A politically doddering father

“Things fall apart and happen out of stupidity and carelessness.”

—John Sandford

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

ILOILO CITY Mayor Geronimo “Jerry” Treñas has been getting a flak for supposedly “overdoing” the promotion or marketing of his daughter, Raisa Treñas-Chu or “Raisa Treñas” in the unofficial campaign sorties, being groomed to be the rival of Iloilo City lone district Rep. Julienne “Jamjam” Baronda in the 2025 congressional election.

The recent furor whipped up by the reported discovery of Mrs. Chu’s photo placed alongside her father as city mayor and Vice Mayor Jefrey Ganzon in the barangay hall of Brgy. Lopez Jaena in the Jaro district was a definitive example.

Since the controversial photo was found inside the barangay hall, Punong Barangay Albert Santiago will have a lot of explaining to do for the recklessness, idiocy and grand violation of basic protocol.

It would have been a terrible scandal if the impropriety was committed, or if Mrs. Chu’s gratuitous photo was found hanging alongside the photos of incumbent elected officials inside the city hall, or in any other government edifices for that matter.

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It was possible an animated Santiago and his enlivened allies in the barangay council wanted to ingratiate themselves with Treñas and were the ones responsible for the gaffe.

If Treñas ordered Mrs. Chu’s photo to be displayed in that barangay hall and in 179 other village halls in the city, he can be censured or blasted for his truculence and having no delicadeza.

The act was callous and abusive—if it had city hall imprimatur.

If it was purely the handiwork of “asslickers” Santiago and the barangay councilors, the city mayor still has the moral obligation to tell them what they did was wrong and improper. He has to call spade a spade.

If the blatant breach of etiquette wasn’t uncovered by a concerned individual who was able to rouse exhilarating public discussions after bringing the matter in the social media, would Treñas—granting he was aware of the solecism—tolerate or allow it?

 

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If the elementary slip-up wasn’t tackled in the media, would Treñas pretend he “didn’t see, hear, and smell anything” about the unwarranted presence of her daughter’s photo inside that barangay hall?

Any father who wants his daughter to be catapulted into the totem pole to become the next Queen Nefertiti like in the case of Treñas, who passionately wants Mrs. Chu to be included in the next payroll of the House of Representatives, wouldn’t mind feigning innocence if the infraction wasn’t really outrageous (but discreditable)—like the ill-advised hanging of Mrs. Chu’s photo in the Brgy. Lopez Jaena, Jaro barangay hall.

It’s hard to comprehend Treñas’ feeling as he fantasizes about seeing his daughter being coronated as the next congresswoman if one isn’t a politically doddering father.

Which should be understandable why a simple mistake could take place in a small village hall even before the biggest political spectacle leading to the 2025 congressional combat has yet to take place.

 

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The United States is partnering with the Philippines to explore opportunities to grow and diversify the global semiconductor ecosystem under the International Technology Security and Innovation (ITSI) Fund, created by the CHIPS Act of 2022.

In July 2024, the civil nuclear cooperation “123” agreement entered into force, enabling the United States and the Philippines to enhance our cooperation on clean energy and energy security.

In March 2024, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo led the first-of-its-kind Presidential Trade and Investment Mission to the Philippines – resulting in $1 billion in investment pledges from 22 U.S. companies.

On July 15-16, the United States hosted the Philippines in Washington for the first United States-Philippines Cyber-Digital Policy Dialogue.

The United States and the Philippines co-hosted the Indo-Pacific Business Forum on May 21, bringing together 600 government and private sector participants from 24 countries to discuss trade and investment opportunities.

The two countries have a bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, signed in 1989 and most recently convened in July 2024, and a tax treaty.

 

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In May 2022, the Philippines and the United States joined 12 other partners to launch the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF).

The United States and the Philippines, together with Japan, launched the Luzon Economic Corridor to support connectivity between Subic Bay, Clark, Manila, and Batangas.

Through these and other initiatives, our countries aim to strengthen our economic cooperation through the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment- IPEF Investment Accelerator.

The Philippines’ Membership in International Organizations. Owing to our shared democratic values and respect for the rule of law, the United States and the Philippines work together to preserve the integrity and independence of international fora such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, the United Nations, ASEAN Regional Forum, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization.

The Philippines served as chair and host of ASEAN for 2017 and will do so again in 2026. The United States strongly supports Philippine government efforts to fully implement the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

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

We also want it

"If you don't try to win you might as well hold the Olympics in somebody's back yard."

—Jesse Owens

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

WHILE our athletes have not been making headlines lately in the ongoing 2024 Paris Olympic Games or 2024 Paris Olympics, some Filipino news websites and social media platforms have drawn inspiration from half Filipino athletes like the talented Filipino-Americans or Fil-Ams doing well in the quadrennial sporting event.

Some of these news websites and social media platforms, maintained by Filipino chroniclers of daily events globally, have opted to highlight the gold-winning moments of half Filipino athletes representing other countries when no glorious and dramatic explosions came out from the Team Philippines since the World Olympic Games unwrapped in France on July 26.

They even captioned the stories and photos of some of these non-Philippine representing athletes as “Filipino pride” like these extraordinary athletes won the gold medals for the Philippines.

No, they weren’t intended for us. Perhaps, we’re only salivating their scintillating performances and gold medals “would’ve been counted for the Philippines” if they didn’t represent other countries or if they played for the Team Philippines.

 

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Win or lose, we must be proud also of our 22 Olympians who have pure Filipino blood running in their veins. We cheer for purely Pinoy Olympic champions trained in their native Philippines and mentored by Pinoy coaches.

Nothing can beat our very own or the “originals.” Nothing can be sweeter than watching native Pinoy athletes trouncing their rivals in the Olympics and bringing home whatever medal for the Philippines.

A silver or bronze would be like gold if won gallantly by underdog Pinoy athletes over world-class competitors. It doesn’t matter anymore if it is a third or second place—as long as it is an Olympic Games medal.

Of course we must shoot for the gold. In any sports competition, there’s no substitute for gold or the championship; and our athletes must give their best; they must go down fighting even if the odds were stacked against them from the very beginning.

Whatever success—or failure—they get deserves a space in any Philippine newspaper and news websites and social media platforms since they are considered as heroes and heroines who battled against the world’s best and showcased their prowess to give us pride and honor.

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U.S. ASSISTANCE TO PHILIPPINES. For the past 60 years, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has worked with the Philippine government and local organizations to achieve shared development goals, investing more than $5 billion to support the Philippines since 1961.

The United States is among the largest bilateral donors to the Philippines. USAID invests approximately $120 million annually to promote inclusive, market-driven growth; foster strong democratic systems and economic governance; promote responsible natural resource management; and improve access to and quality of education and health services. The United States has had a Peace Corps program in the Philippines for over 50 years.

The U.S. Government strengthens communities’ ability to respond to and recover from disasters, as well as improve their capacity to withstand future calamities.

Over the last decade, disaster relief and recovery has become a vital area of assistance to the Philippines. Since 2010, USAID has provided more than $370 million in disaster relief and boosted the disaster risk reduction capacity of over 100 cities and municipalities.

This includes relief and recovery efforts after Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda devastated the country in 2013 and after Super Typhoon Rai/Odette made landfall in 2021.

As the largest humanitarian donor in the Philippines, USAID implements robust early recovery, risk reduction, and resilience programs and coordinates with the Philippine government, local communities, and non-governmental organizations to help vulnerable populations prepare for and respond to disasters.

As the largest humanitarian donor in the Philippines, USAID implements robust early recovery, risk reduction, and resilience programs and coordinates with the Philippine government, local communities, and non-governmental organizations to help vulnerable populations prepare for and respond to disasters.

 

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BILATERAL ECONOMIC RELATIONS. U.S. companies are among the Philippines’ largest and oldest investors, private employers, and taxpayers.  Our commercial ties have created millions of Filipino jobs.  The United States and the Philippines have a strong trade and investment relationship, with $22.6 billion in total goods trade during 2023 and an estimated $12.3 billion in trade in services in 2023.  The United States is one of the Philippines’ largest export markets and sources of foreign investment.  Key U.S. imports from the Philippines include semiconductor devices and computer peripherals, automobile parts, electric machinery, textiles and garments, wheat and animal feeds, coconut oil, and information technology/business process outsourcing services.  Key U.S. exports to the Philippines are agriculture goods, machinery, cereals, raw and semi-processed materials for the manufacture of semiconductors, electronics, and transport equipment. (To be continued)

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

Battle of credibility

“For every credibility gap there is a gullibility gap.”

—Richard Cobden

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

NO sighting means there are no warm bodies of “illegal Chinese immigrants” doing illegal activities in Iloilo City contrary to the alleged report made by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Iloilo.

While the NBI Iloilo has “confirmed” their presence allegedly in some Iloilo City subdivisions, the Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 has disputed it.

When two parties question the veracity of a report, that means either both of them are wrong; or, one of them isn’t telling the truth.

Without the presence of illegal Chinese immigrants, nobody can arrest anyone.

Without a crime or illegal activity, there can be no suspect.

Without a suspect, there can be no case.

So, when and where did the “sighting” occur? Who is telling the truth between the NBI Iloilo and the PRO6?

 

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If the NBI and the Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 will continue to contradict each other and the case won’t have a concrete closure, truth will be the casualty. Ilonggos will think they are disputing the presence of “ghost illegal Chinese immigrants” in Iloilo City.

Police or the NBI can’t just apprehend any Chinese national seen in Iloilo City subdivisions on mere suspicion they are doing an illegal activity unless they are caught in the act.

It will be grossly unfair and an affront against the Filipino-Chinese community in Iloilo if authorities will accuse any “Chinese-looking” individual or Tsinoy of being illegal immigrant or someone engaging in illegal activity without a shred of evidence.

The NBI Iloilo was able to reportedly brief Iloilo City lone district Rep. Julienne “Jamjam” Baronda about the “increasing number of Chinese nationals doing illegal activities” in some Iloilo subdivisions.

Based on this information, Baronda wrote the Department of Justice (DoJ) and asked it to look into the matter.

Everything fell apart when PRO6 director, Brigadier General Jack Wanky, claimed there was no truth to the report based on their own investigation as substantiated by the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO), which monitored the presence of Chinese nationals potentially involved in illegal activities, particularly illegal gambling and offshore gaming.

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US-PHILIPPINE RELATIONS. The U.S.-Philippine relations are based on strong historical and cultural linkages and shared democratic values. The United States established diplomatic relations with the Philippines in 1946, according to the fact sheet released by the U.S. Department of State obtained by this writer.

More than four million Filipino Americans live in the United States, and almost 700,000 U.S. citizens reside in the Philippines, including many U.S. military veterans.

Manila is home to the only Veterans Administration regional office outside the United States, and the Manila American Cemetery, run by the American Battle Monuments Commission, is the largest American military cemetery outside the United States.  In 2023, over 900,000 U.S. citizens visited the Philippines. 

The 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty provides a strong foundation for our robust security partnership. Vibrant people-to-people ties, and strong economic partnerships provide meaningful ways to engage on a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues.

The U.S.-Philippine Bilateral Strategic Dialogue (BSD) is the annual forum for forward planning across the spectrum of our relationship. 

 

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The most recent BSD took place in April 2024 when senior Philippine and U.S. foreign affairs and defense officials convened in Washington, D.C. 

President Biden hosted President Marcos for a bilateral meeting in April 2024, and the presidents also joined Japanese Prime Minister Kishida for the first-ever Trilateral Leaders’ Summit.

Secretary of State Blinken and Secretary of Defense Austin hosted their Philippine counterparts for a “2+2” ministerial in April 2024; the next “2+2” will be held for the first time in Manila, in July 2024.

The United States and the Philippines expect to hold an inaugural Democracy Dialogue later in 2024.

People-to-people exchange programs between the United States and the Philippines include the longest continuously running Fulbright program in the world, the International Visitor Leadership Program, and the Young Southeast Asia Leaders Initiative. 

The Philippines is home to more than 9,000 Filipino alumni of U.S. exchange programs; 1,000 U.S. citizens have participated in U.S. exchange programs in the Philippines. (To be continued)

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

 

 

Government should be ashamed as Cebu Pacific revives Iloilo-HK flights

“Bureaucracy is a giant mechanism operated by pygmies.”

—Honore de Balzac

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

THE Cebu Pacific has beaten to draw the Philippine Government when it announced the reopening of Iloilo to Hong Kong and Singapore vice versa direct flights starting October 2024 or three months from now.

By beating to the draw means the airline, owned by the Gokongweis, will be “pushing the cart ahead of the horse” or reviving the airline’s pre-pandemic international flights even before the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has begun upgrading the Iloilo International Airport in Cabatuan, Iloilo.

The Philippine Government, especially the DOTr, should be ashamed for the delay of the Iloilo Airport’s upgrading pushed with utmost urgency by top local officials since last year.

While dilly-dallying the airport improvement, it didn’t occur to the Philippine Government that Cebu Pacific, “committed to mounting the service as soon as it gets the necessary clearance,” according to the airline spokesperson Carmela Romero, was working on securing regulatory approvals for Iloilo-Singapore flights with or without the Iloilo Airport improvements.

While the DOTr was still on the plateau stage of “sharing the desire of the people of Iloilo City and the province for a renewed, modernized, expanded, sustainable and future-proof ILO (Iloilo International Airport),” the Cebu Pacific was already busy “building up its international reach from Visayas” by announcing the resumption of the Iloilo-Hong Kong and Singapore direct flights.

 

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In his letter to Iloilo City Mayor Geronimo “Jerry” Treñas dated May 6, 2024, Transportation Assistant Secretary for Aviation and Airports Enrique Antonio Esquivel III emphasized: “We likewise acknowledged the importance of a revitalized ILO to sustaining economic growth and activity in the city and province of Iloilo and the greater Region VI” even as he provided city hall with updates on the proposed privatization of the airport.

To add insult, the awarding of the project to the contractor for improvement of Iloilo Airport will reportedly begin in the first quarter of 2025 even as Esquivel III revealed the original proponent, in the form of an unsolicited proposal (USP) under the Build-Operate-Transfer Law, was the Prime Asset Ventures Inc. (PAVI), a unit of the Villar Group of Companies.

The preparations are quite dizzying. If the project will be awarded yet in the first quarter (January, February, March) of 2025, Ilonggos don’t have any concrete timeline for the start of upgrading.

By the time the government starts the Iloilo Airport improvement, more than a hundred flights from Iloilo to Hong Kong and Singapore vice versa have already been logged. Which would defeat the purpose of the upgrading in one way or the other.

  

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(The following statement was jointly released by the Governments of the United States of America and the Philippines on the occasion of the successful conclusion of the Philippines-United States Cyber-Digital Policy Dialogue in Washington, D.C.) Las of two parts:

The dialogue acknowledged progress in fostering greater regional cybersecurity cooperation and capacity building, as well as the importance of upholding and implementing the UN-affirmed Framework of Responsible State Behavior in Cyberspace as well as continued implementation of cyber confidence building measures (CBMs).

These CBMs reduce the risk of conflict stemming from the use of ICTs, including efforts advanced through the ASEAN Regional Forum Inter-Sessional Meeting on Security of and in the Use of ICTs.

Addressing a robust bilateral agenda on digital policy issues, both countries recognized the importance of promoting the development and commercial deployment of a trusted information communications technology ecosystem, including equipment, software, and services.

Delegations emphasized the importance of strengthening cybersecurity and protecting privacy, intellectual property rights, and digital freedom will support the development and growth of the global digital economy.

The United States and the Philippines endorsed secure fifth generation (5G) networks and open, interoperable, and trusted architectures such as Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN).

The Philippines endorsed the development of a national Open RAN policy framework, reaffirming an open, interoperable, and trusted architectures as announced during the United States-Philippines-Japan Trilateral Leaders’ Summit in April 2024. Both countries also welcomed the Philippines’ plan to pilot an Open RAN in its National Broadband Program and Free Wi-Fi project.

Both countries reaffirmed the importance of promoting secure and reliable global undersea cable networks, including through the designation of undersea cables as critical infrastructure and a verification process on the equipment used for cable installation, operation, and maintenance.

The United States and the Philippine governments emphasized the importance of cloud computing and satellite connectivity to advance digital connectivity and inclusion and decided to further discussions on promoting cloud policies to promote resiliency and redundancy.

The two countries affirmed their commitment to exchange best practices on recent reforms and efforts that expand digital connectivity through provision of satellite-based solutions and to continue to facilitate interest and market access to low and middle earth orbit services.

Both countries reaffirmed the importance of ensuring the trusted flow of data across borders, which underpin the digital economy, and committed to continue to advance the Global Cross-Border Privacy Rules (CBPR) Forum to facilitate interoperability among data protection and privacy frameworks globally.

Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to enhance bilateral cooperation, strengthen cooperation through the ASEAN Digital Ministers’ and Senior Officials’ meetings, and foster investments for secure and resilient ICT infrastructure.

The dialogue included discussions with U.S. private sector representatives on the promotion of 5G wireless technologies, networks, services, and cybersecurity services; public-private partnerships to support the development of the digital economy; international coordination in areas such as data protection and privacy, cross-border data flows, advancing digital freedom, and cybersecurity capacity building; public-private collaboration to foster public trust and support for responsible stewardship of the Internet and digital connectivity; and investments in ICT, emerging technologies, and cybersecurity that contribute to resilient and sustainable growth.

The United States and the Philippines look forward to identifying further opportunities for cooperation in the United States, Philippines, and Japan Trilateral Cyber and Digital Dialogue in October 2024.

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