"TROUBLE IN THE PHILIPPINES?"

by Jess G. Dureza

        
Already, the dispute with China has some  negative collaterals on the sides. The temperature is rising. Public statements are becoming nasty.  Lately, chinese travel agencies were reported to have stopped sending tour groups to the country fearing for the safety of chinese  tourists. If this escalates, the chinese may adopt   "Trouble in the Philippines"  to  replace  the  "It's fun  in the Philippines" tourism slogan.  Hacking and counter hacking of public websites are happening.  Our banana exports are threatened. More nasty scenarios are in the horizon.
                                                      
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 MVP FORMULA --- The recent moves of business tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan,  more known as "MVP" is the correct formula to diffuse the
" standoff" with China. He personally went to Beijing and discussed quietly a possible deal with a Chinese company to jointly explore the Reed Bank area for gas and oil. Let's not forget that big chinese companies are state owned.  If this pushes through, it's a master stroke that will de-escalate the conflict.
     
  No need to show machismo. A business deal hopefully will push the "sovereignty" issue back in the back-burners. Again, may I suggest that our national leaders, except our foreign affairs officials and diplomats, please "shut up " for a while so we do not cancel out these new initiatives. Leave this touchy issue in the meantime to the diplomats who can nuance their statements with the strategic interest of the country in mind.

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CHINESE BLOOD --But before this goes out of hand,  let us not forget that Filipinos and the Chinese have a common umbilical cord. Our citizens have direct personal and lineage links with mother  China. Our Chinese ancestry is real and for good.  Many of our citizens, mostly  businessmen are "chinoys".  Chinese blood is undeniably in our veins.  And no amount of "territorial dispute" will change all that. The bloodlines are much sturdier than sovereignty considerations.
       
Blood is thicker than oil, if I may.

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MACHO --It all started because our "macho" government  dispatched  a Philippine Navy  battleship to confront the Chinese fishermen in the area. Embarrassingly, we hastily retreated and wagged our tail when China responded (but of course, what did you expect?) with   much superior Chinese naval armaments  dispatched to intervene. We,  knowingly or unwittingly ,  militarized an issue that had been  conveniently there in the back burners and which could have been  better addressed through quiet  diplomacy.

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RAPPORT --I now suggest that our private sector  does the quiet steps for rapport with the Chinese side, like what MVP is starting to do.  Our tycoon families   can  immediately do that with the mainland authorities.
       
In the meantime, our government officials'   media statements will have to be more nuanced and better calibrated now.
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MEDIA -- The Davao media  forum during the week  came up with a unanimous  consensus that we support decriminalization of libel. At the same time, while this is still in the works,  efforts to revive a media desk with the Integrated Bar of the Philippines for legal assistance to media practitioners is in the list of doable. Further discussions will still be held in the future  on how media should also police its own ranks, through adoption of codes of ethics or  grievance mechanisms for public accountability. A media council can also be  organized for the purpose.

            
Atty. Kaloi Zarate gave out copies of   his well documented compilation that may serve as handy guide to journalists. Thanks to Ateneo de Davao University and the Thomas Jefferson Library of the US Embassy for the support.
             
We plan to do the rounds in Mindanao to replicate this.

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TIDBITS ---**** A few nights ago, I had dinner with JICA representative in the ARMM, Kazu Sudo, a long time friend. We first met in 1998 during the Cebu Pacific plane crash retrieval operations as he led Jica's efforts to search for the remains of Japanese young volunteers who were on board that fateful Flight 387.   He is optimistic about a possible peace agreement between the government and the MILF. He said Japan is ready to upscale its development assistance in the event a peace pact is signed.
                            
  **** New Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles will be installed on May 22 in appropriate liturgical ceremonies at the San Pedro Cathedral in Davao. Retired Archbishop Nanding Capalla will however not fade away in the sunset. I predict he will still  continue his  involvement in various concerns. But then, just like me, he'll go waste time.