Arnel Pineda, Pacman and ‘Thrilla in Manila’

I got reacquainted recently with Arnel Pineda’s journey after any wife sent me the Journey songs stored in her cell phone. One Journey song that often got me frustrated as a Karaoke buff is “Open Arms.” On YouTube is this Pinoy singing the Journey anthem like he is Steve Perry, Part 2. That shows Pinoy talent is really moving up internationally.

Of course, the bigger Pinoy draw is still boxing’s pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao, who threw the first pitch in a San Francisca Giants game at the AT and T Park yesterday. The major league baseball event was part of the “Filipino Heritage Night” in recognition of the “Bay Area’s large Filipino American population,” reports said.

Before showbiz, boxing was the endeavor that made us Filipinos proud in the international arena. Last Sunday, Brian Viloria, the Fil-Am “Hawaiian Punch,” snatched the International Boxing Federation (IBF) light-flyweight crown from Ulises Solis. Nonito Donaire retained his IBF/International Boxing Organization flyweight titles.

Boxing seems to be in our blood in much the same way we fell for cock fighting. When I was still in grade school I noticed how people in Sitio Kawayan, Barangay Sambag 2 reacted to every bout, be it involving Filipino fighters or foreign big names like Muhammad Ali. The “Thrilla in Manila” between Ali and Joe Frazier was a major event.

Incidentally, sports ed Mike Limpag lent me the other day the recent documentary on the “Thrilla,” this time taking the point of view of Joe Frazier. While the documentary reiterated the old personal animosity between these two great heavyweight fighters, it also reminded us that at one time in our past, the eyes of the boxing world were on us.

In Manny Pacquiao’s fights aired on HBO, the network’s promo blitz includes the show “24/7” that provides background info on the fighters. The recent episodes of “24/7” shows Pacquiao and his next foe, the British boxing star Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton. Pacquiao, of course, is not the only one featured in the shows. The Philippines is, too.

Manila, and the Philippines, was the backdrop of the “Thrilla.” And the year 1975 was but three years removed from that day in September when Ferdinand Marcos signed Presidential Decree 1081 putting the country under Martial Law and bringing us to the path of dictatorship. Looking at footages of old Philippines was stuff of nostalgia.

I was in a malleable age in 1975, my mind, bombarded by Martial Law propaganda meant, to inculcate respect for authority (“Sa ikauunlad ng bayan, disiplina ang kailangan”). The realizations—human rights abuses, plunder of the public coffers, destruction of the country’s political system—only came years later. The “Thrilla” was one of those events intended to showcase a growing Philippines under Marcos’ rule.
(I wrote this for my April 24 Candid Thoughts column in Sun.Star Cebu)

A Problem Like Fr. Ed Panlilio

No, the word “problem” in this article’s head does not refer to me but to a segment of the Catholic Church opposed to Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio, a priest, possibly running for president. Priests becoming politicians have always placed the Church in an awkward position. Blame that on our colonial past.

It’s not like the Church, or at least some of its elements, is stranger to wielding political power, with often disastrous results. If you have not been enlightened about that, read again Jose Rizal’s “Noli” and “El Fili.” Our experience with Spanish priests gaining ascendancy over colonial Philippines is still relatively fresh to be repeated.

My other problem with Panlilio is his seeming “messianic” (no pun intended) thinking, fed into him no doubt by the people surrounding him. Cebuanos call that gikulkog, or gi-cooking. But then again, every politician is entitled to his/her own entertainment, as what Rep. Pablo Garcia would say. So Panlilio could end up running with former broadcaster now Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca in the 2010 elections.

To be fair, the motivation in the “Panlilio for president” lobby is no different from the one that prompted some sectors to suggest that Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno should also take a jab at the presidency. It only shows that a good number of people are still looking for the ideal presidential candidate (translation: the presently mentioned presidentiables suck).

By the way, Sen. Mar Roxas linked up again with Mayor Tomas Osmeña last Tuesday, probably checking if the support of the latter for his presidential ambition has not waned. Actually, I am not a Roxas fan, and that is borne out of disgust. In the first half of his term this man is as silent as the moon. Now he is noisy and is everywhere because the elections are near.

Incidentally, presidentiables of note have become visible in building alliances and networks in Cebu. I listened to former vice governor Nanding Celeste praise Sen. Manny Villar in his dyLA program yesterday. And didn’t the controversial photo of former president Joseph Estrada and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay aboard a jeepney that had a replica of a 50-caliber machine gun on it show the face of Carmen Mayor Sonia Pua?

Expect, then, the presidentiables to each rip a portion from the banner called “One Cebu” as the campaign heats up. That’s one reality Gov. Gwen Garcia would find difficult to stave off.

(This came out in my March 26, 2009 “Candid Thoughts” column in Sun.Star Cebu)

Ethics and ABS-CBN’s Gambit

Manny Pacquiao may be the world’s boxing king, wily and strong inside the ring–outside of the squared arena, however, he has weaknesses. The man just wants to please everybody, to a fault. He can be gullible. And in the corporate world where he now dwells both as a hot commodity and businessman, he is a kid in a big man’s world.

ABS-CBN is the most trying hard media entity in the Philippines. It used to be the number one broadcast network until its arrogance and bullying tactics allowed the smaller outfit, GMA, to overtake it in the ratings. Attribute it to the network’s “competitive” bent, but ABS-CBN has no qualms using underhanded tactics–like pirating of talents–just to gain ascendancy over its competitors.

When ABS-CBN and Pacquiao got embroiled in a controversy over contract issues lately, one should not be surprised that the boxer was placed at the losing end. Pacquiao is currently training for his fight with Britain’s Ricky Hatton in May, but he is being hounded by criticisms and insults hurled by those who are either ignorant of the details of the controversy or are blinded to their loyalty to ABS-CBN.

At the center of the controversy is Dyan Castillejo, whose dogged pursuit of the Pacquiao coverage earned her the ire of many of her colleagues. She wiggles into the middle of every Pacquiao activity, and is able to do so only because of Pacquiao’s inherent goodness and refusal to hurt the sensitivity of other people.

By the words of Manny and his lawyer Jeng Gacal, it was Castillejo who tried to lure the champ into linking up with ABS-CBN for the Philippine coverage of his fight with Hatton even if he has a live contract with Solar Sports, a small broadcast firm. Castillejo, of course, presumably acted merely as messenger to her bosses.

There’s no doubt ABS-CBN knows how to use a person’s weakness to the firm’s advantage. Pacquiao, by talking with ABS-CBN people without his legal counsel, was expectedly at the losing end of the bargain. He gobbled the suggestions and intrigues fed into him, like the claim that Solar Sports did not pay him well. Gacal said Manny was also promised support for his congressional bid in 2010.

We know what happened. ABS-CBN prematurely (by Manny’s claim) announced that it snagged the right to cover the Pacquiao-Hatton, informing the public about Pacquiao’s transfer with much fanfare. Solar Sports reacted by threatening to sue Pacquiao and ABS-CBN. Solar’s partner in the coverage of Paquiao fights in the country, GMA, entered into the fray (Manny is an exclusive star of GMA for the showbiz side of his manifold talent).

When Pacquiao eventually realized his naivete and upheld his contract with Solar Sports, which was the right thing to do, ABS-CBN went on the offensive by making it appear it was the boxer who initiated talks with the network to discuss his transfer. ABS-CBN top gun Gabby Lopez talked about ethics, as if it could rein in the profit motive that is the guiding force of capitalism.

I pity Pacquiao for the battering he is now receiving. I agree he also has his own faults, but these are not as big as the ones committed by ABS-CBN on this issue. I just hope the distraction won’t lead to Pacquiao’s defeat to Hatton come May.

Cold and Wet Manunggal (March 14-15, 2009)

RAIN was on and off on Manunggal peak Saturday (March 14) but it fell a bit heavily early night. Situations like that always bring in the cold and, on the campsite grounds, mud. Fog was thick and made the electric bulbs on high posts casting light on the tens of tents below seem brighter. Entertainment night was momentarily put on hold.

That afternoon, my six-year-old son Edison Khan was the first to notice the water that trickled into the bottom of our tent. He was also more alert than his father, picking up some of our things, like the unrolled sleeping bag, to block the water flow and prevent it from wetting the entire tent bottom. “Ato ning alihan, Pa,” he said nonchalantly. I smiled.

I had reservations about having the kid in Manunggal, noting that when I brought him to a few of my early morning jogging sessions he would lose his focus and badger me to bring him back home. But he sounded determined this time. His Mama Edizza also said that bringing him to the trek was better than him watching Cartoon Network all day.

When the rain continued to fall, I began to worry about the havoc my failure to bring the tent’s made-to-order fly for that trip would bring. But Barok had, by that time, decided not to pitch his tent and stay with William instead. Realizing my predicament, he let me borrow the fly of his unused tent. I finally had a shield from the trickling water.

That lessened a bit the difficulties we had early that night when rain fell again. But because one side of the tent was still wet, I could not stretch my body fully and sleeping, especially with the cold, was difficult. I sometimes would sit, watch Khan-khan sleep, then check with my flashlight if the water strayed into the area where he was lying.

Manunggal is often like this, cold and wet. But that did not deter campers from going out that night when the rain stopped falling. The band played until several minutes past midnight, accompanied by the dancing. I was told Balamban Councilor Dave Karamihan, as usual, jammed with the campers. But I could not leave my child alone.

That morning, our group, which also included Nanding, Pompe and Vincent (a first timer), was already overlooking the campsite after walking half the length of the road from Kuros-kuros when the vehicle driven by Mayor Alex Binghay passed us by. He invited us to eat lunch at the staff house. I also saw there my cousin Nigel Wenceslao.

Despite the occasional rain and the muddied grounds, we did stroll the campsite, bump into familiar faces and joke around. RTC Executive Judge Meinrado Paredes was there, as expected, with his big tent. Lope, lawyer Erwin Heyrosa and their group arrived later than us, and they immediately plunged into the usual Manunggal fun.

Barok had observed the dwindling ranks of Manunggal trek veterans. This year, only five of us were in the group whose number reached 20 people in some past treks. I saw Darwin of CEBU, but not Jojo, Kikoy, etc. But there were new faces, including ex-Freeman girl Roselle. A former member of the Baywalk Bodies attracted attention.

But if Manunggal fun were to be described, it would be through the muddied concert-cum-disco site left behind by the campers Sunday morning (March 15). I surveyed that area briefly as we retraced our steps back to the main road. When we reached JY Square at noon, Khan-khan pulled me to a Jollibee branch there. He ordered one-piece chickenjoy and, to my surprise, additional rice. He was back.

(Photos to follow)

Aquino-Galman, Dacer-Corbito Murders

Ghosts of the past often find a way to haunt us, taunt us in our latter years. Two recent news items reminded me that could be true, too, for a nation or its leaders.

I am referring to, one, the release of the convicted killers of Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. and Rolando Galman and, two, the new development in the investigation into the November 2000 killing of Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito. The first is an older issue, the latter a newer one. But both sensational cases happened in the waning years of the reigns of two presidents ousted by people power.

My take:

–I used to admire the aggressiveness of Public Attorney’s Office Chief Persida Rueda-Acosta, but her spirited reinterpretation of the Aquino-Galman murder case and his effort to evoke pity for the convicts has become grating to the ears. If former military men Rogelio Moreno, Ruben Aquino, Arnulfo Artates, Romeo Bautista, Jesus Castro, Arnulfo de Mesa, Rodolfo Desolong, Claro Lat, Ernesto Mateo and Filomeno Miranda were eligible for parole and President Arroyo granted them executive clemency, so be it.

But let us not overdo the publicity to the point of forgetting one important point: after almost three decades, these ten (out of the 16 convicted for the 1983 airport tarmac killing) seemed determined, like the others who have died before them, to bring whatever they knew of that dastardly act to their graves. That, for me, dampens whatever pity we may have for them now.

Closure in the Aquino-Galman murder case can only be had if truth is fully acquired. For starters, the claim of the convicts that Ninoy was killed by Galman, who was in turn shot by the military men present in the airport that now bears Aquino’s name, is punched with many holes. And who was the mastermind?

The convicts were insiders when the killing, which sparked the protest actions that eventually toppled the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos in 1986, and yet they either continue to lie or refuse to talk. They might have been released from jail, but their refusal to tell us the truth has not fully set them free.

–We don’t know yet what former police superintendent Cesar Mancao II will tell us once he is extradited by the United States and sent back to the Philippines. So far, what we have is the claim of the lawyers of Bubby Dacer’s daughter Karina that Mancao has signed a sworn statement stating what he knew about the Dacer-Corbito killings.

The Dacer-Corbito case is part of the most under-discussed aspect of the administration of Joseph Estrada, who had at that time Panfilo Lacson as Philippine National Police chief. I am talking about the violent acts that apparently was part of the effort to hide the truth about the allegations against Erap and prop up his rule. It was during this period, for example, that the attempt on the life of Luis “Chavit” Singson was reported, which was followed by his turnaround and his testifying in the Estrada impeachment trial.

The best defense is offense and this early Lacson has insinuated that whatever Mancao will say, minions of the Arroyo administration had a hand in it. Maybe, but in the meantime we wait and hope that the truth in the Dacer-Corbito double murder case will come out. This even if time and politics (which rehabilitated both Erap and Lacson) have muddled our view of the Estrada administration.

(I wrote this for my March 6, 2009 Candid Thoughts column in Sun.Star Cebu)

Erap, Binay and other Presidentiables

Having Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay as our next president could be the closest we will have to having the Holy Trinity lead our country. No, that’s blasphemous. But “Jejomar” is supposedly short for Jesus, Joseph and Mary. So? Well, I am actually pushing the limits of believability.

“Jejomar” actually reminds me of “Ribomapil,” the name that my good friend Joeyboy Holganza acquired from his father. And Ribomapil is short for? Rizal, Bonifacio, Mabini and del Pilar.

Names do not make the person, of course, so Binay could be as holy as St. Peter’s funeral homes. But he must be good because former president Joseph Estrada, during the duo’s political campaign sortie to Cebu did endorse him to be the country’s next president—that is, if he can help it. After all, Erap also has presidential ambitions, right?

“I want the opposition to have only one candidate. If they will not unite, my last option is that I myself will run,” Estrada told reporters Tuesday. Actually, that has been his mantra since President Arroyo erroneously pardoned him and restored his rights after he was convicted of plunder. And that mantra is a wise way of exposing a firm intention.

To say that the opposition will only have one candidate in the 2010 presidential elections is like believing that the title of this Allan Jayme Rabaya prize-winning song is literally possible: “Kausa Nabasa ang Tubig.”

That means Erap running for president next year is sure ball—unless the court has something to say about it. If that happens, where would that ease out Binay? The vice presidential race? Or will he acquire the daring to split from his boss and run for president anyway?

So how many pieces will the political opposition split? Let me count the ways: one, Manny Villar; two, Mar Roxas; three, Loren Legarda; and four, Ping Lacson. I doubt if anybody can push the four to back off from running for president. Then the probables: five, Erap; six, Chiz Escudero; seven, Richard Gordon (he was administration but is now sniping at President Arroyo); and, okay, eight, Binay.

Compare that with the administration presidentiables: one, Noli de Castro (definite); two, Bayani Fernando (probable); and three, Sonny Belmonte (name floated). There’s also an anomaly there because some administration stalwarts are pushing for Villar as administration presidential candidate (obviously because of his money).

That, my dear readers, is where recent Cebu visitors Erap and Jejomar are actually situated in the current political scheme.

(I wrote this for my March 5, 2009 Candid Thoughts column in Sun.Star Cebu)

Right of Reply Bill: Pimentel and Joker

I respect the views of Sens. Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. and Joker Arroyo on the right of reply bill, and while I am surprised that they are for the measure, I also understand that one’s (or even a senator’s) views are shaped by one’s milieu. It is in this sense that my viewpoint now (as a family man and a journalist) is much different from that when I was still a full-time activist.

The same goes for Pimentel and Arroyo. I once attended a lecture by the young Pimentel, then a human rights lawyer, when I was a freshman in college and became an instant fan. While that was in the waning years of martial rule, majority of the country’s intellectuals have still to find their voice in the defense and promotion of human rights—the most abused under the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. Pimentel was in the minority.

The fight against the Marcos regime was not instant for many. It was more like a person opening his door and tiptoeing unto the street, getting the daring to pick up a placard only after seeing that others have done so already. Nene, the more popular Joker and many other civil rights crusaders in a way inspired us by their willingness to risk their lives for a cause.

But that was in another period. Pimentel and Arroyo have since gotten the prize of their sacrifices by being among the anti-Marcos personalities who have taken over the government. Different perspective, different standpoint. They who once waved the banner of civil liberties are now defenders of a bill that allows the scuttling of one of the hallowed freedoms—the one guaranteed to the press.

(I wrote this for my March 4, 2009 Candid Thoughts column)

Poloy and Nicol

A friend from the old days recently informed me that Poloy had died from bone marrow cancer. I no longer bothered to ask her what Poloy’s legal name was. It was enough for me that once in our lives our paths crossed and that the times that we were in provided memories that I would cherish for long.

Poloy was half of what can be considered the Mutt and Jeff tandem of the party in the late seventies until well into the eighties. The other half was Nicol, who died in 2006, from lung cancer. “Mutt and Jeff” was primarily about physical stature, Poloy was tall while Nicol was short. But their partnership provided the old party with a leadership that was committed as it was humble.

I first met Poloy I think in 1980, when I was a young student so brimming with idealism I decided to leave my family behind and pursue full time the struggle for freedom and equality. His language betrayed his origin: while he eventually learned to speak Cebuano, the Tagalog accent was unmistakable. Nicol, also a Tagalog, was a later acquaintance.

The two were from the respected and secretive HO (short for higher organ), whose decisions determined the direction of the struggle in Cebu at that time. When I was in the CS (countryside), there was also for a time Ruben and his wife Perla. When you are young and clueless, you look up to the members of the HO for guidance and learning–and in the process view them with both reverence and awe.

These people planted the seeds that would later blossom into what can be considered the “golden years” of the struggle in Cebu. Expansion of the organization, both urban and rural, was fast and the movement played a big role in the fight against the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos in the locality. That achievement still has to be approximated by the province’s new generation activists.

I could not be definite now how many years Poloy and Nicol became looming figures in my fulltime activist days. Seven years? Eight years? When you work with people that long, and considering the difficult circumstance the struggle has always been in, you don’t forget. It’s just sad that we never got to meet again after many of us returned to mainstream life.

Poloy, Nicol and the others like them may not have died a martyr’s death but their contribution to the struggle can never be forgotten. In this sense, new generation participants of the struggle owe something from them.

Manunggal Trek 2009 Invitation

This is not mine but from Balamban Councilor Dave Karamihan (for the uninitiated, Balamban is a town in Cebu province, Philippines and encompasses Mt. Manunggal, the peak where then president Ramon Magsaysay’s plane crashed decades ago). I am printing this here for everybody’s info. Here it is:

I am inviting everybody this March 14-15 for the 52nd “Paghandum ni Magsaysay Annual Adventure Trek” in Mt. Manunggal, Balamban, Cebu. This is in commemoration of the death of “The Guy”, President Ramon Magsaysay, whose plane crashed in Mt. Manunggal in 1957.

There is a properly laid out campsite near the crash site and monument. We have comfort room facilities for men and women— not the portalet types, but real shower areas and toilet seats with running water— for the weekend warrior, non-hardcore, non-pit-digging, casual mountaineer kuno.

There are food stalls (barbekyuhan) where you can buy your lunch, dinner, pulutan and breakfast. Or you can bring your own provisions and have them cook it for your for free, este for a fee.

You can stay for the day to get your dose of greenery and or history. Or stay overnight and party with fellow campers for the San Miguel Beer-sponsored concert. Yours truly will be the emcee so if you or your group want to be acknowledged, I’ll be mighty proud to do so. Just bring your tents, sleeping bags, jackets and windbreakers- –plural ha as temperatures can be as “warm” as 25C or as cool as 10C.

Campsite is accessible from two areas, from Barangay Tabunan in Cebu City where you trek uphill for about 2-4 hours or via the Magsaysay access road where you trek down for 10-15 minutes depending on the weather. Take your pick. The access road is accessible even for cars. We have ample parking spaces. Just be prepared to walk if you come in late in the afternoon or early evening.

We have also a pickup point in JY square at about 6 am-7 am where three dumptrucks, yes, dumptrucks, will be picking up campers for Mt. Manunggal. They can either dump, er, drop you off at Barangay Tabunan or the Magsaysay Access Road. Don’t worry, our dumptrucks were never used to haul garbage, at least as far as I know. (Hehehe)

Security is not a problem. We have different levels of security, from batuta-wielding tanods to Humvee-riding Scout Rangers from the 78th infantry Battalion. We have standby medical personnel with ambulance just in case.

This event has been ongoing for the past 15 years so you can be assured that all precautions have been put in place security-wise, safety-wise, comfort-wise and entertainment-wise.

We also have different sporting events like the “2nd Paghandum ni Magsaysay(PNM) On the Spot Painting Contest,” “4th PNM Adventure (Climbathon) Race” all on March 14; “6th PNM Mountain Bike Challenge” on March 15.

Edsa 1 Ritual

The joke is that former president Fidel Ramos was irked by President Arroyo’s absence during the 23rd anniversary celebration of the 1986 People Power revolt last Feb. 25 because he would have wanted her to see him do his ritual Edsa victory jump. But he did the jump, or did what his 80-year-old knees could manage, anyway.

The stage was not empty, though, because the other Edsa 1 players like Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Sen. Gregorio Honasan were around. That should have been consolation enough because in the first place Arroyo was not an important figure of Edsa 1 (although saying that would have sounded more like the sour grape tale).

But that’s how this year’s Edsa 1 celebration has crumbled. Cory Aquino, the other Edsa 1 figure (although she was in Cebu when people massed at Edsa to protect Ramos, Enrile, Honasan, etc.), was in another forum. Incidentally, when Cory was president, Enrile and Honasan shied away from the Edsa celebrations she led.

“All of us should give respect to this momentous event in our nation’s history,” Ramos said. I watched closely the video footage showing him say that and all I could mutter was that the age of FVR, a health buff, is finally showing. But that should have added to the authority from which his words flowed.

Unfortunately, one cannot dictate respect. Edsa 1 and the other activities that pay homage to the heroism of individuals and people can best be celebrated voluntarily or out of genuine admiration or reverence. Gloria, obviously, has never fully identified himself with Edsa 1 or with what Ramos intoned as its “spirit.”

Like the others who went through or witnessed the harrowing years under the Ferdinand Marcos dictatorship and who, after Edsa 1, are still holding on to the old slogan of “Never again!”, I could not help but feel sad at the seemingly diminished significance of that heroic deed in 1986.

Many of us Filipinos have short memories, and there is nothing we can do about that aside from raving and ranting. But there are those who have not forgotten and who, in their own small ways away from the limelight, pause for a moment sometime every last week of February, close their eyes and relive those moments in 1986.

For them, whether presidents attend Edsa 1 rites or not do not matter.

(I wrote this for my Feb. 27, 2009 “Candid Thoughts” column in Sun.Star Cebu)

Forgotten Sea

I jogged last Monday and, for a change, steered clear of the Minglanilla Sports Complex and went straight ahead to the Minglanilla Fishport in Tulay. I had missed the sea and the view of the mountains from the shoreline.

As I jogged to the tip of the newly constructed wharf extension, I espied to my left seashell gatherers (it was a low tide morning) and to my right around ten boats floating languidly on the shallows. The scene reminded me of William Henry Scott’s “Barangay” and his summation of the description of Spanish chroniclers of pre-Spanish Philippines.

In the old days the sea was both a source of food and a wide highway, that is why the villages were mostly near the shorelines. Some shores were also the areas where Chinese and Arab merchants, or native traders selling goods from the Orient and the Middle East, exchange goods with the villagers.

When I was a child vacationing in Tudela in the Camotes group of islands, my Tiyo Eleazar one time asked me to accompany him to Barangay Matin-ao, which was some four kilometers from the Tudela poblacion. Instead of riding a bicycle, we got into his baroto and used it in our trip to and from Matin-ao.

Islands in the pre-Spanish days didn’t have roads or highways in the interior, and there was no indication that wheeled vehicles (karitons?) were extensively used for travel and movement of goods. The sea and boats provided that function.

I therefore find it unfortunate that this old setup has been forgotten by local government officials, especially in shoreline localities. They should have encouraged the use of small pumpboats or barotos for travel and movement of goods by providing small piers or landing areas so people and commodities won’t get wet once they are ashore.

Industrialized countries like Japan and the United States encourage government to get loans for infrastructure projects like roads, so people will be dependent on the motorized vehicles that they sell. In the process, they inculcated a road-dependent mindset, resulting in the people forgetting the function and importance of the sea.

Filipinos and Americans in World War II

This is a long one, but I am sharing with you this view from Peter Field, an American residing in Cebu and who said he is an American veteran (not from World War II). It’s good reading and enlightening, and it gives us a glimpse of the feelings of our ordinary brother Americans:

I am an American and, as such, is a guest in the Philippines. I have NO right to say anything about the politics here. I feel honored and privileged that I am permitted to live in the Philippines, as I love the Filipino people and am fascinated by the culture. To the people of the Philippines, a heartfelt thank you!

Being a regular reader of Sun.Star in Cebu I have seen columns written by a Mr. Wenceslao wherein he refers to World War II as the “Japanese-American War” and that Filipinos were fighting for the US. He seems to be a young man and perhaps did not read history books related to the war.

World War II was NOT a “Japanese-American War”! Courageous Filipinos served alongside Americans in the Philippines to fight the Japanese, not just to defend America but to free the Philippines from tyrannical occupation after the Japanese invaded the Philippines.

Mr. Wenceslao should look closely at the waters of “Red Beach” in Leyte and he would see that Filipino blood is mixed with American blood. Yes, Filipinos fought under the American flag in the Philippines during Eorld War II but right next to them were thousands of Americans who also shed their blood to help them free their country.

He never relates the atrocities committed against the Filipino people during that occupation. But, he should talk to the Filipinos that were alive at that time and read history books, or perhaps visit a few memorials in the Philippines that show the common sacrifices that Americans and proud Filipinos made.

A direct comparison would be the Americans fighting in France, with French resistance forces fighting under the American flag against Germany. When the war was over, a contingent of American forces remained to assist France in it’s rebuilding efforts–at great expense to the US.

The same situation existed in the Philippines. Under agreement with the Philippine Government, the US established fixed installations at Clark, Olongapo, and in Baguio. This was NOT done as an occupying force, but for mutual defense: to assist the Philippines in the face of a new threat. When the Philippine Government asked the US to leave, it did.

Yes, the Americans were at one time a colonial power. That was during our “formative years” and, like a growing child, the US has matured and is no longer interested in occupying foreign lands. Perhaps he should read the book “In Our Image,” which provides extensive information and a fair evaluation on historical facts of the American occupation of the Philippines.

The American people would be outraged if our government were to try to be a colonial power in modern times.

There is a special bond between the American people and the Filipino people. It goes beyond politics or finances. As an American living in the Philippines, I can honestly say that even I do not fully understand it, but I guarantee you it is there.

In my opinion, the compensation due to the Filipino soldiers that fought alongside the Americans to free the Philippines in World War II is long overdue and I am pleased that our new President has taken an active role in securing resolution to the issue.

I am a disabled vet and as such can fully empathize with the Filipino veterans in their ongoing struggle to receive their rightful compensation. As an American veteran, it took me 35 years to accomplish a similar goal. So the Filipino veterans were never alone in their quest.

The ties between the Filipino people remain close and strong regardless of the actions or positions of either government. Look closely, Mr. Wenceslao, at the color of our blood. As an American to a Filipino, I will gladly shed it to defend your right to speak your mind whether you may agree with me or not.

Manunggal Trek 2009

Balamban Councilor Dave Karamihan sent me an e-mail reminding me that my favorite annual ritual, the Manunggal Trek is already just around the bend.

Here’s Dave:

“It’s that time of the year again. Manunggal na pud. March 14-15 ta this year. Saturday and Sunday. San Miguel Beer will still sponsor the night entertainment. Mas maayo unta kun daghan ang mga campers nga moapil og kanta sa stage o pasi-aw ba o sayaw like before.

“We’re still doing the on the spot painting contest along Barangays Gaas and Magsaysay. The response to the activity was great so we decided to hold it again.

“We decided not to hold the airsoft competition this year due to the logistic and funding requirements. Global recession man so mag tipid ta og gamay.

“We will still be doing the adventure race. It will be on its fourth year this year. But instead of the usual team race with control points, we will be experimenting on a climathon (climb-athon) so we can get the locals to join. A climathon is an individual marathon that traverses a predetermined route (a map will be given to the participants in advance). The route can pass through paved roads and mountain trails. The race would be on the 14th to start off at Mt. Manunggal and end up in Mt. Manunggal.

“The mountain bike challenge is still on for the 15th.

“I have been going to Mt. Manunggal the past days and it seems the road has been badly damaged by nonstop rains since November last year. We have not had a good enough weather that lasted at least a week so we are a bit concerned about the condition of the road. Anyway, just tell your mates to be prepared to walk. Hey, that’s how everybody started with the Manunggal Trek anyway.”

Those interested to join us, the faithful, please note the activities and the dates. More updates and Manunggal-related articles later on.

Doctor Manny Pacquiao

I once taught the basics of a philosophy not offered in most of the country’s schools to selected farmers. Topics included dialectical and historical materialism and political economy. The syllabus was simplified, the medium of instruction Cebuano, or the one spoken in the locality.

Learning is a process. Elementary-level farmers are not expected to become as articulate in verbalizing philosophical terms as those in the academe but they can learn. What they lack in the aspect of abstraction they make up for in the practical aspect. Eventually, many of the farmers I knew who were taught philosophy went on to become good users of the theories that they learned.

I was reminded of this experience after Southwestern University conferred on Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao last Wednesday a doctorate degree in humanities (honoris causa).

Pacquiao, hounded by poverty in his younger years, did not excel in the academe. The Department of Education accelerated his graduation in high school when he was already in his mid-20s and a world champion. He is struggling to finish a course in college. He is not articulate in English. But he is neither ignorant nor dumb.

I watched on Youtube his last press conference with international sportswriters in the run-up to his fight against Oscar de la Hoya last December. Grammatical and pronunciation errors dotted his answers, but there was no denying the sharpness of his mind.

I don’t buy the argument that conferring on Pacquiao an honorary doctorate degree would diminish the luster of that ritual. Many politicians, articulate and well-educated, have been conferred honorary doctorate degrees, and most of them are corrupt. I don’t think they deserve a humanities honor more than Pacquiao.

(I wrote this for my February 20, 2009 “Candid Thoughts” column in Sun.Star Cebu)

US-RP’s Unequal Ties

How successfully the United States shaped our collective mindset during the American colonial period is best illustrated in three recent developments: the case of Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith, the Senate probe on the rigging of World Bank-funded projects and the US compensation package for Filipino World War II veterans.

The Supreme Court’s order to return Smith, an American marine convicted of rape, to Philippine custody was not complicated; what made it so is the “Little Brown American” or “Big Brother” mentality. The hesitance to assert Philippine custody over Smith is obvious. We’re like a kid pleading to a bully to return a toy seized from him.

That all, or okay most, government projects in this country are tainted with corruption is common knowledge. Or call that open secret: we all know about it but cannot prosecute the culprits or do not want (do not bother) to. That’s why concerned sectors welcomed that World Bank report about attempts to rig the bidding of some of its projects in the country—until it became apparent its officials won’t divulge its contents.

I agree Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago went overboard when she lambasted World Bank execs that refused to share with the Senate the complete details of the report. But I don’t buy those warnings from our own officials about not pressuring World Bank execs to cooperate with the probe. Their objectionable line: that bank officials might get angry at us and cut off the loan pipeline to the country. That’s hogwash.

Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama may have been wise enough to insert in his economic stimulus package the long overdue compensation for Filipino World War II veterans. But consider this Department of Foreign Affairs data: of the 250,000 Filipino veterans originally listed as qualified to receive benefits from the US government, only an estimated 18,000 to 20,000 are still alive.

That’s why what we are hearing after the US Congress approved the economic stimulus package was not euphoria but a sigh of relief, or even grudging acceptance, from the supposed beneficiaries. Those veterans fought under the US flag in a US war, and even during that time were already paid minuscule wages compared with those of American GIs. Salt on the wound was the refusal of the US government to recognize for decades the sacrifices of these Filipino soldiers, thousands of whom died bringing with them to their grave the American insult.

Often, there’s not much equality in US-RP relations.

(I wrote this for my February 19, 2009 “Candid Thoughts” column in Sun.Star Cebu)