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Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Is Third World War in the offing?

Is Third World War in the offing?

The extensive building of islands by China at the Paracels and the Spratlys and its act of owning the whole West Philippine Sea, nee South China Sea, by way of its Nine-Dash Line theory as grounds for her territorial claims, are reminiscent of the Japanese aggression over Manchuria that happened in the late 1930's which started the Second Global war in the Asia-Pacific Region. The military offensives of Russia against Georgia and Ukraine to reintegrate them to the former Socialist Republic is gaining ground. As a matter of fact, Southern Ossetia, which is a part of Georgia, and Crimea, a part of Ukraine, already formed a section of modern territories in Russia as its Autonomous Regions, as a result of Russia's successful military offensives against the said less-militarily equipped states. These present military and geopolitical happenings in Eastern Europe are also evocative of the " blitzkrieg " of Adolf Hitler by Germany’s aggression over Austria, Poland and Czechoslovakia which occurred in the late 1930's that torched the Second World War in Europe.

On December 7, 1941, when an American Military Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was bombed by the Japanese Imperial Air Force, thereby killing more than two thousand (2,000) American military servicemen, officially conceived the greatest war, the Second World War. America then, under the leadership of a great leader, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, had imposed a democratic and diplomatic strategy of appeasement to bargain peace but to no avail. That notable moment of history can happen again on the grounds of China’s engendered threats to protect every inch of their so-called territory, may consequently pulverized Philippines if the latter continues its territorial claims against the former. For China, the Philippine's move at the United Nations Arbitral Court of the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS) to invalidate its Nine-Dash Line claim exemplifies an establishment of ownership.

Under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty of USA and Philippines, each country has the right to defend each other if anyone of them is attacked by a foreign aggressor. If China will cast the die of its military offensive against the Philippines, the United States would then probably comply to fight in favor and defend the Philippines being its traditional ally and to protect its interest in the South China Sea that serves as a passage of Western Pacific and Indian Ocean and a strategic core of a large scale economic trade. If this happens, a Third World War would be imminent since Russia, a traditional international geo-political rival of the United States of America and North Korea, a communist country, with no hesitation would unite with China in their quest to defeat the USA and its allies. On the other hand, Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization member countries and the Southeast Asian Treaty Organization member countries would inevitably join the forces of the Philippines and the United States. On that account, the possibility of a Third World War can be seen on the horizon.

In connection with this, many Filipinos are appealing the international community that the recent international territorial squabbles involving China and its neighbors in the Far East be settled amicably. http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1264359

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Luisito Espinosa - Kennedy McKinney

"Luisito Espinosa is widely considered as one of the greatest Filipino fighters ever. Like Dodie Boy and Gerry PeƱalosa, he held two titles in different divisions. Espinosa won the WBA bantamweight title on a first round knockout over Khaokor Galaxy in Bangkok in 1989 and claimed the WBC featherweight crown via a decision over Manuel Medina in Tokyo in 1995.

There were several milestones in Espinosa’s checkered career. He repulsed seven straight challengers in defending his WBC featherweight belt. Some of the challengers he victimized were Mexico’s Alejandro (Cobrita) Gonzales who was hospitalized after suffering a knockout in Guadalajara, Japan’s Nobutoshi Hiranaka who capitulated in eight in Fukuoka and US Olympian Kennedy McKinney who was bowled over in two in Indio, California"---
by Joaquin M. Henson (The Philippine Star)



Saturday, August 1, 2015

DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE POSITION



We all know unarguably that the Presidency is the strongest political position of the land and we would also securely surmise that the second strongest national political position is the Vice-Presidency. Constitutionally speaking, the third strongest Philippine political position is the Senate Presidency and the fourth strongest political position in the country is the House Speakership. Yes, that is correct for the Philippine Constitution provides for it (Hierarchy of Philippine Political Positions), but to me the strongest political position next to the Presidency is the BARANGAY CAPTAINCY.

The office of the Barangay Captain is practically the second strongest Philippine political position because in it the three (3) branches/powers of government are fused in such a position and they are the EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATIVE and JUDICIAL branches/powers of government.

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS of the Barangay Captain. As the local chief executive of the Barangay which he heads, he manages the affairs of the Barangay and also help execute the laws of the national government and the local laws enacted by the local legislative bodies including the Barangay Council which he also represents.

LEGISLATIVE FUNCTIONS of the Barangay Captain. The Barangay Captain also functions as the Presiding Officer and member of the Barangay Council, thus he/she has also a legislative function which is to make, alter and repeal Barangay laws in the form of Barangay Council resolutions and ordinances.

JUDICIAL FUNCTIONS of the Barangay Captain. The Barangay Captain has also Judicial powers since under the Katarungang Pambarangay Law which is being incorporated to the Local Government Code of the Philippines, the Barangay Captain acts as the Lupong Tagapamayapa Chairman and as such he/she has conciliation, mediation and arbitration powers.

Because of these elements I believe that the Office of the Barangay Captain is a sui generis (one of each kind Political Office) for in it the three functions/branches of government are being merged. In such office also, three government officials are being combined in one political leader or person and these makes the BARANGAY 
CAPTAIN a very powerful political person.

 Just imagine the President/Mayors/Governors have ONLY executive powers, the Senators/Congressmen/ Provincial Board Members/City and Municipal Councilors/ Provincial Vice-Governors/City and Municipal Vice Mayors are ONLY enjoying legislative functions and the Justices of the Supreme Court and the magistrates and judges of the lower courts are only enjoying judicial functions BUT these functions are being fused, merged and combined in the Barangay Captaincy? That's how the Office of the Barangay Captain is all about, it is very strong and must not be UNDERESTIMATED by anyone especially by the voting populace. In connection with these I hope and pray that the voting populace would always vote for the right person for this position for it is a very vital political seat for national development and should never ever be UNDERESTIMATED.