The world is still agog over ‘Thrilla in Manila’

 

“Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.” 

--Muhammad Ali 

 

By Alex P. Vidal 

 

BRAD Vocale, the former Australian National Boxing Federation (ANBF) president, is one of my best colleagues when I was active as accredited referee and judge in the World Boxing Foundation (WBF) and Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) in the 90’s.

BRAD VOCALE (Right) and ALEX P. VIDAL

During break time, we discussed boxing’s history and our favorite topic was always about the "Thrilla in Manila"—and why the boxing world continued to be agog over that spectacular boxing bout until today.

Vocale, who hogged headlines in 2015 when he refused to officiate in Queensland in Australia because of its lack of safety regulations, told me he was impressed with Muhammad Ali's ring prowess, especially when he clobbered Joe Frazier via 14th round TKO (technical knockout) in that historic match 47 years ago.

"Muhammad Ali showed the world why boxing is called a sweet science and why he was the greatest," Vocale said.

The historic event, considered as the biggest heavyweight boxing title fight in the world, occurred on October 1, 1975 at the Araneta Colesium in Cubao, Quezon City. 

It was a duel that defined the late Ali both as a sports icon and human being. 

Ali (48–2, 35 KOs) settled his feud with Frazier (32–2, 27 KOs), who was credited for not falling flat on his face from Ali’s barrage of howitzers. 

Trainer Eddie Futch refused to let Frazier continue before the 15th round when he sensed the duel no longer was a sport. 

 

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Referee Carlos Padilla terminated the bout as Frazier loudly protested to no avail wailing at Futch, “I want him, boss.” 

"It's all over. No one will forget what you did here today," Futch barked at Frazier, whom Ali slandered earlier and called “ape.” 

In one of his farewell officiating, I worked with Carlos “Sonny” Padilla Jr.

Both ring titans were exhausted and standing only on survival instinct. 

Frazier’s lips had been busted and his face was crimson. 

Ali also suffered a black eye in both eyes. 

Ali described that third duel with Frazier as “next to death.” 

The charismatic heavyweight champion admitted later that he asked Frazier to quit after 10 rounds. 

“C’mon, Joe, that’s enough. There's still life after this fight,” Ali allegedly whispered to his nemesis while they were swapping bombs. 

When I had a chance to work with Padilla in 1996 during the 12-round WBF welterweight fisticuffs between Amerasian William Magahin and Australian Brad Moderidge, I asked Padilla if he heard those words.

Padilla said he didn’t exactly hear the sentence uttered by Ali, but confirmed Ali was saying something only the two boxers had understood. 

At that time of the historic tussle between two of heavyweight’s most feared fisttossers, I was only a kid.

 

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We watched the fight on a black and white TV set in Molo district, Iloilo City after our classes at the Iloilo Central Commercial High School (ICCHS) in the morning. 

My recollection of the astonishing showdown was based on the films, journals, magazines, and newspaper clippings that I watched and read.

I met Sports Communicators Organization of the Philippines (SCOOP) president Eddie Alinea, who acted as Frazier’s press liaison officer, when we covered Manny Pacquiao’s fight against Joshua Clottey in Arlington, Texas. 

Alinea said he was assigned by the Office of Media Affairs (now the Philippine Information Agency) to accompany Team Frazier while the boxer was in Manila. 

He described challenger Frazier as “a monster in the ring but a gentleman outside.” 

Alinea showed to me the black and white photo of a press briefing taken at the Manila Hotel where he sat beside the behemoth champion from Louisville, Kentucky. 

He called himself “The Greatest” and was formerly known as Cassius Clay. 

 

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Now in his 60s, Alinea also kept some souvenir items bearing Frazier's signature. In a note, he thanked Alinea for the Filipino scribe’s services and presence in the Team Frazier. 

According to some boxing experts and historians I met both in the Philippines and the United States, the “Thrilla in Manila” was the greatest ever world heavyweight championship in history. 

In terms of heated rivalry, intensity, brutality, action and courageous display of skills, talent and spirit, almost all of them were saying nothing can beat the “Thrilla in Manila.”

There have been great marquee names in the world heavyweight class that emerged after Ali. 

Trevor Berbick, Greg Page, Larry Holmes, Evander Holyfield, Riddick Bowe, Mike Tyson, to mention only a few. 

But none of them could match his charisma and impact in the hearts of sports fans all over the universe. 

The record established by “Thrilla in Manila” has not been broken until today, boxing experts said.

As a member of the world boxing fraternity and sportswriter, I agree.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo.—Ed)

What cheating? Chess champ who cries wolf

 

“I believe that true beauty of chess is more than enough to satisfy all possible demands.”

—Alexander Alekhine

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

FOR three days now, we have been waiting for chess world champion Magnus Carlsen to produce his evidence after he accused fellow grandmaster Hans Niemann of cheating in the recent Sinquefield Cup.

So far, nothing. Not even a follow up to his shocking accusation that made many heads turn.

We doubt if the Norwegian champion can show any proof especially if he was only crying wolf. 

Even though there’s no hard evidence of cheating, the chess world has hogged headlines and is currently embroiled in the biggest cheating scandal it has seen in years.

It all started when the story focused on the Sinquefield Cup, part of the Grand Chess Tour of major tournaments, which the 19-year-old American grandmaster Hans Niemann had a wild card entry for. 

Niemann is reportedly a highly rated player but far from a household name even within the chess world, and this was a chance to face off against the world's greatest players over the board.

Carlsen, 31, had earlier dispatched one of his closest rivals, grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi. 

On the other hand, Niemann had secured an impressive draw against grandmaster Levon Aronian, one of the chess world's brightest prospects. Niemann faced Carlsen after winning his next game in round three. 

 

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Carlsen, usually unflappable, played white and reportedly experienced a bit of a nightmare. 

“It seemed clear fairly early on that he'd either messed up or underestimated Niemann badly,” observed analyst Rich Stanton. “Carlsen was still in a position that should have led to a draw, and you'd expect the world champion to convert that, but instead he made a very bad move and lost. The 19 year-old Niemann had, unbelievably, beaten the best in the world.”

Stanton said the win raised eyebrows, “but chess is after all a game where history can be made by fantastical upsets. What happened next, however, has thrown the chess world into a spasm of accusation and counter-accusation.”

The world champion withdrew from the tournament. As is his wont, according to Stanton, he posted about it on twitter, along with a short clip of football coach Jose Mourinho, regularly used as a meme, in which the oft-petulant Portuguese coach says "I prefer really not to speak. If I speak I am in big trouble... in big trouble! And I don't want to be in big trouble."

In a statement posted to Twitter on late on September 26, Carlsen said: "I'm frustrated. I want to continue to play chess at the highest level in the best events."

He went on: "I believe that cheating in chess is a big deal and an existential threat to the game. I also believe that chess organizers and all those who care about the sanctity of the game we love should seriously consider increasing security measures and methods of cheat detection for over the board chess.

"I believe that Niemann has cheated more—and more recently—than he has publicly admitted."

 

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After my childhood favorite English grandmaster Nigel Short has spoken about the furor, I am convinced Carlsen wasn’t telling the whole truth.

Short, the only British player to compete in the final of the world championships, told the British Broadcasting Corporation last week he was skeptical about the claims of foul play, saying there was no evidence Niemann cheated in his victory over Carlsen.

He said: "I think in the absence of any evidence, statement or anything, then this is a very unfortunate way to go about things. It's death by innuendo.”

This brouhaha reminded us of a Saturday Evening Post article, “King of the Board: The Soviet Collusion Against Bobby Fischer” written by Nicolas Gilmore on August 31, 2017.

The article describe the late former world champion and American genius Bobby Fischer’s distrustful relationship with the World Chess Championship, citing that he “has never managed to win such a tournament, a failure he apparently attributes to a Communist conspiracy rather than to any shortcomings of his own.”

Two years earlier, the article said Fischer had described his experience in the Curaçao Candidates’ tournament in a Sports Illustrated manifesto (“The Russians Have Fixed World Chess”), claiming a rudimentary grasp of Russian allowed him to sniff out their cheating: “They would openly analyze my game while I was still playing it. It is strictly against the rules for a player to discuss a game in progress, or even to speak with another player during a game—or, for that matter, with anyone.” Fischer also posed that the format of the tournament was problematic as it allowed the numerous Soviet players to collude in a series of draws and fixes, saving their energy for the finals. His suspicions were validated by several witnesses, including a Soviet grand master. One statement of Fischer’s from the article was proven false: his proclamation to never play in a World Chess Championship again.

 

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In the World Chess Championship of 1972–the final game of which was played 45 years ago to the day—Fischer defeated Boris Spassky and ended the 24-year-long Soviet holding of the title. 

The article said the event was hugely publicized as a pitting of the West and the Communists during the Cold War, and the game of chess as a metaphor of strategy and domination didn’t hurt. The Reykavik faceoff was PBS’s highest-rated show at the time, and the whole experience even spawned a Broadway musical.

“After his win, Fischer—perhaps unsurprisingly—disappeared for two decades. In the years leading to his death his anti-Semitism and anti-Americanism became hyper-inflammatory, culminating in a rant on Philippine radio on 9/11 that caused the U.S. Chess Federation to denounce the once-great player,” the article stressed.

Fischer’s rise and fall is a tragic and puzzling tale of, perhaps, the only American household name in the game. 

It runs counter to most perceptions of a quiet, friendly competition that Frank Brady, the 1964 editor of Chessworld magazine, call’s “more exciting than sex.”

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo.—Ed)

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

No electricity means near death

“Hurricane season brings a humbling reminder that, despite our technologies, most of nature remains unpredictable.”

—Diane Ackerman

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

WE can’t blame some giant media networks in the United States if they have been reporting “live” about the Hurricane Ian like the world was about to end.

Hurricane Ian really was monster and one-of-a-kind.

Some Filipinos in the Philippines with relatives in Florida who monitored the wrath of Hurricane Ian in these US media networks have been burning the lines to check for their loved ones in the southwestern coast of Florida, where the super hurricane made landfall as a powerful Category 4 storm near Cayo Costa as of this writing.

It's reportedly one of the strongest hurricanes to make landfall on the west coast of the Florida peninsula.

Strong or weak (hurricanes are always considered strong), Americans have always feared hurricanes like an invasion or Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Unlike Filipinos who are used to having no electricity in the far flung hinterlands and remote areas and can fend for themselves for days if hit by super typhoons, Americans have nightmares with power outages during calamities.

It’s always been a case of give me electricity or give me death.

 

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For many of them, losing electricity amid the storm is near death or a melt down.

All their life they have lived and survived in electricity.

They have relied on electricity for their interior lights, water source, toaster oven, washing machine, refrigerator, heater, air-condition, computer, among other modern household apparatuses, gadgets and appliances.

Our heart goes out to those trapped in their houses without electricity now that the extremely dangerous conditions that the hurricane has unleashed, so far, including catastrophic floods and life-threatening storm surge, will reportedly continue as the storm advanced inland. Reports said some areas could see the worst surge forecast on record.

As of this writing, Hurricane Ian has weakened to a Category 1 hurricane as it moved across central Florida, the National Hurricane Center said as reported by CNN. The storm's sustained winds were reportedly down to 90 mph. 

Ian was now centered about 70 miles south of Orlando. East-central Florida, including Orlando, was also under a tornado watch through 1 a.m. ET September 29.

Overnight, widespread tropical storm-force winds with gusts above hurricane force will continue to impact central Florida, the hurricane center said as reported by CNN.

 

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AMERICAN Express or Amex is now investigating the unauthorized charge of $75 in my credit card from the “Philippine One Health Pass” which is reportedly a scam. I have disputed the charge and I expect Amex to resolve the matter first week of October.

Immediately after I made the dispute, Capital One warned me through e-mail to “look out for the latest payment scam.

“With scammers becoming more sophisticated, you’re the first line of defense for preventing scams,” Capital One wrote. “By recognizing these five common tactics, you can protect yourself and your money.”

The five common tactics referred to by CapitalOne are:

1.   Rushing cryptocurrency investments: Scammers can pose as investors to sell you on a lucrative cryptocurrency opportunity. They’ll give you a short time limit to invest, but will keep the money you sent for themselves. If they’re represented by a company, contact them from a trusted source, like their company phone number. 

2.   Faking job offers: Job listings or offers could have a scammer behind them. During the hiring process, the scammer will ask you to link accounts to other banks and send money they promise to refund. Don’t be pressured with time-sensitive demands or high salaries. Instead, contact the business with a trusted phone number or email.

3.   Gaining remote access: Scammers claiming to be from well-known companies can try to gain remote access to your personal devices. If an associate from one of these companies cold calls you claiming they can fix an unknown issue, ignore the call and contact the company directly. Be sure to use a phone number from a trusted source.

 

4.   Compromising business email: Scammers can impersonate a company official to request a change for your account by email or text. Don’t call the number provided in the message. Instead, find the company’s official number from a trusted sources and validate that the request is legitimate.

 

5.   Impersonating a Capital One associate: Some scammers will pose as Capital One and use email, phone or text to request your personal information or to transfer money. When in doubt, ignore the message and call us at the number listed on the back of your debit card credit card or bank statement.

 

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo.—Ed)

 

 

 

Bongbong watches Eric Clapton show above the ‘cannibalized’ Penn Station

 

“In the music world, concerts unfold strictly according to plan. But, as I'd been finding out, in the book world, things keep changing by the second.”

—Dan Hill

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

I HAVE pointed this eerie view many times this year to several visiting friends in New York City who happened to pass by between 31st and 33rd Streets and 7th and 8th Avenues on Manhattan's West Side.

Developers failed to move the big round, colossal elephant in the room sitting on top of the decapitated remains of a once-great Pennsylvania Station, also known as New York Penn Station or simply Penn Station, when the main intercity railroad station in New York City, was torn down for massive repair early this year. 

I’m referring to the very popular Madison Square Garden in the heart of Manhattan located on top of the busiest transportation facility in the Western Hemisphere, serving more than 600,000 passengers per weekday as of 2019.

When Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. rushed to the Garden to watch the concert of Eric Clapton on September 19, 2022, he was reportedly shocked to see the “cannibalized” Penn Station that tarnished the Garden’s once magnificent façade. 

 

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Alexandros Washburn had written for Daily News on January 31, 2022: “The conventional wisdom is that Penn can’t be fixed or improved and elevated into the beautiful public space New York City deserves without moving the Garden. And moving the Garden, the thinking goes, even with recent hints that the owners might consider it, is a nonstarter.

But what if moving Madison Square Garden were the best thing not just for the train station but for the arena itself—for those who perform and play in it, for those who own it and, most importantly of all, for those fans who crowd it?”

“We moved Yankee Stadium across the street. We moved Shea Stadium across the parking lot (and gave it a new name). Why not move Madison Square Garden across the street, where some want to build new office buildings? (Do we really need more office buildings?) A sports arena adjacent to a transit hub is immeasurably better than one sitting awkwardly on top of it. Hear me out,” thundered Washburn.

Mr. Marcos reportedly watched the last 30 minutes of Clapton’s concert and must have paid $6,949.89 for the front row ticket.

Clapton, an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter and regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music, is Mr. Marcos’ favorite since the Philippine president was teenager.

 

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The 77-year-old singer, recently diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy, a condition that occurs when nerves carrying messages to and from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body are damaged or diseased, reportedly sang 16 songs including the hit song “Tears in Heaven” and of course, “Wonderful Tonight.”

Mr. Marcos’ attendance in the Garden came a week before the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), in partnership with NJ Transit and Amtrak, approved a contract for the redesign of Penn Station, a project that could cost the city $7 billion. 

The joint venture project team reportedly includes architect of record FXCollaborative, global engineering firm WSP, and British design studio John McAslan and Partners, which will serve as a design consultant.

The base contract is valued at $57.9 million and includes preliminary design of the new station, improvements to nearby subway stations, and engineering support as station reconstruction moves forward, according to New York Yimby.

FX Collaborative and WSP reportedly worked together on the Penn Station Master Plan unveiled in 2021. 

According the New York Yimby, the full scope of work includes replacement of the current station with a 250,000-square-foot, single-level facility with improved interior organization and more space for an estimated 650,000 daily commuters. 

The facility will reportedly include a train hall about the combined size of Moynihan Train Hall and Grand Central Terminal’s main concourses.

The new station will also include retail and dining options, improved ticketing and waiting areas, additional elevators and escalators, and more station entrances and exits. 

 

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The facility will also reportedly have an underground connection to the 34th Street-Herald Square subway station.

The current renovation does not include any added train capacity.

Outside the station, plans call for the construction of a 30,000-square-foot public plaza, increased bike lanes and docking stations, and widened sidewalks, the New York Yimby stressed.

The masterplan also reportedly includes the construction of high-rise residential towers that could create 1,800 apartments including 540 permanently affordable homes.

“The time to fix Penn Station is now, and this is an important step in the right direction. New York City deserves a 21st-century transit hub as great as the city, and we are taking advantage of a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reconstruct Penn Station and revitalize the neighborhood,” said New York City mayor Eric Adams. 

“Our administration will continue working closely with our state partners to get stuff done.”

In line with the MTA’s mission to encourage the growth and development of certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE), the MTA’s Department of Diversity and Civil Rights has assigned a 22.5 percent DBE goal to the contract, added the New York Yimby.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo.—Ed)

 

Just like war coverage

 

“You can't get anywhere in life without taking risks.”

—Esme Bianco

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

REPORTERS who risk their lives and limbs covering the actual devastation of typhoons, fires and earthquakes are like reporting about the war in the battlefield.

There is a high level of risk and danger; the possibility of getting injured and maimed during the actual coverage is always clear and present.

When they leave their homes, there is a possibility that war correspondents may not be able to come home alive. 

Just like the soldiers who are aware their other foot is in the cemetery when they mount their refiles and engage the enemy. 

Reporters covering the calamities in the field could also suffer life-threatening injuries and even death. Mishaps always occur. Landslides and flying debris are as deadly as the stray bullets, bombs, and armalite ammunition.

I remember one incident in Pototan, Iloilo in 1987 where a radio reporter was electrocuted and died on the spot while his colleague was badly injured and lost his arm. While reporting “live” the antenna of the reporter’s walkie talkie touched a live wire connected to the electric post.

According to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), 65 journalists and media workers were killed worldwide in 2020 while doing their jobs. 

The victims, however, weren’t hit by flying G.I. sheets or burnt and swept away by floods and landslides.

They were killed in 16 different countries during targeted attacks, bomb attacks and crossfire incidents. And this is another sordid story that saddens Filipino journalists.

 

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Why is the Philippine peso has been rapidly declining against the US dollar these past weeks?

Not only is the peso unusually weak over time, it is also now the weakest in ASEAN, economic analyst JC Punongbayan asserted. 

In the past two years, other ASEAN currencies—like the Thai baht, Malaysian ringgit, and Singaporean dollar—have even strengthened significantly against the US dollar, he said.

Punongbayan stressed that this separation or “decoupling” of the peso from other ASEAN currencies suggests that factors peculiar to the Philippine economy are causing its weakness.

He said some analysts like to blame the interest rate hikes of the US Federal Reserve (simply called the Fed), which tend to attract investments into the US.

As investors in the Philippines haul off their investments to the US, investors exchange their pesos for dollars, flooding the local market with pesos and reducing its relative value. 

In other words, Punongbayan explained, Fed rate hikes tend to weaken the peso.

“But this could hardly be the main reason behind the peso’s weakness today: the Fed rate has been rising since late 2016, yet other ASEAN currencies have managed to strengthen against the dollar,” he stressed.

“Hence, the peso’s decoupling must be due to factors peculiar to the Philippines. Here I elaborate on 3 likely reasons: a widening trade deficit, weak OFW remittances, and some degree of capital flight.”

The Economist’s Big Mac Index is based on the theory of purchasing power parity (PPP), which states that in the long run, the exchange rates of any two economies should move towards the rate that would equalize the prices of an identical basket of goods.

 

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THREE MAJOR REASONS WHY PEOPLE GET OLDER QUICKLY. ABC news has released a study made by experts listing three major reasons why some people are getting older quickly: 

1. Smoking 

2. Over exposed to sunlight 

3. Divorce

Another study shows the average child recognizes over 200 company logos by the time he enters first grade.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo.—Ed)

 

 

I ‘missed’ Liza Marcos in Broadway

“We are living in the excesses of freedom. Just take a look at 42nd Street and Broadway.”

—Will Durant

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

SOMEBODY had tipped this writer Philippine First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos would be in the Broadway to watch either “The Lion King” or “The Phantom of the Opera” on September 19, the night after she and Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. arrived in New York City on September 18 for the 77^thUnited Nations General Assembly (UNGA77).

“The Lion King” was at the Minskoff Theater on 200 W 45^th Street, while “The Phantom of the Opera” was at the Majestic Theater on 245 W 44^th Street.

Since September 18 was my birthday, I opted to be in the $281 per ticket “Phantom of the Opera” show, seen by 80 million people around the world and the longest running Broadway musical since its premiere 1986, on September 19.

The informant later said First Lady Araneta-Marcos “couldn’t make it” as she was book on September 21 for the “Into the Woods” show at the St. James Theater on 246 W 44^th Street.

I watched the “The Phantom of the Opera” show at 8 o’clock in the evening. 

Liza Marcos watched the “Into the Woods” at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, according to the informant, who covered the UNGA77 for a Philippine network.

And never the twain shall meet.

 

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Anyway, I had a very good reason to be in the “The Phantom of the Opera” show. 

I could have been part of history now and I may not anymore watch it in the future. The show will soon big goodbye for good.

The longest-running show in Broadway history and, for many, a symbol of musical theater, will drop its famous chandelier for the last time in February, becoming the latest show to fall victim to the drop-off in audiences since the pandemic hit, according to the New York Times.

The closing is at once long-expected—no show runs forever, and this one’s grosses have been softening—but also startling, because “Phantom” had come to seem like a permanent part of the Broadway landscape, a period piece and a tourist magnet that stood apart from the vicissitudes of the commercial theater marketplace, explained the New York Times.

But in the year since Broadway returned from its damaging pandemic lockdown, the theatergoing audience has not fully rebounded, and “Phantom,” which came back strong last fall, has not been selling well enough to defray its high weekly running costs.

The show will commemorate its 35th anniversary in January, and then will play its final performance on Broadway on Feb. 18, according to a spokesman. 

The cast, crew and orchestra were informed of the decision on September 16.

 

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The show will reportedly continue to run elsewhere: The London production, which is even older than the one in New York, closed in 2020, at the height of the pandemic, but then returned, with a smaller orchestra and other cost-lowering reconfigurations, a year later. 

According to Michael Paulson, a new production opened last month in Australia, and the first Mandarin-language production is scheduled to open in China next year. Also: Antonio Banderas is working on a new Spanish-language production.

Over the years “Phantom” has become a fixture that has drawn enormous audiences around the world. 

Since the first production opened in London in 1986, the show has been seen by more than 145 million people in 183 cities around the world; it has been performed in 17 languages, and next year that number is expected to rise to 18, when the Mandarin production opens.

On Broadway, Paulson said, the show has been seen by 19.8 million people, and has grossed $1.3 billion, since opening, according to figures compiled by the Broadway League. 

It grossed $867,997 during the week ending Sept. 11, which is decent but not good enough to sustain a run of a musical of this scale (with a large cast and large orchestra and elaborate set, all of which drive up running costs).

 

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Writer Isabel Catalan said since its premiere in 1986, Phantom of the Opera Broadway tickets have always sold out for several seasons in a row. 

“The Phantom of the Opera” is one of the most successful Broadway musicals that has won 7 Tony Awards (including Best Musical of the Year) for its wonderful adaptation of Gaston Leroux's popular novel.

Set in the 19th century at the Paris Opera House, it tells the story of a deformed man who hides in the cellars of the opera house and terrorizes the theater workers with his crimes. 

The ghost falls in love with a young dancer named Christine, adopts her as his muse and teaches her to sing in order to become the star of the opera. 

However, when he discovers that his love is impossible, he swears revenge.

Catalan said her favorite scene is the one in the boat, when the ghost leads Christine to his lair. 

“It is full of intrigue and chemistry—simply sensational!”she stressed. 

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo.-Ed)

 

    

‘I’m mainly interested to know what’s on your mind’

 

“You only trust those who are absolutely like yourself, those who have signed a pledge of allegiance to this particular identity.”

—Judith Butler

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

THE meeting between US President Joseph “Joe” Biden Jr. and Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. at the InterContinental Barclay in New York City lasted only for six minutes.

It started at 11:21 o’clock and ended at 11:27 o’clock in the morning.

The two leaders reflected on the importance of the U.S.-Philippines alliance even as President Biden reaffirmed the United States’ ironclad commitment to the defense of the Philippines. 

They primarily discussed the situation in the South China Sea and underscored their support for freedom of navigation and overflight and the peaceful resolution of disputes. 

They also discussed opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation on a wide range of issues, including energy security, climate action, and infrastructure. 

The two presidents also discussed Russia’s war against Ukraine and its implications for energy prices and food security, as well as ASEAN matters, the crisis in Burma, and the importance of respect for human rights.

 

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PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Well, Mr. President, welcome to you and your delegation.  I—I think I woke you up election night.  I called you so late to congratulate you.  (Laughter.)  But it’s a great victory, and I—and my best to your wife as well.

The relationship between the United States and the Philippines, to state the obvious, has very deep roots.  We’ve had some rocky times, but the fact is it’s a critical, critical relationship, from our perspective.  I hope you feel the same way. 

And we have strong ties, including millions of Filipino Americans who are very proud of their ancestry and desperately want us to continue to have a strong relationship.  

And our foundations are strong in the U.S.-Philippine alliance, which is of critical importance.

For decades, the alliance has strengthened both of us, I believe.  And one of the things I want to talk about today is how we continue to strengthen that and work together on the things that are of greatest concern to you. 

Today, I look forward to discussing the opportunities for a wi- — wide range of issues, including COVID-19 recovery, energy security, and renewable energy. 

I—I was impressed with the work you did on windmills and a whole range of other things. You and I both think that’s the future; we can do a lot. We—how we can do a lot together.  I’m desperately interested in making sure we do. 

 

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In addition, I expect we’ll discuss the South China Sea and disputes in a critical global through— throughway. I’ve spent a lot of time with—with not only the President of China but others about the international waters and how they have to be respected.  And we should talk about that a little bit, I hope.

 And we’re also—thank you for your position on the war against Ukraine and—by Russia—and how it’s impacting energy prices and—and food prices. And we—we’re working very hard to be able to do something about that. 

And—and so, we want to talk about human rights, talk about a whole range of things. But I’m mainly interested to know what’s on your mind and how we can continue to strengthen this relationship.

And again, congratulations.

PRESIDENT MARCOS:  Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. And thank you. We’re very happy for the opportunity to meet with you despite the schedules that we both have to deal with.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  You came a little further than I did.

PRESIDENT MARCOS:  (Laughs.) Well, the—the relationship—the 100-plus-year-old relationship between the Philippines and the U.S. continues to evolve as we face the challenges of this new century and the events that we have been watching over the past few months, really. 

So, we have very much to discuss in terms of redefining, I suppose, in many ways. 

But the role of the United States in maintaining the peace in our region is something that is much appreciated by all the countries in the regions and the Philippines especially.

We feel that we are especially fortunate because we have very strong foundation of a very long relationship and the stren—strong relationships on various facets not only political, not only diplomatic, but also economic. 

And, of course, there is the very large Filipino population that have chosen to live and make their lives here in the United States and have been very successful. 

 

-o0o-

 

PRESIDENT MARCOS: Again, we would like to thank the United States for the massive help that we received during the pandemic. 

We had the provision of up to 35–almost 36 million doses of vaccines very early on, ahead of some of the other countries. And for that we are very, very grateful.

We continue to look to the United States for that continuing partnership and the maintenance of peace in our region. 

In terms of the geopolitical issues that we face in this day and age, the primary consideration of the Philippines and the guiding principle of the Philippine foreign policy is to encourage peace. 

And I hope that we will be able to discuss further the roles that our two countries will play together and individually as we continue down that road, maintaining peace despite all of the complexities that have arisen in the past few months, I suppose. 

So, thank you again, Mr. President, for making time to see us.  We are your partners. We are your allies. We are your friends. And in like fashion, we have always considered the United States our partner, our ally, and our friend.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Thank you. It’s mutual.

(Cross-talk by reporters.)

PRESIDENT BIDEN: I wouldn’t bother answering.(Source: White House)

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo.—Ed)