Stories From The East

COVID 19 Journal: Undocumented But Not Hiding

2020-06-15T05:52:00.001-07:00

HAARLEM, THE NETHERLANDS – Two Filipina migrants here lived through the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown by helping their undocumented and vulnerable compatriots who do not enjoy the safety nets given by the Dutch government.

Bing Molabin is herself undocumented but vows to keep on fighting for the undocumented and domestic workers’ rights in Europe. (Photo courtesy of Bing Molabin)

“Ayaw ko nang i-blur ang mukha ko or walang pangalan” (I don’t want my face blurred or unnamed). This was Bing Molabin’s request when I asked about her experience as an undocumented migrant worker in The Netherlands. She is one of the estimated 30,000 Filipinos “without papers,” according to Migrante-Netherlands.

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced many countries into lockdown, Bing is among the most affected. “It is difficult. Having an irregular status means you have no protection against the crisis. While all groups of workers have social security under the Dutch labor law, undocumented workers like me are not included. In fact, we are the most vulnerable workers in the country. It is a sad fact that we are left behind in terms of social protection because of our migration status. We have no job security, pension, holidays, written contract, health insurance, and even a bank account,” she said.

For the last 17 years, Bing has been working for different families as domestic help. The children that she took care of when she first arrived as a tourist have all grown up. She is treated like a member of these families. But when the COVID-19 lockdown took effect, she stopped going to her employers’ home.

FilMis, which Bing Molabin co-organized, has been coordinating, sourcing and distributing grocery packs, vouchers, and cash assistance to some Filipino migrants since mid-March when the lockdown started. (Photo courtesy: Bing Molabin)

The lockdown brought anxiety to undocumented workers. It meant a loss of employment for cleaners, baby sitters, or dishwashers in restaurants. If they worked at all, it is on a “no work, no pay” basis. Many of the undocumented migrants feared being kicked out of their rented houses for non-payment of rent.

“We are worried about the situation of our families in the Philippines. Of course, it is unavoidable not to think about our families who depend on us for survival,” Bing said. Luckily for her, some of her employers agreed to pay her, even if she does not work during the lockdown. But others have been told to wait it out until the crisis is over.

Long before the COVID-19 lockdown, Bing spends most of her free time, even on weekends and holidays, doing volunteer work among Filipinos and other migrants.

She co-founded the organization Filipino Migrants for Solidarity (FilMis) that helps the most vulnerable migrants in the Netherlands. She regularly attends meetings and activities with foundations, government offices and individuals who share their causes for better migrants’ rights and equal treatment of household workers. These groups are pushing for the rights of undocumented migrants to have permanent stay permits, equal healthcare, and social security.

The Netherlands Trade Union Confederation (FNV) is a million-strong association of workers, people on benefits, pensioners and the self-employed. When the FNV, along with other migrant organizations, launched a crowdfunding to help undocumented migrant workers, Bing was one of the faces in the video that appealed for support to the cause.

Plea for support

“I wanted my face there because undocumented migrant workers exist, they have a face, a name,” she said. She was tireless in meeting people and promoting the causes of undocumented migrants not just because she is one of them but because, she said, it is the right thing to do.

Jolly and charismatic, Bing is the go-to person when it comes to undocumented migrants’ concerns. She has built an extensive network of friends and colleagues who pull things together whenever help is needed.

Bing laments about the undocumented being left behind in terms of social protection like job security, pension, holidays, written contract, health insurance, and even a bank account. (Photo courtesy: Bing Molabin)

“May karapatan din naman kami na walang papel na makakain at makatulog nang maayos sa panahon ng krisis (We all have rights to sleep and eat properly during the crisis even if we are undocumented),” she said.

Since the start of the lockdown in the middle of March, Bing and fellow FilMis members have been coordinating, sourcing and distributing grocery packs, vouchers, and cash assistance to some Filipino migrants. With the help of Stichting Ros, a foundation supporting migrants without residence permits, rejected assylum seekers and stateless persons, they reached out to vulnerable migrants especially the undocumented ones to help them get through the pandemic.

Post-lockdown, some of them can get back to work. But for Bing, her advocacy continues. She wants other worker groups from different sectors, to voice out their clear and unconditional support to domestic workers’ rights. Her network is now calling for an amendment of an EU law that will recognize equal rights among workers, including domestic workers.

Face of modern-day slavery

Another Filipina, Corazon ‘Cora’ Espanto, also spends her days helping women migrant workers from the Philippines.

Cora Espanto (middle) talks about her experiences during a women's rights' forum. (Photo: Jofelle Tesorio)

I caught her during our online chat making face masks that she sells for charity. She used to be a seamstress in the Philippines.

In between sewing, she told me about a Filipina who was prevented by her husband from entering their house because she just came back from the Philippines and the husband thought she might have caught COVID-19 from her travel. Cora referred the Filipina’s case to a Dutch lawyer who does pro-bono cases.

“There are cases like this now because of the crisis. We also helped a Filipina who asked for paternity support from the Dutch father of her child. We traced the father and now he has to undergo a DNA test,” she said in Filipino.

As chairperson of Migrante in The Hague, Cora has been active in the protection of Filipino migrants, particularly the undocumented and house helpers.

She was a domestic worker in Saudi Arabia in 1998 when her employer got a diplomatic post in the Netherlands in 2003. She was brought along with three other Filipino household staff. In Saudi, she was only paid US$250 a month instead of $350 that was in the contract. She used to work, without days off, for almost 12 hours daily for her employer with four small children.

She thought that working in the Netherlands meant better protection and salary but the situation even got worse.

“Bawal kaming magluto ng sarili naming pagkain. Iyong pagkain na niluto para sa kanila, kung ano lang ang matitira, iyon lang ang kakainin namin… Kung walang matira, sorry kami (We were not allowed to cook our own food. The food we cooked was just for them. We ate what’s left. If there’s none, we won’t eat),” she said during a previous interview, adding that they had to pick some bread with molds from the trash bin to eat.

They followed the so-called Kafala system, a form of sponsorship vulnerable to exploitation. Their bosses kept their passports, they were not allowed to go out, and they worked almost 12 hours daily for $350 a month. She had no idea that the minimum wage in the Netherlands was already more than 1,000 euro then.

Cora Espanto poses behind framed photos and news about her story as a vulnerable migrant. (Photo: Jofelle Tesorio)

To augment the family income, she even convinced her employers to hire her two children when vacancies for household staff opened. The two were paid $300 each month. Her children saw the maltreatment that gave her the courage to leave the diplomat’s house. With the help of some Filipinos, they planned their escape one day. A taxi, parked in a nearby bus stop at 5 am, took them to The Hague station where a kababayan (fellow Filipino) was waiting.

Fear of being caught

For fear of being caught without papers, Cora and her children remained in hiding for three years. But in 2011, she decided to talk to the Dutch media under a pseudonym to expose the abuses against domestic helpers by some diplomats and expatriates. In 2014, with the help of Fairwork, an international organization that promotes migrants’ rights, she submitted a petition to the Dutch Parliament to investigate the issue. She also gave an interview with the Dutch media using her real name.

Since then, Cora has become the face of modern-day slavery in the Netherlands. She has been volunteering at Fairwork as a cultural mediation officer and was given various awards for her work.

Cora Espanto shows an article about her story as an abused domestic household staff. (Photo: Jofelle Tesorio)

Cora’s painful experience as a Filipina migrant fired her up. She wants to see other migrants to get help and protection. This year, Migrante-Netherlands and other migrant and labor organizations in the Netherlands submitted a petition to the Dutch parliament to recognize undocumented workers by giving them permanent rights to stay, especially amid the COVID-19 crisis. Cora said that undocumented migrants are vulnerable because of lack of protection.

She passed her Dutch exam last year and is now qualified to become a naturalized citizen or get a permanent stay permit. She said while her status has changed, many others are still there hiding and uncertain but she will do her best to reach out to them.

(Originally appeared on Women Writing Women)

War Against The Poor

2020-04-09T07:35:00.000-07:00

There is a war against the poor, not poverty.

The poor are being blamed for polluting the rivers and seas.

They are blamed for the criminality, drugs and other ills of society.

They are blamed for being lazy and uneducated.

They are dependent on government aid in times of calamity and pandemic but they don't pay taxes like the middle class who often complain about having to burden everything but don't get something in return.

And yet, you lucky middle class never blamed the system and the corrupt government who only use the poor during elections and keeping them as poor as possible so they don't have the means and voice to complain. If they complain, they will only be told: "don't eat the hands that feed you, ingrates!"

The middle class and the poor don't need to clash. What is needed is little bit compassion and understanding.

#intimeofCOVID
#poverty
#waragainstthepoor
#middleclass

Was Philippine Hero Rizal Inspired by the Dutch novelist Multatuli?

2020-02-27T04:41:00.001-08:00

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS - This is a book especially for ‘Dutchipinos’ or Dutch-Filipinos who grew up or born in The Netherlands and are trying to reconnect with their Filipino roots.

The Dutch translation of Jose Rizal’s second novel ‘El Filibusterismo’ (‘De Revolutie: Een Filipijnse Roman’) was launched recently by the Philippine Embassy in The Netherlands and the Knights of Rizal The Hague Chapter.

De Revolutie is the first Dutch translation of Jose Rizal's El Filibusterismo. PHOTO BY JOFELLE TESORIO

This came after the warm reception of the Dutch-translated ‘Noli Me Tangere’ (‘Raak Me Niet Aan’) where hundreds of copies have been sold since its official launching in June 2019.

Translator and publisher Gerard Arp said it was the ambition from the start to make both books available in Dutch, especially the ‘El Filibusterismo’, which was never translated in Dutch before. The Noli was first translated in Dutch in by a certain Dr. A.A. Fokker sometime in the 1920s.

“The books are, in my opinion, one story, with one common idea and goal of the author. The next goal is to make a complete, annotated edition in one book or e-book, but that may take a while. The enthusiastic reception of the ‘Noli’ sped up the translation of the ‘Fili’,” he said.

While the main target audience are Dutch readers interested in the Philippines, its history, culture, or history and colonialism in general, Arp said this is also intended for the many Filipinos in the Netherlands and Belgium. “To give them to the next generation--the ‘dutchipinos’ as we used to call our daughter… Not for compulsory reading but to put in the bookcase for the moment when they, maybe after a visit to The Philippines, ask what was the Philippines like in those days, and who this Rizal was.”

During the launch, Philippine Ambassador to the Netherlands Jaime Victor Ledda gave a brief on the Dutch-Philippine relations. In his presentation, he also highlighted some of Rizal’s letter exchanges with his mentor Dr. Ferdinand Blumentritt where the national hero indicated his interest in studying Dutch, meeting the renowned Dutch scholar on Asian languages professor Hendrik Kern and securing the book ‘Max Havelaar’ written by Multatuli, pen name of Dutch anti-colonial writer and historian Eduard Douwes Dekker.

Translator Gerard Arp and Amb. Jaime Victor Ledda. Photo BY JOFELLE TESORIO

“We have emphasized here how Dr. Jose Rizal thought of how important the relations with the Netherlands,” Ledda said.

An academic and member of the Multatuli Society, Jan Mulder, provided insights on the socio-cultural context in the late 19^th century and shared similarities between the novels of Rizal and Multatuli. ‘Noli’ was first published in 1887 in Berlin, Germany followed by ‘Fili’ in 1891 in Ghent, Belgium while Multatuli’s ‘Max Havelaar’ was published in 1860.

According to some scholars, Rizal studied the book of Multatuli and served as one of his inspirations to write his novels. Mulder said while Multatuli wrote from the point of view of one from a colonizing country who took an anti-colonial stance, Rizal was the first who wrote from the colonized point of view.

Meanwhile, Lucien Spittael, an avid researcher of Rizal and Knights of Rizal member in Belgium, gave insights on the life of Rizal in Europe in the 1880s. He traced the cities Rizal visited and even the houses he lived on and wrote his novels and other works. In 1887, Rizal was the first Asian member of the Society of Ethnology in Germany.

Translator Gerard Arp and Amb Jaime Victor Ledda with Knights of Rizal members in Europe. Photo BY JOFELLE TESORIO

According to the translator Arp, the books of Rizal are still very much relevant today.

“I cannot speak for the Philippines, but in general I think Rizal’s books are most relevant because of his convictions and ideas. Both novels are full of interesting thoughts; about a fair and just government, about non-violence, religion, etc. Nowadays some of his thoughts come back in current themes like national identity, neo-colonialism or modern slave labor,” he said.

The Dutch translation of ‘Fili’ was based on the first English translation of ‘The Reign of Greed’, and compared with the Spanish original text. In editing, it was compared with the original manuscript (the Manila facsimile edition of 1961), according to Arp. He made it a point not to simplify the text but to keep it original.

“Rizal often used long sentences, especially when describing his ideas and making a point, like in a monologue. This can be tricky in translation, as it cannot always be cut up in smaller sentences, while readers nowadays are more used to short, fast-paced sentences and action. Also, some older expressions or words in Spanish can be interpreted and translated in different ways. It was a choice to make the translation as close to the original as possible,” he said.

Asked about the differences between the ‘Noli’ and ‘Fili’, Arp said the former is an “anti-colonial novel, describing all the cruel injustices by the religious institutions and priests and also a colorful, funny and sad description of the old life in the countryside… with a feeling of forgiveness and patience in waiting for gradual reforms.” The latter is “much more political, and in a way more modern”.

“You recognize the rise of radical politics of that time in Europe, with socialist and anarchist factions. Also, I think Rizal had an interest in all the modern progress, inventions and gadgets – machines, automatons, and sunglasses. What the books have in common is the cleverly constructed story, with many hidden clues and the unhappy ending, where everything is revealed. But at the same time, they both have an open ending. After the ‘Fili’ you wonder what will happen next … ‘What will happen to Basilio? ‘How did he and Isagani fare in the coming revolution?” he added.

Anton Lutter of the Knights of Rizal in The Hague commended the efforts of Arp in making Rizal’s two novels accessible to the Dutch-speaking population.

“We think that is important that the legacy of Jose Rizal be shown to the public. It (Fili) has never been translated before into Dutch so we are supporting it… Rizal was inspired by the Dutch author Multatuli so there was a connection between Rizal and The Netherlands and not everyone knows it so I think there’s a big relevance in publishing it in the Dutch language,” he said.

During the launching, the Knights of Rizal in The Hague was joined by their counterparts in Belgium and other European officers. Several leaders of the Filipino community and the diplomatic corps, notably Indonesia and Malaysia, were also present during the event.

Besides Rizal's novels, translator Arp also worked on Carlos Bolusan's 'America in the Heart'. PHOTO BY JOFELLE TESORIO

(Originally published on ABS-CBN online https://news.abs-cbn.com/)

Mad about beauty pageants

2018-12-18T04:31:00.001-08:00

Composite photo of Filipino Miss Universe title holders. From top: Gloria, Margie Moran, Pia Wurtzbach and Catriona Gray.

In 2016, I wrote an article and a feature story for Asia Calling about the hows and whys of the Philippines being a mad-crazed country over beauty contests. It seems that watching and (for some girls and boys and gays) joining a beauty pageant is part of the Filipinos' DNA.
Last Monday, 17 December, the Filipinos have once again proven that their lives evolve around beauty contests when everyone was glued on television and the Internet to watch the live broadcast from Bangkok. The streets were also empty and public employees stopped serving clients until the broadcast was over. These things happened before when boxer Manny Pacquaio fought. Later on, the interest in Pacquaio's matches has waned but not on beauty contests.

The bet, a 24-year-old Filipino-Australian Catriona Gray, didn't disappoint. She was crowned Miss Universe 2018 after being a runaway favorite from the very beginning. Her handlers and the team behind her had already perfected the art of packaging a winable beauty queen, when Pia Wurtzbach, a Filipino-German, won the same title in 2015 (after a long drought). Gray is now the fourth Filipina to become Miss Universe, the most coveted of all the international beauty contests (every year a new beauty contest is being imagined and launched, including ones that are called Reina Hispanoamericana and Miss United Continents). As of the last count (according to the friendly Wiki), there are four major international titles, 15 minor international pageants, 10 continental and regional pageants and almost every country has at least two pageants. In the Philippines, there are three major pageants--Bb. Pilipinas, Mutya ng Pilipinas and Miss Earth-Philippines--not to mention that every province, city, village and school has its own pageant. Television programs also have their own versions like Little Miss Philippines, Mr. Pogi (handsome), That's My, Boy, Super Sirena, and the list is dizzyingly endless.

The Miss Universe broadcast last Monday broke the Internet and according to a poll, the Philippines was the top country discussing and dishing every single detail of the pageant. Next is the US where it originated and the reason why the usually evening pageant was held very early morning in Bangkok, just to be able to accommodate US viewers watching conveniently in the evening.

What's the fuzz over beauty pageants? The social media have all a treasure trove of answers why the Filipinos waste a day of not working or not going to school just to watch a freakin' pageant. Only in the Philippines! Sociologists say that this obsession is a remnant of the Philippines' colonial past. Others argue that as a third world country, it is a form of escapism. Many women's rights activists maintain these reenforce glorification of women in a wrong way. Beauty contests only highlight the physical attributes and demean women. But pageant aficionados and rabid supporters would say, it is not easy for a young girl to be paraded like a Victoria's Secret model while being asked tough questions that would seal her faith in the top 3. They add, rather than bash the pageants, help make them more relevant, more up-to-date and make them a vehicle to truly make the world a better and a (peaceful place) and be a platform to raise awareness and concrete actions on issues like poverty, gender equality, marginalization, environmental protection, etc, etc, etc.

The obsession of Filipinos on beauty contests will not go away. This is just not how they're raised. below are some of the netizens comments on the Miss Universe pageant.

Philippines' Leftist group won't negotiate peace process in Manila

2018-07-04T13:13:00.000-07:00

UTRECHT, THE NETHERLANDS (02 July 2018) –The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) is not entertaining the idea of peace negotiations being held in Manila, said its chief political consultant Jose Maria Sison, citing it is a violation of the earlier Joint Agreement on Safety and Security Guarantees (JASIG) provision for a neutral venue abroad.

National Democratic Front of the Philippines chief political adviser Joma Sison in an interview in Utrecht, The Netherlands.

“Duterte cannot just impose Manila as the venue. We wouldn’t want to be the peace negotiations to be under the control, surveillance, manipulation and duress of Duterte and the military…You cannot use that demagogic line that as being Filipinos we should talk in Manila. We are Filipinos indeed, but we are not friends, we are fighting a war,” Sison said in response to calls by President Rodrigo Duterte, and some government officials to hold the peace talks in the Philippines.

President Rodrigo Duterte on June 14 cancelled the resumption of formal peace negotiations, which would have taken place in Oslo, Norway, from June 28-30. He wanted the review over three months of the agreements reached during back-channel talks between representatives of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) panel and the NDFP and all peace accords.

The Filipino president, in many instances, mentioned that peace negotiations should be in Manila and even extended an invitation to Sison to come home from the Netherlands where he is exiled.

Reacting to Sison, some government officials proposed that negotiations should push though without Sison and even make it localized. This after Sison last June 28 presented in a forum the political implications of the current impasse in the peace talks.

Mere opinion

In his presentation, Sison opined that the resumption of peace talks will be rendered impossible if the GRP demands on the NDFP that the venue be shifted to Manila.

“I deplored among other things his failure to fulfil his promise to amnesty and release all political prisoners and his repeated whimsical termination of the negotiations as many as three times. It is very likely that he will convert his three-month suspension of the formal talks to one more termination,” Sison said.

Reacting to news reports that he has cancelled the peace negotiations, Sison clarified that his presentation was only his opinion, adding that he only made a critical review of Duterte’s behaviour in relation to the stalled peace negotiations.

“That is my opinion as NDF consultant. The principal of the NDF negotiation panel is not me but the NDF national council unlike the GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) with the president, as constitutionally the principal of the GRP, especially in making agreements,” Sison said.

Meanwhile, Fidel Agcaoili, the NDFP chief negotiator, said his group has not made any decision and would wait for Duterte’s decision on the three-month review of the talks.

Duterte, not NDFP

The ‘biggest spoiler’ of the peace negotiations is Duterte himself, said Sison.

“He is the terminator of the peace negotiations, not me. Just because I said there is no more basis to talk with the other side because of the foolishness of Duterte and the rest, it is as if I am the terminator. The last time he terminated the peace negotiations is well documented--Proclamation Number No. 360 (which terminated peace negotiations last Nov. 23) and worse than that, he even described CPP-NPA as terrorist organisation in Proclamation No. 374… Duterte has to clear up that mess that he made in advance to obstruct and sabotage the peace negotiations,” Sison reasoned.

But Sison remains positive despite his negative opinions. He said President Duterte “might pull a surprise”.

“I would like to be proven wrong. Let us say Duterte says ‘let's resume, all these interim peace agreements package… it's good. Let's respect its validity and we talk in a foreign neutral venue, not in Manila.’ Oh that's fine. And the NDF will agree to resume the peace negotiations,” he said adding that the GRP should not gloss over formal acts which had taken effects such as the Hague Joint Declaration, JASIG and other agreements.

Pretext for martial law

Yet, the issue of peace negotiations remain a double-edged weapon for the current administration, according to Sison.

“Duterte thinks that one way or the other he benefits from dealing with the NDF. In one way, he can declare the CPP and NPA as terrorist organisations as he has already done and he escapegoats them as his pretext for declaring martial law nationwide and then the other way is to make NDF accept that the talks be held in Manila and therefore he shall be able to put the NDF under his control, manipulation and duress. For the NDF to accept to talk in Manila today is practically an act of capitulation. Capitulation in making agreements would follow. Anything that he would want would be put in there but the NDF is not easy to fool,” he said.

He said the NDF is not closing the door to any negotiations as long as the stumbling blocks are cleared. Sison appealed to Duterte to lift Proclamation Number No. 360 and Proclamation No. 374 and to honour past accords so the two sides can proceed with formal talks again.

“NDF is well motivated to negotiate with Duterte in order to stay the hand of the brute from inflicting more harm on the people because if the NDF does not negotiate while it is not yet clear to the people how bad Duterte is, then he (Duterte ) will go to town(s) claiming ‘oh I have now reason to wipe out the NPA and to be able to do this, I must declare martial law nationwide, I must exercise all extraordinary powers in a state of emergency as I declare this counter revolutionary government... The NDF has a good motive in negotiating if only to stay the hands of the monster from inflicting the biggest harm sooner,” he concluded.

(Copyright: Jofelle Tesorio)

Sum of all fears: the future under a new Philippine president

2016-06-28T08:33:00.002-07:00

On June 30, Rodrigo Duterte will take over from outgoing President Benigno Aquino for a term of six years. His main agenda is to eradicate corruption and criminality within six months of office. He wants to bring back death penalty and promises to give dictator Ferdinand Marcos a hero’s burial.

“As I have said in the miting de avance, my parting words was that, ‘if you destroy my country, I will kill you. If you destroy the youth of this country, I will kill you’.”

This is incoming Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte during a thanksgiving rally in his hometown Davao City.

As he sends his message to drug pushers, criminals and policemen who take bribes from drug syndicates, the crowd cheered to their new hero, their David who is ready to slay Goliath.

He ups the ante by calling on ordinary citizens to arrest suspected criminals.

“Feel free to call us, the police or do it yourself if you have the gun. You have my support,” he encourages.

TOUGH LOVE. Incoming Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte will be sworn in office on June 30, 2016. He has promise to eradicate criminality by all means within six months. PHOTO FROM OFFICIAL DUTERTE FACEBOOK PAGE

Duterte also says he will give a reward to anyone who would turn in or kill a drug pusher.

Journalist Redempto Anda thinks the bounty pronouncement is dangerous.

“The bounty issue is a very dangerous issue. I think he will going to have a lot of issues with Congress on this because as a policy, war on crime has not worked, not in Colombia, not in United States. In Davao, it is claimed to have worked but if you look really deep into it, it’s an arguable thing,” he says.

Many Filipinos have a fear for crime, particularly drug related.

Duterte claims that as mayor he has rid Davao City of criminality, with the help of vigilantes who extrajudicially kill suspected criminals and drug pushers.

MESSIAH: Duterte addresses an engaging crowd of supporters who find him the saviour of all ills plaguing this Southeast Asian nation. PHOTO FROM OFFICIAL DUTERTE FACEBOOK PAGE

Civil activist Jane Timbancaya-Urbanek says this is not something Filipinos should support.

“He promised killing, killing, killing. You cannot right a wrong with another wrong. I am not for extrajudicial killings. We have our constitution, we have our laws. If we must stop criminality and drugs and corruption in his country, we cannot avoid going through the long process of education,” Jane says.

The 71-year-old Duterte is colorful, outlandish, and occasionally uses vulgar language and sexist jokes.

But for his supporters, he is as the messiah who can solve the ills plaguing the Philippines.

“A lot of Filipinos are looking for a saviour. They think somebody like Duterte can really stop corruption, drugs and criminality in 3 to 6 months. Nobody in the past has ever promised something like that. And people in their disillusionment and their feeling so helpless, they really pinned a lot of hopes on Duterte,” says the civil society activist Jane Urbanek.

Duterte is also toying with the idea of bringing the death penalty back.

Meanwhile, at the office of Roots of Health, a local NGO catering to poor and marginalised women.

Amina Evangelista-Swanepoel, the director, says she is very much against death penalty.

“So many studies from all over the world have shown that the death penalty is not a deterrent to crime. (7:18-7:35) My biggest problem with death penalty and why I don’t support it is because it is not full-proof. I think there’s always a chance that somebody did not do the crime but will be killed for it. And even if that’s a minority, one person’s life is enough to stand against it,” she reasons.

There are fears that Duterte is more of a divisive figure than a unifier.

He prefers to have a separate inauguration from incoming vice president Robredo on June 30, the first time in history.

He also won’t give Robredo a Cabinet position. In the past, vice-presidents got posts regardless of party-affiliation. Duterte explains why.

“I am non-committal…You know why? I know Bongbong Marcos. I do not want to hurt him. Leni should understand that she belongs to the opposite side,” he says.

Bongbong, the son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, lost to Robredo by a very slim margin.

Duterte is keen on giving Bongbong a cabinet position after a one-year ban on losing candidates.

Journalist Redempto Anda explains Duterte’s relationship with the Marcoses.

“There’s a natural link between Duterte and the Marcoses, his father being part of the Marcos administration. He has made up his mind to be really cozy with the Marcoses and he is not transparent about these things.”

Duterte also commits to give Bongbong’s father a hero’s burial.

Marcos’ Martial Law years were marred with killings and tortures.

He was accused of amassing billions of dollars, a big portion is still believed to be hidden in offshore accounts.

Marcos’ waxed remains are kept in a family mausoleum in their home province of Ilocos.

Again, for journalist Dempto Anda, this is a contentious idea.

“This will be one of the major issues that will divide not just the country but can even divide his own organisation. In his own organisation, not everybody is on the same page, it seems.”

Sensitive to criticisms, Duterte has a reputation of snapping at critics rather than engaging them.

He is the complete opposite of incoming vice-president Robrero.

Robredo is seen as a silver lining to the election of populist but obviously flawed Duterte.

NGO leader Amina Swanepoel says Duterte has lost a golden chance for bypassing Robredo.

“I do think it’s a missed opportunity for him because she was chosen by the people as well. She is incredibly popular and she is a very capable leader, with good experience and has had good policies that have improved the lives of her constituents and I she think she can do a lot on a large scale as vice president.”

Most of Duterte´s plans involve domestic issues and not much on foreign policy.

The least he has said is a bilateral discussion with China over the South China Sea dispute.

Under the Aquino administration, the Philippines is the first country to challenge China at the Permanent Tribunal of Arbitration in the Hague, Netherlands.

The decision is expected to come out this month.

Whether Duterte will follow through with the decision of the tribunal or deal with China bilaterally remains to be seen.

Is the Philippines' call center industry reaching a saturation point?

2016-06-21T05:41:00.001-07:00

This is the typical night in a call centre in Manila.

A Filipino service representative is patiently giving advice to an American customer regarding car insurance.

She is one of the 1.2 million Filipinos employed in the Information Technology-Business Process Outsourcing or IT-BPO.

For the last seven years, Maria Aguilar, has been working for an American-owned firm.

“We have rotation schedules. Sometimes I work in the night shift and sometimes I work in the mid-shift. That would be from 1pm to 10pm," says Maria.

Since most clients are from the West, a regular shift is from 9pm to 6am.

The names of multinational BPO companies are displayed outside an office building in Eastwood, Quezon City, Philippines.

Jobs at the IT-BPO vary—from making and receiving calls to making animation and accounting services.

Jaren Atrero works for a Canadian company.

“Basically our clients are some who are dealing with engineering, electric, mechanical kind of thing like automation equipments.”

The IT-BPO industry generated US$22 billion in 2015, second to remittances of Filipinos abroad, which was at US$25.8 billion.

Leian Marasigan is a research specialist at the University of the Philippines. She is finishing her PhD at the University of Amsterdam by looking into the career path of employees in the IT-BPO.

“It is still mainly voice-based work that we’re providing. Sixty percent of the businesses that are coming in are voice-based; meaning, call centre, contact centre jobs. And then you have health management transcription services that are also becoming quite big in terms of the numbers of firms doing that particular kind of function,” says Leian.

The Philippines is called the ‘call centre capital of the world’, after overtaking India four years ago.

The Filipinos’ English language skills and affinity to the Western culture makes it an attractive destination.

But working in a call centre can be stressful.

Joel Contrivida gets at least an angry customer a week.

“Especially in our kind of account, we have a lot of irate customers, angry customers. We are in order releasing. When they receive the item, it’s defective; there is something wrong, lost or missing. So usually the customer would call us and they’re so angry about it. So mostly we try to listen to them at first.”

Despite working night shifts and encountering abusive callers, Joel says it is outweighed by the salary and benefits he gets.

Call centre work can also be home-based.

Chini Decujos works from home doing phone surveys for a Canadian company.

“I think it’s an answer to unemployment especially to people, especially for mothers. I’m not a mother but if I am to put it in a context where a mother had to work, and had to look after her children, then this can be an answer to add up to their income.”

Chini is paid 5 US dollars per hour, comparable to the daily minimum wage locally.

The average starting salary for IT-BPO work is 450 US dollars a month.

With more than million Filipinos who graduate every year and unemployment rate hovers at 6.6 percent, the IT-BPO provides the well-needed jobs.

Accenture is one of the biggest employee of call center workers in the Philippines.

“There are many opportunities in the BPO sector that are opening up for many workers in the Philippines, both from those who are unemployed, or long unemployed and also from recent graduates who are transitioning from school to work. And there are also a very diverse group of workers that are able to find employment in the sector,” according to academic researcher Leian Marasigan.

The outsourcing industry has been criticised for moving jobs to low-wage countries like the Philippines and India to save costs.

But former employee and now insurance agent Ely Valendez sees the bright side.

“It’s true that multinational companies for example in the US, Canada or Switzerland go the Philippines to employ the local workforce because it is cheaper than the Americans. But it you compare it to the local setting wherein they give higher salary than local counterparts then it’s not exploitation at all. In fact it is beneficial to the workforce because they’re paid higher, they get more benefits.”

IT-BPO firms that set up offices in the Philippines are given tax incentives.

Dr. Jana Kleibert, who also did her PhD research on the sector at the University of Amsterdam, says clearly the benefits of having the IT-BPO are there.

“The salaries are above average compared to other jobs within the Philippines. Also the government is capturing some revenue through the taxes of employees’ salaries. But if you look beyond that, there’s not much value capturing happening because most firms in the offshore service sector in the Philippines are foreign-owned firms so a lot of the profits were not necessarily reinvested in the Philippines but will be transferred abroad.”

Dr. Kleibert suggests that the Philippines should do more.

“I would think one important thing is to strengthen domestic entrepreneurs who have been existing in the industry but lots of Filipino-owned firms were bought by foreign firms…Also support small and medium but also large Filipino companies that try to export services to global markets and make them more competitive. The second important part and related to that is to strengthen the education system, to have more Filipino workers being able to take on management functions, to have run their own businesses and firms,” she ends emphatically.

It is interesting to watch how the new administration in the Philippines will treat this sunshine industry in the coming years. Will it allow the current industry players to thrive or will give more support for homegrown companies to take charge?

Dangers of being environmentalists in the Philippines

2016-05-13T05:48:00.001-07:00

Green activists are facing deadly dangers in the Philippines. In a 2015 report of the London-based Global Witness, it lists the Philippines as the most dangerous country in Asia for environmentalists.

Environmentalist and social activist Gerthie Anda during a forum. Being an environmentalist in the Philippines has its share of perils. (Facebook photo from Gerthie Anda)

Ask anyone in Palawan province about the ‘Green Lady’ and the name of environmentalist-lawyer Gerthie Mayo-Anda comes up.

She has become the poster girl of the environmental movement here.

Amid the mining rush, development and other environmental issues, she established the Environmental Legal Assistance Center, or ELAC, in the 1990s.

“It’s basically to utilize my knowledge and skills as a legal professional to be able to help the least of our brethren by focusing mainly on how we can survive as a people, anchoring our survival on healthy ecosystems,” says Mayo-Anda.

For more than 25 years, she has defended almost every environment issue. That has also earned her the title ‘Forest Heroine’.

Gerthie’s center has fought against illegal logging, fishing, mining and other resource extractive activities.

“When you talk of extractive projects like mining, energy, development of fossil fuels,” she pauses before continuing, “and even pushing for good environmental governance, these are very difficult because you’re dealing here with powerful stakeholders who can actually make the advocacy work difficult.”

Declared as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve for having most number of key biodiversity areas, Palawan is the Philippine’s last ecological frontier.

It is also a battleground for environmentalists, where the majority are women.

Cynthia Sumagaysay is a vocal critic of a planned coal-fired power plant.

She has earned the ire of many pro-coal politicians and investors.

“The people of Palawan are being tricked into something that [they] didn’t completely understand, she says, “I feel that they were being lied to. They were being told that the coal plant was urgently needed. That was a big lie.”

But she isn’t afraid.

“I’m beyond fear,” says Sumagaysay, “I have said before that everybody dies anyway even the perpetrators of the crime. I will be more fearful if my life has been wasted for not doing something to better this world; if I’m just part of the problem rather than the solution.

The Philippines is the most dangerous country in Asia for green activists according to international watchdog Global Witness.

Between 2012 and 2013, a total of 88 environmental activists were killed in the country, next to Brazil’s 448 and Honduras’109.

Lawyer Gerthie Anda says this is because of the culture of impunity.

“We find it disturbing that it happens in a small country. It only shows that the culture of impunity is still there,” she notes, “The lack of political will to hold liable those who are liable, those who are responsible is still a continuing challenge.”

Fellow green activists Marivic Bero, the secretary-general of the Coalition Against Land Grabbing, says there is inherent danger in being an environmental activist in the Philippines.

Her group is working with peasant organizations, farmers and indigenous peoples who are affected by land acquisitions for large-scale plantations such palm oil and mining activities.

“As a female NGO worker, I feel some fear every time I go to the field,” she says, “That’s inevitable, especially in the course of protecting the environment you bump up against powerful people, powerful companies, politicians and other government officials.”

Palawan is a microcosm of the Philippines where environmental activists and politicians clash.

Politicians often disregard environmental impacts to give way for investments, which are often resource extractive.

This creates a more dangerous life for environmentalists.

Again Marivic Bero.

“I can say that whenever we are in the field we face danger. But for me, if your time is up, it’s up. If you’re going to die, you’ll die,” says Bero, “It’s better you die a worthy death by doing something to help others.”

Environmental defenders also experience threats and physical violence, restrictions on their freedoms and depriving them of opportunities.

And it is not safer to women.

Lawyer Gerthie Anda says they are equally vulnerable.

“I have listened to fellow human rights and environmental advocates, discussing in several fora about women indigenous leaders being killed in the Cordillera or even in Mindanao,” she says, “And therefore, there is no full-proof guarantee that women continue to be safe. We are just equally threatened like men.

Gerthie believes that killings of environmentalists will continue if a corrupt system persists.

But for her and other women green activists, they will continue to defend the earth without fear.

For colleague Marivic Bero, they are doing it for the future generation.

“I’m doing this for my children besides fighting for the rights of the indigenous people,” says Bero, “I want my children and grandchildren to live in a peaceful environment where they can still smell fresh air, see different kinds of birds, climb trees and forests to wander.”

(Originally appeared on Asia Calling)

Like boxing: The Philippines’ obsession with beauty pageants

2016-05-13T03:02:00.001-07:00

Filipinos know the names of their beauty queens like Brazilians know their football heroes.
Candidates for Miss Puerto Princesa City pose for photographers during a press conference.

It’s the middle of a gruelling practice for girls who are competing in a local beauty pageant. They sashay back and forth in high heels to perfect their walk without tripping. Their trainer, Thom Favila, explains the rigours of his beauty boot camp.

“During training, when the girls wake up, we start the day with jogging. After jogging, we have breakfast, followed by walking exercises,” he says, “After that we teach them how to put on make-up and that is followed by question and answer exercises.”

Most of his students come from impoverished backgrounds.

One of them is 20-year-old Janicel Lubina who represented the Philippines in the Miss International pageant in Japan last December.

Janicel was close to winning the Miss Philippines-Universe title, where the winner, Filipina, Pia Wurtzbach, became Miss Universe last year.

In 2013, Janciel was the runner up in Miss World-Philippines. She is often called the Filipino Cinderella.

“When I was in 3rd year high school, my father had a stroke. I went farming and worked as a housemaid because my mother was also a housemaid,” says Janicel, “I’m proud of where I came from. I think I have inspired a lot of girls who also came from a poor background,” she says.

Most of the candidates idolize local girl Janicel Lubina, who made it to Miss International pageant recently.

Janicel was spotted when she was 16 by a local talent scout in a farming village in Palawan province.

Joining the beauty contest world, says Janciel, was her way of escaping poverty and helping her family.

“It helps a lot,” she says, “I have started to have a house built for my family. My priority also is to establish our education. I am sending my two brothers to school.”

The Philippines is a nation crazy for beauty pageants.

It started in 1969 when 19-year-old Gloria Diaz became the first Filipina Miss Universe.

The Philippines has won three Miss Universe titles, four Miss International, one Miss World two Miss Earth, and dozens of smaller international beauty contests. The Filipinos’ love for beauty pageants intensified after Pia Wurtzbach was crowned Miss Universe, after 42 years.

Candidates for Miss Puerto Princesa City pose for photographers during a press conference.

During Pia’s homecoming in Manila, traffic was completely halted and life momentarily stopped.

Psychology professor Vincent Quevada explains why Filipinos are addicted to beauty pageants, even when the interest is already dwindling in other countries.

“I think the reason why we love beauty pageants is that Filipinos are rooting for someone to epitomize their wants to become somebody someday. Most likely it’s because of poverty,” he says,

“Filipinos love to see Cinderella-like stories. Maybe a part of it is because we are a developing country so we desire to be someone, someday.”

But the path to beauty queen was not easy for Janicel Lubina.

It took her more than three years in beauty boot camp and several attempts in beauty contests.

She spent months of rigorous training – six days a week, 12 hours a day – including make up and catwalk training, and what they call ‘personality development’.

Some girls fainted during the first day of training, she says, and others quit after a few days.

Here at this local beauty pageant for Miss Puerto Princesa City in Palawan, candidates are being introduced.

One of them, 24-year-old Sheerah Dalisay, looks up to Janicel.

But unlike Janicel, Sheerah is from the middle class, a college graduate and an English teacher.

“Janicel Lubina is a very, very strong person because despite all the negative comments thrown to her by the public because she’s very poor and she admitted that,” says Dalisay, “Most of the people, during her pageantry, they were very much doubtful about her qualities and capabilities but Janicel is very strong to face all these negative comments and made it a challenge on herself to improve on it.”

Most of the candidates idolize local girl Janicel Lubina, who made it to Miss International pageant recently.

Another candidate, 24-year-old Mia Bianca Dantes, thinks she has a chance at the crown. A registered nurse, Bianca is studying for her masters’ degree.

“I really wanted to join first to pursue my dreams,” says Dantes, “to boost my confidence and of course to empower, educate and inspire the new generations of today, to help them show their talents and what they can, whoever they are.”

Back at the bootcamp, talent scout Thom Favila says he is grooming another candidate who could win him the Miss Universe title. She is a dusky young woman from a remote island who stands almost 6 feet tall.

After all, Thom says, Filipinos like beautiful underdogs.

(Originally published as a radio feature on Asia Calling.)

Coal-Fired Power Plant Threatens Philippines Tourism Paradise

2014-11-03T08:04:00.000-08:00

“Another bird trips the power line?”

Every time the electricity gets cut off, residents of a small but booming tourism city of Puerto Princesa in the Philippines flood their Facebook shout outs blaming the power supplier for inefficiency. The local electric cooperative then passes the blame on miniscule reasons like tree branches falling on electric lines or birds treading on them. It cannot be discounted, however, that ageing power lines and generators running on crude oil cannot cope with the increasing demand of the city, which has seen the number of hotels and restaurants grow exponentially. Three years ago, a three-storey mall also opened. This so-called development has driven local politicians to find ways of delivering the much-needed electricity within a short period. Gil Acosta, the governor’s spokesperson, said “the governor believes that Palawan has been left behind by other provinces, even though it’s the biggest in the region. Power plays a big role in development. Those who want to invest in Palawan first ask whether there is a stable power supply.”

The limestone karst of Saint Paul Subterranean River National Park, a UNESCO heritage site in Palawan, Philippines.

Faced with criticisms and pressure from local leaders, the Palawan Electric Cooperative (PALECO), which is mandated to deliver uninterrupted power supply to the residents, signed a 25-megawatt supply contract with DMCI Power Corporation, a privately-owned company that specializes in power utilities, in July 2012. Aside from a coal-fired power plant, this also included a 5-megawatt diesel-fired power plant that began commercial operations at the end of 2012. The company, meanwhile, positions itself as a saviour. In a press release, it stated: “DMCI Power Corporation is building a power plant in Palawan to avert a looming power crisis in the fast-growing province, which thrives on tourism as a main industry.”

Much has to be said about the company that was contracted. Its mother company, DMCI Holdings has interests in construction, water and ore mining services. DMCI’s subsidiary Semirara Mining Corporation is the largest coal producer in the country and is one of the biggest in Asia. DCMI both exports and supplies its power plants with the coal it mines. While boasting of its corporate social responsibility and promising to follow environmental laws and regulations in building the coal-fired power plant in Palawan, DCMI doesn’t have the perfect grade in environmental protection. Its open pit-mine in Antique province’s Semirara Island has been blamed for a host of environmental destruction, causing low yields for farmers and low fish catch for fishermen.

El Nido, in Southern Palawan is touted as one of the best islands in the world.

In 2013, a part of a wall in its open pit mine collapsed that killed five workers and five others went missing. Moreover, according to US-based Carbon Monitoring for Action (CARMA), which holds information about the carbon emissions of over 60,000 power plants and 20,000 power companies worldwide, DCMI’s power plant in its mine site in Panian, Semirara emits 1,370 kilos of carbon dioxide per megawatt-hour, while its plant in Calaca, Batangas province emits 1,190 kilos of carbon dioxide per megawatt-hour, third and ninth respectively in the top 10 highest CO2 emitters in the country.

CARMA claimed that the usual intensity of CO2 emission among power plants in the Philippines is 506 kilos of carbon dioxide per megawatt-hour while the intensity of pollution caused by two of DCMI’s power plants is more than twice the usual. In a press release, the company said it will use the newest and cleanest coal technology in a proposed power plant in Palawan. “DMCI will employ the Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustion (CFBC), also known as the ‘clean coal’ technology, which is the latest and cleanest in coal combustion.”

Man and Biosphere Reserve

Opposition to the proposed coal-fired power plant is mounting because of the province’s fragile state. Since 1990 the entire Palawan holds the status of UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve. It is cited as a “site of excellence where new and optimal practices to manage nature and human activities are tested and demonstrated”.

It’s also home to two UNESCO natural heritage sites – the Saint Paul Subterranean River National Park and the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Marine Park. According to Worldwide Life Fund (WWF), the province may lose its status if the proposed coal-fired power plant goes ahead. RJ Dela Calzada, the Palawan project manager for the WWF-Philippines, said “the Man and Biosphere status is like a Nobel Prize for good sustainable development management in one area. Palawan is one of the two recipients in the Philippines. When we say man and biosphere, we’re talking about how human beings consciously use its biosphere for its own benefit… If we fail to meet those criteria then we might be delisted. Having a coal power plant may be a reason to be delisted.”

When DCMI got the approval from a government environmental body to first build said power plant in the municipality of Narra, environmental groups immediately organized petitions citing the fragile flora and fauna surrounding it. Haribon Foundation, a forefront in biodiversity conservation in Palawan, opposed the plan arguing that the coastal town of Narra is so close to Rasa Island, which it called “the last stronghold of the unique Philippine Cockatoo”. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature lists the bird as Critically Endangered as only 1,000 individuals exist in the world. Haribon also claimed that the coal-fired power plant will threaten the proposed site’s surrounding air, land, water, vegetation and wildlife.

“These impacts can be felt during plant construction; when the plant’s physical structures are already in place; and when the plant is already operational,” the NGO said in a statement. “During construction, the dredging of barge unloading areas could affect fish, mussels and other aquatic life… Power plants build water intake and discharge facilities, so vegetation in surface waters can also be affected… But the coal power plant’s operation, when it is already spewing its emissions into the open air, can impact vegetation or result in air pollution.” After fierce opposition from environmentalists and the rejection of the municipality of Narra, the proponents moved the location of the power plant to the adjoining Aborlan municipality.

At the village of San Juan, the new proposed site, Tagbanua tribal chieftain Dominador Badilla could not hide his anger. “The ones who are pushing the project are better off. They have regular salaries. We only depend on our coconut trees and our plants. If our farm yield will be affected, where will my grandchildren get their livelihood? We, the members of the Tagbanua tribal community, do not want this coal-fired power plant. We would rather live with what little we have now. We can sacrifice without electricity,” he said in Filipino.

Outside his bamboo hut hangs a poster showing a picture of a coal plant emitting black smoke and dirty air. The poster reads: “Is this what you want to happen in Aborlan?” And in red bold letters it says: “NO TO COAL”. Badilla’s family and others in the community live through fishing and copra farming. On a good month, they earn about US$100 but they are content. The land they live on has been through many generations as their ancestral land. “We inherited this land from our ancestors. This belonged to my grandfather since the 1930s. He was buried here. Then they will just put something that will destroy our land? What will happen to us?” he said.

The tribal chieftain is even angrier that the project has divided a once harmonious community. He insisted that there has never been a proper consultation for the project. “The proponents are saying they have consulted us. When things have stirred up because we voiced out our opposition, that’s when they said there will be public hearings. At first, they were hiding the meetings from those who opposed. They bring their own people using their own trucks to show there is a support from the public. If they only record what’s been happening in the public hearings they would know our reasons for opposing and how many people are against it,” he said.

As another resident Melvin Badilla enthused, “we didn’t like the process that our local leaders did. Before they let us know that the coal-fired power plant will be built in our village, they already prepared the documents for building it here. We were caught by surprise.”

The once opposed barangay (village) officials of San Juan, Aborlan stamped their endorsement on the project after they were reportedly showed around in another plant in Iloilo province. They argued that they saw first-hand that the company was responsible enough and the environment in the showcase piece in Iloilo was intact and unaffected. It was suspected, however, that aside from being dined and wined, they were only shown the sanitized version of the power plant.

The endorsement even came much easier from the provincial council of legislators who are allies of the governor who wants the project started as soon as possible. Allegedly without proper consultation and ignoring environmental impact assessment results, the provincial council unanimously endorsed the project to be built in Aborlan town.

As the proposed site is also near a fish sanctuary, the waste water discharge from the facility is deemed hazardous to the marine ecosystem. Dr. Lita Sopsop, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences of the Western Philippines University that is in the heart of Aborlan, said “we oppose the coal plant because of the negative impacts to health and the environment, particularly to locally declared fish sanctuaries in the area. The residents get their livelihood from fishing. The discharge of waste water from the coal plant will cause thermal pollution that is hazardous to the marine ecosystem, especially coral reefs.”

Marlene Jagmis, a staunch environmentalist before joining the university’s faculty, said “the coal plant poses many hazards like the threat of lung disease or damage to the brain, especially in children. Burned coal can produce chemicals like mercury, which can’t easily be dissolved by so called new technology. This particle can be hazardous to humans, and even babies inside the womb are not spared.”

Last Frontier

Often cited as the Philippines’ last ecological frontier, Palawan has been battering environmental degradation. It has the largest forest cover and fish biomass in the country, rich mineral resources and the surrounding West Philippine Sea has vast potential for oil and natural gas. Tourism is also thriving because of its beautiful islands, beaches and dive sites. These attractions are irresistible to miners, oil and gas drillers, illegal loggers and fishermen and other investors.

Palawan province has the biggest fish biomass and richest marine life in the Philippines and in the coral triangle.

Ironically, given the fragile state of the province, past and current political leaderships have never been serious in using renewable energies (REs). This is despite repeated demands from environmentalists and NGO such as World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Even President Benigno Aquino III seems reluctant to support REs believing these are unstable. In a recent visit to the province, Aquino insisted that it is important for Palawan to have sufficient power supply to complement the government’s target of attracting 10 million foreign tourists by 2016. He said the province needed more power supply to fuel construction projects, upgrading of airport facilities, as well as the upstream and downstream industries and the only reliable available source of energy is coal or diesel.

The governor’s spokesperson Gil Acosta said officials at the provincial government have been discussing new and renewable resources for 10 years but this never took off until this coal plant proposal came along. “The most viable proposal for the governor is to use coal and biomass fuels. We’re looking at hydro and wind power, but these won’t be enough,” he added.

RJ dela Calzada of WWF-Philippines disagreed. “If you go into renewable energies and strategize how to put those REs in Palawan, then again we can supply the requirements of Palawan…There are places already that say REs are very efficient in providing energy… A one-megawatt requirement only requires you 2.5 hectares of solar farm. How much megawatt do you need in Palawan? There are new technologies in terms of solar that it can provide electricity even without sun for seven days.”

It also has the largest forest cover in the Philippines. Environmentalists argue that it is ripe for Palawan to have new and renewable resources because it gets plenty of sun and is usually typhoon-free throughout the year.
(ALL PHOTOS COPYRIGHTED: JOFELLE TESORIO)

Environmentalists also argued that REs are cheaper than coal. “Why should Palawan buy more expensive, dirty power when we have cleaner, cheaper alternatives available?” said Atty. Gerthie Mayo-Anda, Executive Director of the Environmental Legal Assistance Center.

REs experts said while the fixed cost of renewable technologies is higher than conventional fossil-fuelled alternatives, this cost is borne by the developer and not the consumers. “Renewable technologies also generally have much longer life cycles than fossil options and have no or very low fuel costs,” according to Diana Limjoco, a resident of Palawan blogging on the power of REs. “In addition to lower generation rates, renewable energy requires little or no subsidy and consumers are exempt from payment of the 12% value-added tax (VAT). The net result of integrating renewables into the power mix is lower rates and reduced subsidy requirements.”

Environmentalists also assailed the government’s reasoning that there are no serious investors on REs in Palawan. WWW-Philippines said that since 2010, there had been proposals for mini-hydropower plants for the capital Puerto Princesa and Narra municipality but these mini-hydro projects failed to obtain contracts with PALECO. “Despite obtaining all the other requirements, they have been unable to start generating power for the people of Palawan,” WWF-Philippines said.

Limjoco said the Palawan Chamber of Commerce and Industry receives many inquiries from foreign and domestic firms and funding agencies to develop REs on Palawan. She said, “there are currently three private firms, two of which hold renewable energy service contracts with government, which are active in the development and pre-development stages of installing solar, biomass and run-of-river hydro power plants on mainland,” adding that “the problem is not a lack of investor interest, but the existence of policy, political, and bureaucratic constraints and a lack of clear guidelines for development and implementation of REs on Palawan and throughout the Philippines.”

At the end of the day, the government seems to show that solving a perceived power crisis is only solvable through a quick solution that is coal, notwithstanding the fragile state of the environment that is Palawan. As Haribon Foundation puts it: “people do need electricity, but we think this should not be at the expense of biodiversity loss. It would be misleading to approach the issue by choosing between two seemingly disparate choices of ‘power’ and ‘environment’. The need for electricity only makes sense for a community that has an adequate resource base for thriving and where ecological benefits can be enjoyed by the majority over a long period of time. Agenda No. 1 should be the protection and conservation of remaining natural habitats and its biodiversity. Without this prerequisite, notions of ‘progress’ are self-deceiving.”

(Originally appeared on Climate Journal Asia
http://climate-journal.asia/growing-energy-demand-trips-philippines-biosphere-town/)

Philippines’ prison without walls

2014-10-10T05:59:00.001-07:00

Carlo Mercedez works, like many people, behind a computer in this simple office for 8 hours a day – Monday to Friday.

“Then I get weekends off to spend time with my family,” says Carlo.

The only thing is that Carlo is a prisoner, who is serving 30 years.

“At 6 in the morning we have head count, then we go back to prepare to go to the office at 8am. We go home at 12noon to have lunch then go back at the office at 1pm. At 4pm, there is another head counting. Then we can go home.”

He is one of 3,000 inmates in this unique prison without walls.

“I’ve been here in Iwahig for seven years. I don’t know when I will be released but I already served my minimum sentence since 2011.”

Carlo’s is finished the minimum of his sentence so he is allowed to live in his own house with his wife and three young children– who go to a school inside the open air prison’s facility.

Inmates at Iwahig Prison in Puerto Princesa City, Philippines wait for the flag lowering ceremony. Some of them have the privilege to live in their huts within the vicinity of the so-called Prison Without Walls.

Inmates who are just convicted of more serious crimes like illegal drugs dealing, murder or rape are free to work inside the prison during the day but are locked up at night.

“At present Iwahig is directly receiving committals from the Regional Trial Court of the Province of Palawan but the New Bilibid Prison is transferring in Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm those who are already classified as medium security status. Inmates are categorized by the inmates classification board based on their sentence and shall be further reclassified when they have meet requirements to be granted other privileges. They are allowed to live with their own families because there is certain programs being implemented but in infantile stage—what we call the halfway house wherein inmates are being prepared to return to a free society”, says Richard Schwarzkopf Jr., the Penal Superintendent.

And he is proud of Iwahig being one of the biggest open prisons in the world and the only one of its kind in Asia.

“We can say about the uniqueness Iwahig as prison without bars maybe because of its vast location, natural environment and way of treating inmates…I must say that some of our existing programs being undertaken can be adapted, if suited to other prison facilities,” he adds.

The area was used to exile people during the Spanish colonial period and later as a penal colony under American rule. Now there is a rice farming, coconut plantations, poultry, fishpond and vegetable farms on the 30,000 hectares prison. Based on their skills, inmates are given jobs from farming to office work.

The prison is surrounded by a thick mangrove forest, a mountain range and a highway in the Philippines'last ecological frontier.

And the place has also become some what of a tourist attraction.

Aldrin who is serving for 20 years makes a living from selling handicrafts to people who come to see the unique prison.

“Those who want to see Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm and our historical buildings, please visit us. You can help us, inmates, by visiting this facility and buy souvenir items,” he encourages tourists.

One of his customers today is Jobert James from Manila.

The entrance to the souvenir shop, a building which dates back from the US-colonial era.

“When you heard the word prison, normally you think of inmates being behind walls. So I thought Iwahig would be dangerous because inmates are outside. I was afraid that they might harm us. Because you see, they’re convicts… But my impression has changed. It is really safe here,” says Jobert who is surprised with what he saw.

The souvenir shop at Iwahig Prisons and Penal Farm where tourists can buy cheap handicrafts and other items made by the inmates themselves.

The prison is surrounded by a thick mangrove forest, a mountain range and a highway.

These natural surroundings are the only thing that separates the prisoners from the outside world.It’s Xerxes Sebido’s job as a prison guard to keep track of the inmates. He says each year around four or five escape.

“It’s not easy to guard so many inmates but the number of guards has been increased. We have also implemented new security measures. And we strengthened our rehabilitation and reformation programs. This helps the inmates to have a clear outlook in life and not think of escaping anymore,” he says.

Xerxes and the other guards also live on site.

“We are given a piece of land here to build our house so our families can stay with us. This is also one strategy of the Bureau of Corrections to keep the employees near when something happens like when a prisoner escapes.”

Penal Superintendent Richard Schwarzkopf Jr says those who escape are usually easily caught. He would like to see zero escapes but instead of building walls….he is working on making prisoners want to stay.

“We have many reformation programs being implemented and enhanced such as the basic education and technical-vocational education for the inmates; the moral and religious, sports and recreation, behavioral modification, health and welfare and work and livelihood programs”.

Back at the office inmate Carlo Mercedez is encoding a file in the computer.

He says while he feels lucky that he can still live with his family he longs for life outside Prison Without Walls.

“As an inmate who lives with his family, I am happy but as a prisoner, it is not as happy as when you are a free man in the society.”

He has planned out his future when he is released from prison.

“I am only considering two options. First, my idea is that we would go back in my hometown in Camarines Norte. We have a piece of coconut plantation there that I can improve and continue. My second option would be to stay here in Palawan. I have seen the nature of Palawan. So there is part of me that would prefer to stay here if we can buy a piece of land.”

Penal Superintendent Richard Schwarzkopf Jr says that 10 percent of Iwahig’s prisoners became repeat offenders after being released.This is lower than the national average. The jail has also had no recent history of riots or mass breakouts.Most other jails in the Philippines have brutal conditions, with inmates packed beyond capacity in dingy, airless cells and having to take turns sleeping.

(Originally appeared on Asia Calling as a radio feature)

A Tale of Disaster in the Philippines

2013-12-05T05:54:00.001-08:00

The recent devastating typhoon that hit central Philippines has illicited international response and pooled resources from different countries and individuals, much like the earthquake in Haiti and tsunami in Japan. Too much have been said about the enormity of the typhoon and the effects it brought to the affected. My heart bleeds. Blaming the Philippine government's slow response was the order of the day. The social networking sites have become a platform of motivating more help and of course discussions and bickering on what went wrong, who to blame and what should have been done. Facebook and Twitter have become a stage for heated debates and surely Filipinos don't run out of opinions to say online. Filipinos seem to be good at making their points of view highlighted online than face to face.

A truck lies on it's side after the typhoon in Borbon town, Northern Cebu, Philippines. Photo by C. Baldicantos

If you are caught on the other side of the debate and who doesn't join the blame-game and instead explaining that this catastrophe was just so enormous even the strongest state will be caught off-guard, you always lose the discussion. So much so you are branded as an apologist for the government even if you also don't like the government so much, past or present.

Three days before Typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Yolanda), Philippine President Benigno Aquino III made an appeal on national television to affected areas that the typhoon could be the worst ever to land in the country. He warned that wave surges can go as high at 5 to 7 meters and ordered all local government units to do all necessary means to evacuate to safety residents in most vulnerable areas. He also dispatched his military chief of staff and interior secretary to oversee preparations for the landfall and relief and recovery operations.

Fallen trees and electric posts block the main roads in Daanbantayan town in Northern Cebu, Philippines. Photo by C. Baldicantos

The afternoon before the typhoon struck, it was calm, the sun was shining and no signs that a strong typhoon number 5 was on its way. Residents of Leyte, the province mostly hit, went through their day, many showed reluctance in leaving their houses to go to evacuation centers. One local government official said it was not easy to tell the people to leave their houses. Forcing them would mean putting a gun on their head. What the local government did was just to convince as many as they can to voluntarily move out.

The epic typhoon only lasted a maximum of three hours according to some accounts. Winds started to blow early in the morning and then came rains and then came stronger winds and storm surges that blew almost everything away. The country and the resilient people that have dealt with almost 20 typhoons every year were caught offguard. Perhaps being caught offguard was not even the appropriate word. It just struck like nobody expected it. A coastal community was flattened, debris were lying around and the destruction and death was beyond belief. Leyte was no more, one survivor said upon seeing her environment and smelling the stench of dead bodies on the streets.

Guiauyan Town, Eastern Samar, after Typhoon Haiyan. Photo by C. Baldicantos

More than 24 hours have passed and it seemed the response from the other side of the world was nowhere in sight. Electricity was cut off, communications line were down and people were desperate for water, food and clothing. Even before disaster response came, there were reports of looting from survivors who were desperate to last a day. It was only after two days that help came trickling in via the small port and partly functional airport.

Photos by C. Baldicantos

Why did it take more than two days to reach the affected areas? One explanation is geography. The Philippines is an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands. The most affected areas were part of the chain of islands that were not easy to reach when a typhoon of this magnitude happened. It is true that Leyte is is just 6 hours by boat from Cebu but to clear the port also took time. The airport was also devastated that it had to be restored to functionality so helicopters and aircrafts can land safely. There roads connecting to the mainland of nearby provinces were completely unpassable due to debris lying around. The ones expected to help in the first level of recovery operations, the local government units' disaster coordinating councils were non-functional because they too were affected. Another explanation is the lack of facilities of the government to deal with this huge natural disaster. The Philippine military only had a handful of C130 planes and helicopters to ferry goods, medicines and other important survival kits to the affected areas. That is why the early response of the US military, bringing in a ship that has everything (from filtration system to floating hospital) and air assets was very much welcome. Without such help from other advanced countries, the death toll would soar and the country would be as miserable as Burma during the Typhoon Bopha.

A Philippine Coast Guard ship looks for bodies near Bantayan Island, Cebu, Philippines days after Typhoon Haiyan made a landfall. Photo by C. Baldicantos

There's much more to say about the disaster response and how the Philippine government reacted, but for now... I believe the survivors need more than what netizens on Facebook and Twitter have been complaining about.

Thailand's (R)evolving Politics

2013-06-19T00:16:00.000-07:00

Every Prime Minister in Thailand has his/her own very unique challenges. After the controversial Thaksin Shinawatra was forced out of power by a coup more than 6 years ago, politics has been topsy-turvy in this Kingdom. The Democrats, with the backing of the generals, successfully put Abhisit Vejjajiva at the helm, only to be disturbed by a massive Red Shirt protests that put to test his mantle as a statesmen.

The handling of the Red Shirt protests and the assassination of the former military officer leading them sunk Vejjajiva and his Democrats' popularity. Another election followed and it was time for the Red Shirts, known alternatively as Thaksin's thugs (or band of brothers), to take a revenge. The newly-formed Phuae Thai party (after Thaksin's party was dissolved due allegedly for election violations) fielded Thaksin's loving sister Yingluck. And the rest was history. She is Thailand's first prime minister. It was not because the Thai people were ready to have a female leader. It was more of Thaksin's influence (and his money) rubbed on her.

Yingluck Shinawatra: The Loving Sister

The pro-democracy movement, also known as the anti-Thaksins, are now occupying the streets where the Red Shirts where once before. They no longer wear the royalist yellow colour but are garbed in white mask ala V for Vendetta.

Supalak Ganjanakhundee, a veteran political journalist with The Nation newspaper (which is known as anti-Thaksin paper--Thaksin bullied the paper when he was in power so there's reason for the antipathy), wrote a sobber explanation on what's happening recently. He said instead of sitting in the park in front of the Royal Palace protesting against the prime minister, why do these protesters start to campaign not to elect Thaksin's annointed next time.

Colonisation of Time

2013-05-27T13:28:00.001-07:00

The Philippines has overtaken India as the new call-center capital of the world. This means that when you’re on the phone to a call-center in the US, you’re most likely talking to a Filipino agent. They’re working all night long, while everybody else is asleep.

New Filipino Heroes Wanted

Why has the Philippines overtaken India in voice services? Jana Kleibert, a lecturer from the University of Amsterdam, says it is about the talent pool.

“The main attraction lies in the fact that there is a very large talented work force that is English-speaking and English speaking with an accent that is very understandable especially to North Americans,” Jana says.

“The second thing is the work force is also well educated which makes it easier to transfer service-based tasks. And there’s a cultural affinity with North America that also helps in communicating and performing customer services.”

Rory Zachs, the general manager of a US-based company, PCM, says the company has a largely young and well-educated workforce.

“You know you have a base of strength from individuals who have studied so many disciplines and are willing to give the talents they have learned and they have the communication that relates to the company they are coming from and base—Australia, Europe, IUC English countries--England, Ireland and of course my roots in the United States.”

The call-center industry in the Philippines is now the third-largest dollar earner after tourism and remittances.

With a salary of at least 400 US dollars a month, the industry employs nearly 800 thousand workers.

24-year-old Maria Concepcion Andres is a graduate of Communication Arts. She joined the call-center industry 4 years ago.

“To be quite honest, it’s really for the pay,” she smiles.

“From what I’d experienced before with local jobs, they give you a very low salary and the benefits are not very competitive. Foreign companies that are based here give better benefits so I’d prefer to work for them than for local companies.”

This young work force is even called the new breed of Filipino heroes.

But Marjorie Ruth Aguilar, a 26-year-old call center agent says they’re not heroes.

"It’s surprising. Maybe because of the tax that the country is getting from us. It’s good that they’re appreciating what the call center agents are doing for the country because before they are saying, oh they are just call center agents, what can they do for the country."

But it comes with a great deal of stress says one of the call-center workers, Louie Delostrico.

“First of all, sleeping during day time because you have to work during night time. And another thing is the customer itself because there are a lot of customers who are irate. You need a lot of patience for yourself especially when a customer is swearing at you, giving you profane language.”

There are health consequences as a result, says Leian Marasigan, a researcher on labour issues at the University of the Philippines.

“It’s the nature of the work. You answer calls all the time. There are adverse health impacts on that, on the throat for example, and then of course you also deal with irate customers most of the time because this is customer service.”

The other criticism on the call industry is the precarious nature of work besides encountering irrate customers and working reverse hours. Many argue that while it contributes greatly to the economy, this is a new form of colonisation. Workers in developing have to reverse this working hours just to cater to the Western world's demands.

Yet, many BPO workers don’t see themselves growing old in the industry. For them this job is only good while they are still young.

“A few more years, or depending on the growth within the ladder in the BPO industry, If you feel you are already stagnant, I think that’s the right time to move out of the company,” says call center supervisor Ely Valendez who also moonlights as a blogger.

(This story originally appeared on Asia Calling as a radio and TV feature)

Asians of the Year

2013-01-01T12:24:00.002-08:00

The year 2012 was filled with challenges and adversities. As the region faced major political and social changes, personalities defied odds and rose above. Here are contemporarysia.blogspot.com’s Asians of the Year.

Psy (and his Gangnam Style)

It’s hands down for South Korean Psy or Park Jae-Sang for 2012 Asian of the Year. From obscurity, Psy catapulted to international fame for his Gangnam Style (from the famous fashion district in Seoul), the first song to ever reach more than 1 billion hits on YouTube and his famous horsy dance step is just irresistible that even famous personalities tried to do it. What makes him and the song ticked last year is understandable. The song is so danceable, the lyrics so simple (no English but the phrase Gangnam style sticks) and the dance steps so easy to follow. But in a country that has made Hallyu (Korean Wave) its biggest export (besides Samsung and Kia), Psy is not your typical boy-next-door performer. In fact, he is the completely opposite of the handsome boy band members that fans all over the world swoon over.

Aung San Suu Kyi

(Photo from Aung San Suu Kyi's Facebook Page)

The Lady is hailed as a modern hero for Burmese democracy who has fought peacefully against the military junta. After being release from house arrest, she has continued to campaign for reforms in the country. When her National Democratic League won majority seats in a special election, Aung San Suu Kyi has actively toured the country and outside Burma to profess her faith in democratic reforms and sought the support of international community to help Burma get out of the dark. She made important trips to Thailand, host to more than 3 million Burmese, the United States and Norway to officially receive her Noble Peace Prize that was given to her many years ago. Suu Kyi not only serves as an inspiration to young people in Burma but to other countries in similar situation.

Malala Youzafsai

(Photo from The Guardian.uk)

The 14-year-old Malala Youzafsai became the face of girls in Pakistani struggling to attend school under the Taliban rule through her blog. Perhaps the modern-day Anne Frank, she wrote about how the Taliban in her native Swat Valley prevented girls from going to school and other human rights violations. Since 2007, the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley and imposed a ban on education of women. Schools that are found teaching girls are either burned or destroyed and teachers are harassed, threatened or killed. On Oct 9, 2012, Malala, while riding a school bus from school, was shot in the head by a Taliban member because of her campaign for girls’ education. Critically wounded Malala was flown to London for treatment where she successfully survived. She has vowed to continue her campaign through her blog.

Pushpa Basnet

(Photo from Wikipedia Commons)

Pushpa Basnet has no family of her own. But every morning she wakes up with dozens little ones she called her children. The 2012 CNN Hero runs a home for children whose parents are serving prison sentences. The founder of NGO Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) aims to give proper education and better lives to Nepali children behind bars. Her interest in the children of prisoners started at 21 when she was studying to become a social worker. There she saw many children living with their incarcerated parents because they don't have anyone to go to. While they are with their parents, this set-up exposes the children to things that they should not see or do and denies them the right to get education and be raised in a better environment. With funding from several international organizations, she helps female inmates make handicrafts to generate income while maintaining a day care center for very young children and a home for the adult children of prisoners.

Park Geun-hye

(Photo from Wikipedia Commons)

Park Geun-hye broke into South Korean politics 15 years ago but finally got the chance to be elected its first female president in 2012. She is no stranger to politics, being the daughter of a former president. Her father was seen as the man who turned the economy around but also left an imprint of military dictatorship with gross human violations record. When her mother was assassinated in 1974, she served as a de facto first lady to her father at the age of 22. There she had her first taste of politics. Her father was also assassinated in 1979. From then on until 1997, she stayed away from the limelight succumbed to her true calling. She challenged ex-president Lee Myung-bak in 2007 but lost. During her latest campaign, she publicly apologized for her father’s dictatorial rule amidst pressure from the public.

Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III

The son of two Filipino heroes won the elections in 2010 on a platform of good governance and by promising to eradicate corruption. Many believed that unlike his famous parents, he had nothing much to show because he lacks the savvy of his father or the empathy of his mother who became the Philippines’ president after the historic people’s power revolution in 1986. Others gave him just one year to falter and fail. But 2012 was an important year for Aquino. His third year in office was marked with robust economic growth, making the country more attractive to investments. Economic upgrades were given and many international bodies consider the Philippines a breakthrough. With the help of allies in Congress and Senate and his firm stance, important laws were passed. Among these were the Mining Law, Sin Tax Law, and the controversial Reproductive Health Bill. Aquino defined the strong tobacco industry lobby when a law on putting higher taxes on liquor and cigarette was passed. He also went against the ever powerful Catholic hierarchy when he supported a health and population law that that would give universal access to contraceptives, access to maternal health and free sex education to young people. His government also secured a peace agreement with the Moro National Liberation Front in Muslim Mindanao. These important legislations were attained in a matter of three years while his predecessors never dared attempt or if they did, failed miserably.

Xi Jinping

(Photo from Xinhua)

When the baton was passed on to Xi Jinping to lead China’s Politburo in November 2012, there was no doubt that he will walk the line just like the other chosen ones before him. He will be the top Communist Party member for 10 years. Known as a go-getter who wants to get everything done fast, he dislikes rhetoric and would rather choose to work silently. Based on his earlier speeches, he is determined to stamp on corruption among the ranks of the Communist party membership by saying that no one is above the law. In the matter of foreign relations, it is expected that he will maintain what Chinahas been posturing all along, especially on the issue of territorial disputes and the country’s relationship with the West.

Unnamed New Delhi Rape Victim

(Photo of protesters in New Delhi, India)

Authorities and the media did not name the medical student in New Delhi who was raped by a group of young men inside a passenger bus in New Delhi. The 23-year-old took a bus with a friend to watch a movie when a group of young men accosted her and her companion. After raping her several times, she and her friend were dumped outside the bus. Suffering from serious injuries, she was flown to Singaporein the hope that she would survive the ordeal but she later on succumbed to complications. The rape and her death led to a barrage of protests in Indiaand once again put to debates Indian society’s treatment on women. The chauvinist views have often clashed with modernization where women are often blamed for wearing 'indecent clothes' if they are harassed or raped by men. Violence against women is very common in India where 20 rape cases are reported every 20 minutes. This does not include those women who are made to suffer or killed by the relatives of their husbands for failure to pay the dowry. Protesters also blamed the police for their slow response and the general safety in the streets of India.

Shinzo Abe

(Photo from Wikipedia Commons)

Japan’s new prime minister is a comeback kid. After resigning from office in 2007 due to a stress-induced stomach ailment, his second bid in 2012 was surprisingly successful. The leader of Liberal Democratic Party became the Prime Minister again after his party’s landslide victory on December 26, 2012. During his first tenure, Abe showed his nationalistic side by visiting the controversial War Memorial, a shrine honoring soldiers of the war, including those who were accused of war crimes. This action irked neighbors Chinaand South Korea, that accused Japanese imperial army of war crimes and rape of comfort women. Abe has since lied-low on his rhetoric to maintain sober diplomatic relations with their neighbors. But he is facing more challenges on the economic front and Japan's volatile political climate.

Thanks to all who participated in my Facebook call to post their Asians of the Year. Special thanks goes to Susan Evangelista, Stiv Tividad, Leonie Ramos and Michelle Silva-Suela who willingly shared who they think should be this blog’s Asians of the Year. Happy New Year to you all!!!

Post-ASEAN Summit notes

2012-11-23T12:02:00.000-08:00

Now that the ASEAN Summit ended, the chairmanship of Cambodia also ended and passed on to Brunei until the end of 2014.

The recent summit marked important milestones for the bloc but also left some lingering issues.

United front but divided on China Seaterritorial dispute. (AFP Photo)

First, the leaders adopted the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration that raises the standards of human rights in the region. But many believe that the declaration has missed a lot of important issues and not even at par with the international standards. NGOs and activists are calling for a more realistic look at the human rights situation in the region. As the ASEAN Summit took place in Phnom Penh, more than 4,000 human rights activists, NGO workers and victims of forced eviction from land grabbing in Cambodia protested near the venue at what they called a rampant human rights violations in the country. US President Barack Obama, who attended the summit after visiting Burma and Thailand, spoke with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen regarding the issue of forced displacements. It was described as a tense meeting between the two leaders. The Cambodian side reportedly replied that forced evictions and land grabbing were a thing of the past but the USPresident insisted that this serious human rights issue should be addressed.

Burma, who recently showed signs opening up, is also facing condemnation with its handling of the Rohingyas who have been facing endless persecution in Rakhine State. They are constantly attacked and not allowed to move to other states. The Rohingyas are also denied rights to get married without Burmese government approval, get an education or decent jobs since they don’t have nationality cards. Burmese President Thein Sein has vowed to look into the citizenship issue of the Rohingyas and the violence in Rakhine involving Muslim Rohingyas and Buddhist Rakhine residents. The adoption of the declaration is hailed by leaders as an important step but it would have been more effective if other concerns, especially from human rights NGOs and victims of human rights violations were taken into consideration.

Secondly, the ASEAN Summit also approved the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) with its FTA partners like China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australiaand New Zealand. This would lead to a more vigorous trade relation between the bloc and its trading partners. This is also seen as a preparation for the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community by 2015 on which free-flow of good, services and labor would take place.

However, the Summit was also marked with tensions involving the South China Seadispute. During the previous ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penhin July this year, the bloc failed to come up with a joint communiqué on the South China Sea, which is claimed in whole by Chinaand in part by Taiwan, Viet Nam, Malaysia, Bruneiand The Philippines. At the time, The Philippines and China were close to having a military confrontation over Scarborough Shoal, a contested atoll about 300 nautical miles from the Philippines’ Zambales province and more than 1,000 nautical miles from China’s nearest province. China claims that the shoal is part of its historical nine-dash claim while the

Philippines

insists that it is within its territory under the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea (Unclos). The non-issuance of a joint communiqué was blamed at the current chairman Hun Sen, the Cambodian PM who was allegedly pressured by the Chinese. China wants to the address the competing claims bilaterally among claiming ASEAN nations and not through ASEAN or through United Nations.

During the recent Summit from November 18-20, PM Hun Sen again announced that ASEAN leaders had agreed NOT to internationalize the China Sea issue. Philippine President Benigno Aquino III publicly rebuked the Cambodian PM during a meeting with Japan (that also has territorial dispute with China) and ASEAN leaders saying there was no consensus reached and that the Philippines and another country (Viet Nam) did not agree to what Cambodia claimed and it reserved the right to raise the issue whenever it saw fit. Aquino also called on US President Obama to take a stand on the issue. While not directly siding with anyone, Obama said he is supporting a multilateral approach to tackling territorial friction in the South China Sea.

After the Summit, the Philippines announced that four ASEAN countries—the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysiaand Viet Nam— claiming part of the South China Sea will have their own dialogue to discuss a collective approach. Obviously, they are not happy with how the Summit turned out without having again another joint communiqué issued.

Obama ups the ante in Southeast Asia

2012-11-18T03:12:00.001-08:00

Fresh from his second term victory, US President Barack Obama flies to Southeast Asia to strengthen his country’s engagement with the region. This is seen as a pivotal move for the US that focused too much on Pakistan and Afghanistan and gained nothing more but anti-US sentiments from those countries. I wrote on this blog previously about what the US President’s second mandate mean to Asia this time. Immediately after Obama’s victory speech, the White House announced that he will visit Burma, Thailandand Cambodiaat the end of November.

Obama on his way to Bangkok. Photo by Jewel Samad/AFP

The choice of countries to visit in Southeast Asia has rubbed nationalist sentiments of some ASEAN countries, notably The Philippines, Viet Nam and Indonesia that have long been seen as allies but often side-swiped by the Obama administration. The President only visited Indonesia (where he spent some years as a child) once but was never followed up. News reports said the visit to Indonesiais lessened because of terrorist threats that still have to be contained.

On the other hand, the Philippineshas always been sidestepped (even though at some points Obama was just around the vicinity of Southeast Asia) for reasons many Filipinos could not understand. The simple explanation is, while the Philippines is an ally of the US and very strategic in providing logistical support (e.g. US military bases to diffuse China’s military aggression), it is too easy to get the Philippines to its side. Most Philippine Presidents (except perhaps Ferdinand Marcos at the end of his reign and Joseph Estrada who was also toppled eventually) have the tendency to say yes to whatever the USwants without batting an eyelash. When the Philippines was engaged in a tit-for-tat with China over claims in the Spratly Group of Islands in the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea , the US began sending a few troops and hand-me-down navy ships to the Philippines to show support. But the US has played its card very well by not giving the full support the Philippineswanted because it knows that by doing so, it would only worsen its thorny relations with China.

The Chinafactor is the main reason why Obama chose to visit Thailand, Burma and Cambodia, instead of Indonesia, Viet Nam and the Philippines. Burma needs to be swayed to the US side during the country’s crucial moment of opening up to the world. The military-controlled Burma, a country with more almost 60 million population and huge untapped natural resources, is seen as the new darling of investors, including of course, US oil companies. Due to its heavy handed military regime and blotchy humanitarian records, the USand EU put an embargo on Burmese products and businesses. China (as it always does) took this opportunity to become patron of the generals and gave Burmathe needed funds and businesses in exchange for extraction of its natural resources (dam, oil) which is also being done in neighboring communist country Laos. This also extends to Cambodiawhose longest running Prime Minister Hun Sen (who also happens to be the ASEAN chairman) is seen as a Chinese ally.

Last July, Hun Sen was blamed for hijacking the joint ASEAN communiqué on the issue of the maritime standoff between the Philippine and Chinese navies in the Spratlys. It is said that behind the decision not to issue a joint communiqué were the Chinese whose investments grow exponentially in Cambodia. In a recent development, during the ongoing ASEAN summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia has again reiterated that "ASEAN will not internationalize the issue on South China Sea". Philippine President Benigno Aquino III publicly rebuked Cambodia for the statement saying there was no consensus reached among members and that ASEAN is not the only way for the Philippines to raise its objections on Chinese incursions on the contested South China Sea, on which many ASEAN countries have overlapping claims.

How about Thailand? The largely Buddhist country (along with Cambodia, Burmaand Laos) is positioning as a leader in ASEAN if not among Mekongcountries. It is seen as a neutral country that deals closely with most of its neighbors like Cambodia, Burma, Laosand Viet Nam. While it does rely on Chinafor some of its businesses, it is explicitly not pro-China. More than 50 percent of its investments are still from the Japanese. It is also a strategic country to reach Cambodia or Laos or Burma with its international airports and land borders. (Besides, the best hotels for Obama to stay are still in Bangkokand security-wise it is not so much of a problem). Meeting Thailand’s venerable King Bhumibol Adulyadej while Obama is there makes more sense since it is the ultimate gesture that the USPresident respects authority and even if he is the President of a powerful country, he finds time to visit the King.

The recent Asian visit by the US president not only tells us that the US is ready to engage Southeast Asia but also a time to let China know that it is going where China think it is winning.

Happy Asia

2012-11-08T02:46:00.003-08:00

Asians are happy people. They smile, sing and dance a lot and have a carefree and positive attitude. So it is not surprising that Asiais relatively a ‘happy region’ according to some happiness index surveys.

The World Database of Happiness study indicates that Asian countries are within the middle range of happiness—how long and happy people live.

Asians’ response to the question “how happy do you feel as you live now?” has been fairly high with communist Viet Nam topping the list.

In a recent study called Happy Planet Index (HPI) by a British think-tank New Economics Forum (NEF), Viet Nam (2), followed by Bangladesh (11) and Indonesia (14), have been cited as the happiest in Asia, even happier than the United States (105). Conspicuously missing is Bhutan, which has been cited as the happiest country in Asia and the only country in the world that uses Gross National Happiness rather than Gross Domestic Product as indicator. The previous overall topnotcher Pacific Island of Vanuatu is also not among the countries listed.

According to NEF, this report is “an index of human well-being and environmental impact”, which moves beyond crude ratings of nations according to national income, measured by gross domestic product to produce a more accurate picture of the progress of nations based on the amount of the Earth’s resources they use, and the length and happiness of people’s lives.” In the report, a list has been provided about the ranking of the countries.

The NEF study measured life satisfaction, life expectancy and environmental footprint, which is the amount of land required to sustain the population and absorb its energy consumption.

More affluent countries in Europe fell at the bottom half of the HPI because of low ecological footprint while relatively poor countries were on top of the list.

Asia’s rich like Hong Kong, Japan, Brunei, South Korea and Singaporescored low in the study because they mostly fell in the last indicator, the ecological footprint, but some scored relatively high in life satisfaction and life expectancy.

But happiness in Asia seems slipping.

A 2007 survey in Thailand, known as the land of smiles, says its gross domestic happiness index, which measures collective contentment on a 1 to 10 scale, fell to 5.1 points compared with 5.7 the year before. The survey demonstrated the public’s satisfaction or dissatisfaction with various sectors including security, public utilities, good governance, trade, social justice, allocation of resources, education and community problems.

But for a country like Bangladesh that leapfrogged to 11 from over 30 within a few years, there seems to be a revolution going on.

Overall, Costa Rica came out first while Chadand Botswanawere at the bottom of the list.

HOW ASIAN NATIONS RANKED AMONG 151 COUNTRIES:
Viet Nam(2),

Bangladesh

(11)

Indonesia

(14)

Pakistan

(16)

Thailand

(20)

Philippines

(24)

India

(33)

Sri Lanka

(36)

Laos

(38)
Japan(46)

Nepal

(59)

China

(61)

Myanmar

(62)

Korea

(64)

Malaysia

(82)

Cambodia

(85)

Singapore

(89)

What does Obama's second mandate mean for Asia?

2012-11-07T04:54:00.003-08:00

Based on earlier reports, many Asian countries were expecting that Barack Obama will win a second mandate. Despite a strong anti-American sentiment in Pakistan, Afghanistanand scores in China and India, majority of Asians support the American President when it comes to his Asian policies. He is also seen as an embodiment of the great American dream not only for Americans but by others outside the country.

Students pose near a life-size cut-out of the US President Barack Obama in Chennai, India after Obama was re-elected US President in Nov 6. (Press Trust of India photo)

The way Obama (who doesn’t have political lineage or money) catapulted to presidency not only gave inspiration to common people or minority Americans but to all the young people in the world that they too are capable of becoming a leader one day.

But what about his engagement with Asia? Many thought that he will go all the way in embracing Asia as an extension of America because of his affinity with Indonesia and his exposure with Asian culture in Hawaii where he grew up. But solving domestic problems should be prioritized to appease the Americans who have been hit hard after the George Bush administration and the Wall Street guys messed it up badly.

Indonesiafor one was frustrated when Obama’s visit early on his presidency was never followed up with another visit or a stronger bilateral relationship. However, other countries in Southeast Asia are happy with its relationship with the US, notably the Philippinesand Japan, two strategic countries for the USmilitary presence in Asia. Of course, this bilateral relationship has Chinaagainst the background. Up to the last days of the election campaign, the US’s China policy was at the center of the debates between him and Republican Mitt Romney. Obama said America has to stand tougher against China’s aggressive military power and deal with the lopsided trade investments between the two countries. But with all his rhetoric, Obama or anyone in his administration does not intend to start a cold war with China. The US, for all intents and purposes wants to maintain hegemony with Asia’s fastest rising power.

While the USalways has a kind of competitive relationship with China, it is not so with India. While China’s expansion threatens not just Americabut many Asian countries, India’s rise is very limited and does not intimidate its Asian neighbors (maybe to some extent Pakistan). The continent maintains goodwill with the USalthough lately, it got some criticisms from Obama that India lacks a good investment climate since it is still limited when it comes to foreign direct investments.

Another Asian country that will be in the radar under the second Obama administration is Burma, which has recently opened up. Having a strong USpressure of embargo and political condemnation, President Thein Sein (seen as a reformist) finally gave in and promised to slowly bring Burma to light. Soon enough, the US was among the first countries that lifted economic sanctions against Burma. US businesses such as the oil giant Chevron is among the first American businesses that have shown interest in Burma.

With an Obama win this time, engagement in Asia will continue and will even increase as soon as domestic problems in the US ease over time (let’s hope). If Mitt Romney won, there will be full of uncertainty.

Filipino wins transgender pageant

2012-11-03T07:20:00.003-07:00

Twenty-two-year old Kevin Balot, a nursing graduate from the Philippines, won the prestigious Miss International Queen, the worldwide pageant of transgenders and transvestites. Kevin was also voted Ms Photogenic according to pageant organisers Tiffany Show and Piton Communications. Jessika Simoes of Brazil won 1st runner-up while Thailand’s Panvilas Mongkol was 2nd runner-Up.

The yearly event held at the resort city of Pattaya, Thailand, on Nov 2, was aired live on Thai television and watched by millions. An offshoot of Tiffany Show Pattaya, a cabaret show, Miss International Queen has grown into one of the most popular pageants in Thailand and has attracted international media coverage. It is also dubbed as the Miss Universe for transvestites and transgenders, whose aim is to empower transgenders, promote LGBT rights and provide a venue for showcasing their talents. The pageant has also launched the careers of several winners including Ai Haruna and Treechayada 'Poy' Malayaporn, who have become mainstream actresses and models in Japan and Thailand respectively.

According to organisers, the parents and sister of Kevin surprised him by flying in from Manila to Thailand to watch him compete and win the pageant. His mother was so proud she wanted to immediately join and congratulate him onstage after the pageant.

Kevin, who dreams of becoming a flight attendant, said he was proud to be the first Filipino to win the eight-year-old pageant, which has been dominated by winners from Thailand, USA and Japan. Three other Filipinos joined the pageant. One of them was Stefania Cruz, who won Miss Ripley’s Popular Vote.

:)) Congratulations Kevin!

Other Special Awards Winners:
Best Evening Gown – Sunny Dee-Lite (United States)
Miss Congeniality – Noah Herrera (Venezuela)
Miss National Costume – Yuki Tachibana (Japan)
The Angel Talent Competition – Beni Tukishima (Japan)
Miss Perfect Skin By Asoke Skin Hospital – Matricia Mae Centino (Guam)

(Photos courtesy from Tiffany Show/Piton Communications)

China's young volunteers shine

2012-11-02T07:11:00.002-07:00

The weather has turned from sunny to very chilly. It is the worst time of the year to visit China. But worst weather aside, it is still the most promising country in Asia by far. And while the government is busy preparing for the coming-out party called the Beijing Olympics 2008, little is attention is being given to a new revolution that has been going on for years.

In a cold winter month, a number of Chinese twenty-somethings are knocking at dorm rooms, asking students to spare some of their time to an important calling, frantically writing letters of invitation, checking whether an important email has reached the head of another organisation and setting meetings to ‘evangelise’ the new recruits. This is not a preparation for another Tiananmen Square demonstration but the usual activities of student volunteers who, during their spare time, busy themselves with socially relevant activities.
There is neither Nintendo Wii nor the latest iPod model in the conversation, but there are plenty of laughs about unusual and memorable experiences. There are no pesky clients or overprotective parents interrupting the lively conversation even if the table is only filled with glasses of water and instant coffee. No Starbucks coffee.

Volunteer Service Overseas
In a simple office of the Volunteer Service Overseas somewhere in Beijing, a group of students, most of them have only met each other for the first time, eagerly exchange ideas on how it is to become the chief beneficiary of China’s economic revolution. Although it was terribly hard for the older generation especially those who experienced Mao’s Cultural Revolution, life is also not easy for the twenty-something in China nowadays. There is greater pressure for the younger Chinese to get better and high-paying jobs, and fast.

“We are looking for our identity,” says Frida, a 26-year-old PhD student at Beijing Normal University.
For her, a volunteer job does not only help other people but also herself. “It’s not just about helping other people but also about reflections on ourselves.”

Lu Mengya, 24, a graduate student at the same university says young Chinese are faced with identity crisis coupled with pressure to be successful.

"In a society that has increasingly put more importance on job description and multiple-digit salary, some Chinese twenty-somethings are redefining the crudely applied ‘me generation’ tag on them."
“It’s easy to say that the young people want to have an easy life but the evaluation is how much you earn and what kind of job you have,” she says.

This group of Chinese twenty-something has been reaping the benefits of China’s coming-of-age but has also seen the effects of the economic boom on the less-fortunate and they are willing to share what they have to alleviate the lives of the others.

Wu Di, 22, left home to take a one-year volunteer job in a poor community. As a product of China’s one-child policy, he is used to being treated as the king of the house and doesn’t even know how to wash his socks until he came to the community that changed his life forever.

“That one year allowed me to experience the local life, the local situation. Only a few people have that kind of opportunity,” he narrates smiling.

His parents are happy to see him transform from a boy to a responsible young adult.

Wanghui, 25, a social work major at the Beijing Normal University has spent his time teaching children of migrant workers.

Curious to try many things, Wanghui says he is interested in taking marginalised issues in the city and helping those who don’t have access to equal rights.

“Migrant workers’ rights are often violated. Migrant workers are vulnerable and they don’t know their legal rights,” he says emphasising his willingness to help this group for as long as he can.

He adds that by educating people, they will clamour for change and they will aspire for their vested rights.
Passionate like Wanghui, 20-year-old Guo Ming sees teaching as a lifetime career. “Now I am a teacher in economic simulation class,” he says.

The economics and environmental science major is currently an intern at an environmental non-government organisation and heads the Youth Elevation Association. He is actively putting together an NGO fair for students in May.

When he graduates, Guo Ming intends to become a full-time NGO worker. Although he says he might join the corporate world along the way, he still commits himself to volunteer work.

Xu Jing, 23, who is preparing for graduate school, has several volunteer organisations such as the Red Cross and others that focus on HIV/AIDS.

“We cannot deny that we need to have a good life. But when you have material support in life, you can help others and give valuable support to the society.”

She says it is unfair to make a sweeping generalisation on what this generation can and cannot do.

“In America, 20 per cent of people volunteer, in China only 2 per cent volunteer but you have to consider the development stages of these two countries,” she says.

Joining the group is Kerr Bronwyn, a student from New Zealand, whose fascination with anything Chinese dates back to her school days back home.

“In my class at a university in New Zealand, sometimes, 70 per cent would be Chinese so I didn’t feel so strange when I came here,” she says.

Bronwyn, 23, who is pursuing a degree at the Peking University, says she is amazed at the level of enthusiasm Chinese students display especially in helping other people.

“Most people in China have positive attitude towards volunteering and volunteers. In New Zealand, people would square me off on the street if I ask for money for projects such as sponsoring a child,” she says.
She explains that it is not that people in her country do not want to help. There is just a lot of bad attitude towards helping people in New Zealand compared to, say, China.

'Me' Generation
The comparison leads to a perky and interesting conversation on China’s ‘me generation’—the twenty-somethings whose wish list tops iPhone or Nintendo Wii and whose travels abroad like diving in Phuket and skiing in the alps make the rounds of the blogosphere. In short, China’s ‘me’ generation is a genetic mutation of self-centred, narcissistic, self-indulgent, always-me, love-myself dudes who are cool with credit cards and fancy drinks in some fabulous bars. Forget societal responsibility. Forget other people. And most importantly, forget politics. Period.

But this is not an exclusive problem of China alone. As Bronwyn says “all around the world have the same pressure on young people”. “In the US or Europe, they have long been facing a problem of self-indulgent youths.”

But why the focus on China? Why all of a sudden the young Chinese become the centre of attention? Why are they getting negative attention for wanting the latest fad, for having a good life, for getting fat salaries and for wanting to travel abroad? Why are they being blamed for flaunting what they have?

The young Chinese are as worse as the young Koreans, Filipinos or Japanese in terms of pursuing a kind of lifestyle.

Is this a case of throwing stones at a tree that bears more fruit?

Somewhere in suburban Beijing, inside a dimly lit dormitory room at Tsinghua University, a small group of students are sorting used clothes, toys and second-hand computers. Every Sunday, when it is supposed to be time to relax or go downtown for window shopping and movies, these students make it the day to discuss organisation matters. Four months before, they sent 34,000 pieces of old clothes and 3,000 books to the needy and poor students.

For some strange reason, the association’s name is Commonweal. It would have been stranger to name it commonwealth in a country like China but Wong Jun Yua Ian, the chairperson, explains that the name suggests what they do. Aside from the regular collection of clothes, toys and books, they also give free lessons to rural migrants’ children in Beijing, train other volunteers and take care of the elderly. They regularly visit elderly homes and personally look after retired professors who do not have families around.
Near a small receiving table, there is an elderly woman talking to students, seeing to it that everyone has signed a little attendance or donation sheet.

Cultural Revolution
She is Yan, a retired economics professor who lives with her husband, a retired physics professor. She says she is happy to see enthusiastic young people doing acts of random kindness.

For Yan, no matter how people view the young Chinese today, the students are far better now than before.
“After the Cultural Revolution, Tsinghua students have become more self-centred. Their aim was to go overseas after university for further studies and for personal growth. But in the past two years, students think further,” she says.

Now, she adds, there are two groups of students: Those who prefer to go overseas to help China in the process of globalisation and to bring back their expertise and those who remain in China to contribute to nation-building.

But Yan’s husband disagrees. He says after China opened up, the economic situation has improved but in terms of public spirit, something is lacking.

“The traditional Chinese value was destroyed in the Cultural Revolution and there has been an emotional vacuum so people become more self-centred and do not care for the greater good,” he says.

“There is more to be done to address this—a sense of belonging and responsibility to the society. The fundamental values that are engrained in the Chinese culture have been eroded during the Cultural Revolution.”

A sensitive topic even in China today, the decade-long Cultural Revolution, launched on May 16, 1966, was a campaign to rid China of its ‘liberal bourgeoisie’ elements and to continue the revolutionary class struggle. The impact of the Cultural Revolution was severe to many especially to those who not only lost the prime of their lives but their families and friends as well.

Mr Yan, who lived in the era of Cultural Revolution, feels there is more to be done on the national level to propagate traditional values. An example of this, he cites, is the yearly sacrifices some Chinese do for Confucius. The great philosopher has written inspiring virtues that every Chinese should integrate in his daily life to fill the emotional and societal vacuum, he says.

The couple, who spent more than 50 years teaching, believes students and young people should engage in societal issues and politics to have a better understanding of the current situation in China. They think that at least with Tsinghua University students, China seems to be heading in the right direction.

Economics vs Politics
Somewhere in an international mall in Shanghai, a group of corporate armies known by their English names as Therese, Julie, Jeff and Sunshine talk about life in a fast-changing capitalist China.

At 22, Jeff talks confidently about his job at a leading financial institution. An only child, he still lives with his parents and enjoys a certain financial freedom although he longs for another kind of freedom.

“I can’t describe it but I can feel it,” he says. “Even in work, you cannot do this, you cannot do that.”
It’s not political. It is something else.

Therese says only a few Chinese care about politics. What they care about is financial security or the prices of commodities. These days, the Chinese do not feel good about the rising cost of meat.

“I don’t care about politics, I care about the price of pork,” Jeff says.

Even participating in elections is far from Jeff’s mind.

“We don’t need to vote, we don’t care about voting,” he says emphasising that the government is strong enough to elect a good leader. And whoever is there, Jeff reasons, he is just a representative of the government that works for the people.

Therese says there is no need to go out in the street and protest to ask for changes. “We don’t want to do that. We just want a stable life.”

Given the historical failures of mass action in China, it is understandable that resorting to this is meaningless.
Julie and Therese, both in their early 30s, believe there is so much optimism among the young Chinese generation. Unlike them who were born in the ‘70s, the ‘80s generation are not afraid to try new things and to challenge the unattainable. They may be individualistic but they are highly motivated and extremely talented.

“China will be better because of their (‘80s) generation. They are more aggressive, they are more confident,” Julie says.

Being over confident cost Jeff his supposed first job in an international audit agency. After hurdling the first and second round of tests, Jeff was told that he was too aggressive for the job. But that trait gave him a chance to prove himself in his current job. In one year, he got promoted to team leader, exceeding his market quotas every month. He calls it aggressive advantage.

While Therese and Julie are worried about their future because the country’s welfare system is lacking, Jeff and other young people like him do not seem to worry. He is enjoying Shanghai’s capitalism. He plans to stay longer in sales but probably not in the same financial institution. He also intends to study in Europe or US for his master’s degree. Some of his classmates, with the help of their parents, have already started their own businesses.

Back in Beijing, Tsinghua University special education gradute student Liu Fan rides her bike outside campus to accompany me to the train station. She is one of the few students from Guangdong province who passed Tsinghua’s stringent admission exams.

Liu Fan just feels lucky she is in university while many young people are not given the chance to get an education. For her, the Chinese culture places strong emphasis on individual responsibility to the nation and society so she feels partly responsible for it.

Minutes after, the tall and slim Liu Fan asks if I could ride on the back of her bike so we can reach the station faster. It won’t be an easy ride taking a much heavier passenger in freezing weather but Liu Fan just smiles and pedals the bike smoothly.

Outside the campus, the air is denser, more polluted, and the ageing train station is overflowing with aggressive Beijingers pushing their way in, as if reminding me that this is the real China—love it or hate it.

No statement on sea dispute: ASEAN's loss

2012-07-16T12:04:00.000-07:00

While it is the first time that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) failed to come up with a joint communique, it not so surprising especially when at the middle of it all is China.

ASEAN flag (Creative Commons)

The recent meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers and the regional bloc's dialogue partners failed to make any statement regarding the brewing tension at the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), where a two-month on-off standoff has been ongoing between the Philippine and Chinese militaries. China, the Philippines, Viet Nam, Malaysia, Brunei have conflicting claims over the sea believed to have huge gas and oil deposits and rich marine resources. China claims almost entirely the South China Sea while the rest are claiming parts, specifically the ones within their 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zones.

Leaders of the Philippines and Viet Nam were particularly upset that the ASEAN ministers failed to openly support their members that are being bullied by China. It is worth noting that the Philippines is one of the five (with Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore) founding countries of the bloc.

ASEAN's current chair, Cambodia, was apparently pressured not to mention the issue of the West Philippine Sea because of its trade dependence on China. Chinese leaders warned, even before the summit started, ASEAN leaders that including the issue of the contested sea was counter-productive to its relations with the bloc. China wants to deal with the issue bilaterally and not with ASEAN. Other members, notably Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Laos have important and strategic trade relationship with China. They don't want to offend the powerful country for fear of losing their business interest.

Ernest Bower, senior adviser and director of the Southeast Asia Program at Center for Strategic and International Studies said the Philippines despite the latest event should not give up on ASEAN because clearly "a divided ASEAN is for the best interest of China."

If every nation and regional bloc like ASEAN is at the beck and call of China, then it has just to give up its sovereignty. China appears to have mustered too much strength it acts as a patron that can decide when to push and pull the strings.

Pakistan's corruption battle

2012-06-22T06:54:00.004-07:00

After the Pakistani Supreme Court dismissed prime minister Yusuf Gilani, his party's (Pakistan People’s Party) candidate Raja Parvez Asharaf was elected as the 25th Prime Minister of Pakistan on June 22, 2012.

Raja Parvez Asharaf, Pakistan's 25th PM (AFP Photo)

The Dawn newspaper reports that Ashraf, the candidate of the PPP and its coalition partners, received 211 votes while Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) candidate Sardar Mehtab Abbasi received 89 votes.

Five nominations were accepted for the position, including that of controversial Makhdoom Shahabuddin, who has a standing warrant of arrest from the Anti Narcotics Force for his alleged involvement in the Ephedrine import.

According to the Dawn newspaper, Gilani was dismissed after he disobeyed the highest court by refusing to ask Swiss authorities to reopen corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari, widower of Benazir Bhutto.

Yusuf Gilani (pictured) was dismissed as Pakistan's prime minister on June 19, 2012 due to his refusal to open a corruption case against President Asif Ali Zardari.

The paper added that Gilani always insisted Zardari had immunity as head of state and that writing to the Swiss would be a violation of Pakistan’s constitution.

"The cases against Zardari date to the 1990s, when he and Bhutto are suspected of using Swiss banks to launder $12 million allegedly paid in bribes by companies seeking customs contracts."

The dismissal of Gilani is not the first time the ruling political party and the Supreme Court clashed over corruption cases. During Pervez Musharraf's presidency, he sacked sitting Supreme Court chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. Lawyers and judges around the country protested the hasty political decision to insulate Musharraf from graft cases. After Musharraf was toppled from power, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was reinstated by Zardari, ironically, the man subject for the dismissal of the prime minister.

Opinions on the dismissal of Gilani are diverse. Many are saying that the Supreme Court only acted within its powers and trying to preserve its integrity by fighting corruption, even if it means clashing against the politicians that put them in position. Others are saying that the Chief Justice is also enmeshed in corruption himself. There are allegations that his son is receiving millions of dollars in bribe money to arrange for favourable decisions from the Supreme Court.

With the latest political mess in Pakistan where corruption is again at the centre, stability in this restive South Asian country will be hard to get.

How to deal with China on disputed seas

2012-05-13T03:52:00.000-07:00

As the tension between the Philippine and Chinese militaries escalate in the Scarborough (Panatag Shoal in Philippines), the Philippines, due to its economic standing and seemingly looking like a blip on the map (even in academic discussions), looks like an orphan. The Chinese government, as I have written on this blog site several times, has been using its controlled media to say that they have valid historical claims to the disputed shoal even if its 1,200 nautical miles away from the nearest land mass of China as opposed to the less than 200 nautical miles of the Philippines. But sheer analogy, if this is valid, the Italians can claim that the countries where the Roman Empire set foot in are theirs.

Chinese naval warship (Photo by Rajesh Jantilal/AFP)

The shoal being included in its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone, the

Philippines

has more rights over the shoal and it has more leverage if this is resolved using the UN Convention on the Laws of the Seas (UNCLOs). Because of the Chinese media's constant stream of flawed information passed on to their citizens (who are not even allowed to access independent media on television and Internet to balance different points of view), most mainland Chinese are blinded to the facts and branded the Philippines as a cry baby hiding the skirt of the United States, of which the Philippines has an enforceable Mutual Defence Treaty.

Someone wrote that the Philippines in an orphan in this battle of territorial rights over an important shoal (that is a traditional fishing ground of Filipino fishermen and also believed to contain rich natural gas and oil deposits) because the only reason the United States is helping thePhilippines is because it wants to bring its grip back to Southeast Asia which it has neglected for quite some time because of its focus on Iraq and Afghanistan. Historically, the Philippineswas an important ally of the USduring the World War II when it needed a base to counter-attack Japan. The relationship soured when nationalist sentiment pushed for the removal of the

bases in the 1990s. The USnow has realized the importance of Southeast Asia again as it engages the growing China, that is becoming more arrogant its diplomacy.

Filipino protesters shout anti-China slogans as they march towards the Chinese consulate at a rally in Manila, Philippines

(Photo by Ted Aljibe/AFP)

Meanwhile, the Philippinescannot count on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) because the members the bloc is not only heterogeneous but also has members that cozy too much with

China

because of economic and tourism dependence. The Philippineswill have to fend for its own if it decides to continue to show a brave front against China that brazenly threatens to even sink off Philippine military ships and fishermen boats in the area and even the Philippinesas a whole. A Chinese military official said (although the government keeps on denying it) they are ready to have a show of force against the Philippines and would not have any qualms of going to war with the Philippine if its to defend their ‘national territory’. The Philippines has urged that this dispute be resolved with the UN body but Chinahas always insisted on a bilateral dispute resolution because it knows that the Philippineswon’t have any fire power in terms of military or diplomacy. And by allowing the Philippines to drag this issue to UN dispute resolution, China basically opens a floodgate to settle issues of Tibet and Taiwan in an international tribunal.

Can the Philippines attain economic recovery?

2012-04-29T03:01:00.003-07:00

The reason China is bullying the Philippines is the glaring disparities in economic and military power. The bully was once called the 'Sick Man of Asia' because it had a huge population and so poor then. But it miraculously transformed into an economic giant by becoming the manufacturing hub of the world. Now the bullied is called the 'New Sick Man of Asia'. It was once the second vibrant economy in Asia, next to Japan. Why has the Philippines gone into abysmal economic performance? Here's some of the reasons written by Mathew Fisher... Can the Philippines be like China in the future?

Filipino kids scavenge over piles of garbage in Manila.

Since the Philippines values democracy and recognises human rights, its way to economic recovery will not be as fast as China. The Philippines still has Asia's strongest labour unions and enforceable labour laws. Unless the Philippines fully opens up to investment, control its population growth and clean-up the corrupt and nepotic system in government, it will remain as it is and sadly, will be bullied by China.