songs from the ’60s in the first round and Brit pop in the second. “Her performance was so enchanting, so magical.”
“I am confident she will win,” said Minerva Cobilla, a city government worker who voted for Sanchez for the first time after hearing from friends that she nearly got the boot three weeks ago.
“I never really paid close attention to ‘American Idol’ until Jessica almost got eliminated,” she said. “I’m now more inspired to vote and I’m also asking others to show their support for her by voting.”
Mixed reactions
The “Idol” judges, though expressing mixed reactions on Sanchez’s song interpretations on Thursday, were once again impressed with her powerful pipes.
“You’re so grown-up there, it’s crazy,” Jennifer Lopez told the high school student from Chula Vista in San Diego County after her rendition of “Proud Mary.” “You were a little bit of Tina, a little Beyoncé.”
Randy Jackson thought Sanchez did not live up to Turner’s iconic performance of the song and said it was “barely OK,” but Lopez quickly defended her, saying they can’t compare a 16-year-old to Tina Turner.
Jackson, however, loved Sanchez’s take on “You Are So Beautiful.” “It’s so pro. People who have been singing 50 years can’t do this. Your talent level is unbelievable.”
Steven Tyler agreed. “You once again showed America just how beautiful your voice is and what a great singer you are. You’re gonna be No. 1, girl.”
In Washington, D.C., the Migrant Heritage Commission (MHC) said they were successful in getting both Filipino-American and Mexican-Americans to support Sanchez through social media, phone calls and e-mail blasts.
“We got a lot of Mexican-Americans in our database who promise to support Jessica,” said Arnedo Valera, MHC coexecutive director. “We also gave them specific instructions on how to vote.”
Top 5 songs
The Top 5 had guest mentor Stevie Van Zandt joining buddy Jimmy Iovine this week.
The judges thought Joshua Ledet did a great job with his take on the Temptation’s “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” and the Bee Gees’ “To Love Somebody.”
Hollie Cavanagh also got rave reviews for her rendition of Ike and Tina Turner’s “River Deep, Mountain High” and Leona Lewis’ “Bleeding Love.”
Skylar Laine continued to wow the judges with her performance of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son” and Dusty Springfield’s “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me.”
Phillip Philips less than impressed with rocking The Box Tops’ “The Letter” and The Zombies’ “Time of the Season.”
More Jessica Sanchez news here.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Beer fun run, Brazilian dance contest spice up Kadaugan party
A BEER run, a Brazilian-inspired dance contest called Rampada and the presence of video and disc jockeys from Holland and South Korea spiced up the two-day Kadaugan Street Party in Lapu-Lapu City over the weekend.
The party occupied a 1.6-kilometer stretch of the M.L Quezon highway and drew thousands of visitors from Cebu and elsewhere, Lapu-Lapu City officials said yesterday.
“This is much more than what we expected. I think the Kadaugan Street Party has become well known even though this is only our second year,” said Lapu-Lapu City Councilor Harry Don Radaza, chairman of the tourism committee.
The Rampada contest drew in 13 barangays and assorted private firms that sent dance contingents for street dancing and a stage showdown.
Barangay Buaya took the P200,000 top prize in both the barangay category (P50,000) and the open category (P150,000).
In second place were barangay Pajo with P40,000 while barangay Pajac got P30,000 for third place in the barangay category.
Imperial Palace and barangay Pajo won second prize and third prize respectively in the open category.
Barangay Buaya also won the Best in Rampada, Most Lively and Best in Costume special awards.
The Imperial Palace contingent was judged Best in Headdress and Most Colorful while barangay Gun-ob grabbed the Reyna Bulakna award.
About 1,000 people participated in the Beer Run where participants drank free beer instead of water.
The Lapu-Lapu city government spent P1.2 million for the party out of a P1.6 million budget with the rest of the amount put up by private firms. Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza.
Summer to do
The party occupied a 1.6-kilometer stretch of the M.L Quezon highway and drew thousands of visitors from Cebu and elsewhere, Lapu-Lapu City officials said yesterday.
“This is much more than what we expected. I think the Kadaugan Street Party has become well known even though this is only our second year,” said Lapu-Lapu City Councilor Harry Don Radaza, chairman of the tourism committee.
The Rampada contest drew in 13 barangays and assorted private firms that sent dance contingents for street dancing and a stage showdown.
Barangay Buaya took the P200,000 top prize in both the barangay category (P50,000) and the open category (P150,000).
In second place were barangay Pajo with P40,000 while barangay Pajac got P30,000 for third place in the barangay category.
Imperial Palace and barangay Pajo won second prize and third prize respectively in the open category.
Barangay Buaya also won the Best in Rampada, Most Lively and Best in Costume special awards.
The Imperial Palace contingent was judged Best in Headdress and Most Colorful while barangay Gun-ob grabbed the Reyna Bulakna award.
About 1,000 people participated in the Beer Run where participants drank free beer instead of water.
The Lapu-Lapu city government spent P1.2 million for the party out of a P1.6 million budget with the rest of the amount put up by private firms. Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza.
Summer to do
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Scarborough will not be Mischief Reef redux
If Filipinos could only unite to save the Scarborough Shoal from being invaded by China as Filipinos did to save Jessica Sanchez from being eliminated in American Idol, perhaps the Philippines can still manage to retain its ownership of the disputed shoal in the future. But just as Sanchez cannot rely on the American Idol celebrity judges to save her anymore, the Philippines also cannot rely on the United States to save its Scarborough Shoal.
This US policy was made clear at a high level Washington DC meeting on April 30 between the US — represented by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, and the Philippines — represented by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin where the US explained that it will not take sides in the Scarborough Shoal dispute but will encourage both countries to seek a peaceful solution to the standoff at the shoal, now in its fourth week.
“The US supports a collaborative diplomatic process by all those involved for resolving the various disputes that they encounter. We oppose the threat or use of force by any party to advance its claims. And we will remain in close contact with our ally, the Philippines,” Secretary Clinton said.
The most recent “standoff” with China began on April 8, 2012 when eight Chinese fishing vessels set anchor in the Scarborough Shoal — known locally as the Panatag Shoal — where they were spotted by a Philippine Navy surveillance plane.
On April 10, 2012, officers of the Philippine navy ship BRP Gregorio del Pilar, a Hamilton class cutter obtained last year from the US, boarded the Chinese fishing vessels and discovered large amounts of illegally collected corals, giant clams, and live sharks.
China then dispatched surveillance ships to pressure the Philippines to free the detained Chinese fishing boats. While the Chinese fishermen were allowed to leave with their fishing vessels, the Philippine Navy confiscated their catch after determining that the “poaching of endangered marine resources is in violation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES).”
Since the standoff began, the Chinese fisheries officers have remained in the Scarborough Shoal with 9 ships and with jets constantly patrolling the skies and occasionally swooping down to harass Filipino fishermen to coax them to leave what China calls its “Huangyan Island”.
The Philippines asserts that the Chinese have encroached on their Panatag Shoal which is part of the territorial sovereignty of the Philippines, being only 124 nautical miles off the nearest base point in Masinloc, Zambales province within the 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) while China is more than 500 nautical miles away. Read more here about South China Sea news.
This US policy was made clear at a high level Washington DC meeting on April 30 between the US — represented by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, and the Philippines — represented by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin where the US explained that it will not take sides in the Scarborough Shoal dispute but will encourage both countries to seek a peaceful solution to the standoff at the shoal, now in its fourth week.
“The US supports a collaborative diplomatic process by all those involved for resolving the various disputes that they encounter. We oppose the threat or use of force by any party to advance its claims. And we will remain in close contact with our ally, the Philippines,” Secretary Clinton said.
The most recent “standoff” with China began on April 8, 2012 when eight Chinese fishing vessels set anchor in the Scarborough Shoal — known locally as the Panatag Shoal — where they were spotted by a Philippine Navy surveillance plane.
On April 10, 2012, officers of the Philippine navy ship BRP Gregorio del Pilar, a Hamilton class cutter obtained last year from the US, boarded the Chinese fishing vessels and discovered large amounts of illegally collected corals, giant clams, and live sharks.
China then dispatched surveillance ships to pressure the Philippines to free the detained Chinese fishing boats. While the Chinese fishermen were allowed to leave with their fishing vessels, the Philippine Navy confiscated their catch after determining that the “poaching of endangered marine resources is in violation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES).”
Since the standoff began, the Chinese fisheries officers have remained in the Scarborough Shoal with 9 ships and with jets constantly patrolling the skies and occasionally swooping down to harass Filipino fishermen to coax them to leave what China calls its “Huangyan Island”.
The Philippines asserts that the Chinese have encroached on their Panatag Shoal which is part of the territorial sovereignty of the Philippines, being only 124 nautical miles off the nearest base point in Masinloc, Zambales province within the 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) while China is more than 500 nautical miles away. Read more here about South China Sea news.
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