News peg: The DFA secretary and Defense Secretary said that in case of any Nokor attack on US territory, the Philippines would host US military bases as launching pad and military station.
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The following is the specific provision of the Constitution on military bases:
“Art. XVIII . Transitory Provisions. Section 25. After the expiration in 1991 of the Agreement between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America concerning military bases, foreign military bases, troops, or facilities shall not be allowed in the Philippines except under a treaty duly concurred in by the Senate and, when the Congress so requires, ratified by a majority of the votes cast by the people in a national referendum held for that purpose, and recognized as a treaty by the other contracting State.”
Here’s the policy statement of Malacaňang made five months ago on occasion of Veterans Day : From the Office of the President at president.gov. ph, November 12, 2012: “Palace says there are no plans to allow Americans to put up military bases in the country
“Malacanang made an assurance Monday there were no plans to allow the return of American military bases in the country despite the announcement of the Obama administration to increase military presence in the Asia Pacific region.
“ “There are no basing arrangements with the Americans. That has been ruled out,” Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said Monday during the regular press briefing in Malacanang.
“Allowing the US to revive its military bases in the Philippines is not consistent with the country’s 1987 Constitution, Lacierda said. xxx xxx
“During the commemoration of the Veterans’ Day at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in Taguig City Sunday, US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. said the US government has no plans of putting up military bases in the Philippines despite President Barack Obama’s Pacific Rim policy. Under the new US policy, the American military aims to refocus its forces in the Asia Pacific region.
“Thomas said, however, that the US military will continue giving extensive trainings to Philippine military personnel under the existing military tie up.
“Aside from providing the Filipino soldiers’ training, the US military is also committed in assisting the Philippines by extending humanitarian assistance particularly during calamities, he said.
“Under its military engagement in the Asia Pacific region, the US government has increased its military presence in Singapore and Australia.
“In 1991, the Philippine Senate voted to shut down US military bases in Clark and Subic. The last American forces left in 1992.”
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Wordpress Weekly Photo Challenge: Change
Yehey! i’ll be able to use an original Filipino composition by an iconic songwriter, Jose Mari Chan. Here it is; i’ve also embedded the audio of the song (thru Youtube) below…
Constant Change
(words and music by Jose Mari Chan)
(OPM: Original Filipino Music)
[Jose Mari Chan sang this with so much sadness it seemed like he was saying good-bye to something — or someone — or someplace he almost didn’t want to let go.
Jose Mari Chan was one of those famous Filipinos who had to leave the country when martial law was declared, or at the height of martial law. This song was released post-martial law, after the dictatorship had fallen, and “exiled” Filipinos had returned. i get the sense that he wrote parts of it while he was somehow packing, writing to friends, closing doors and windows, preparing to leave what they had known as home for more than a decade to come back to the Philippines … take a look-see. (pls click the audio, too, below… Photo for the Weekly Photo Challenge: Change, by Myra Lambino]
“We’re on the road
We move from place to place
And oftentimes when I’m
about to call it home
We’d have to move along
Life is a constant change…
Photo by Myra Lambino in New York where she attended her College Silver Jubilee Reunion and was asked to deliver an impromptu speech to represent her batch — she found “long-lost friends”.
*** *** ***
“The friends we know
we meet along the way
Too soon the times we share
form part of yesterday
‘Cause life’s a constant change
And nothing stays the same, oh no
Clouds that move across the skies
Are changing form before our very eyes
Why couldn’t we
keep time from movin’ on?
Hold on to all the years
before this moment’s gone?
Why must we live the days
at such a frightening pace?
xxxx
Cause life’s a constant change
And nothing stays the same, oh no” – Jose Mari Chan
“The Revolution is Being Televised. The story of six Syrian activists who risk their lives to capture the horrific daily realities of the conflict.” Al Jazeera…
And some health news: “One of the World’s Tiniest Cycling Tracks” TIME Video;
“Creepy Creatures Fight Disease, Infection and More”, Readers Digest;
“Study shows pain really is all in your head, and you can see it”, NBC news;
