ellen tordesillas – Page 63 – Making life worth living.

Citizenship issue to be raised vs Grace Poe if she runs for president

Published by Ellen on May 12, 2015

Some of those who have ambitions to become president in 2016 are reportedly thinking of ways how to stop Grace Poe, whose political trajectory is consistently ascending since she was elected senator two years ago.

This has become urgent with President Aquino’s recent meeting with her on the possibility of running for higher office in 2016.

One of the issues Poe’s prospective political opponents have prepared to raise is her citizenship.
It is a known fact that the 2013 senatorial race topnotcher was a foundling. She was found in Jaro Cathedral in Iloilo City. A kind woman took care of her and later gave her to the then King and Queen of Philippine Movies Fernando Poe, Jr and Susan Roces.

There are, of course, juicier version of her parentage. One is that she is allegedly the daughter of Susan Roces’ sister, Rosemarie Sonora, with the late President Ferdinand Marcos.

An abundance of Filipino talent in Asia’s Got Talent

Published by Ellen on May 10, 2015

El Gamma Penumbra Grand Finals performance

I hope and pray that since the Philippines is blessed with so many artistic talent, we will also have enough votes to make one of them be declared the winner of this year’s “Asia’s Got Talent”, which will have its grand finals on Thursday.

To be held at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, it will be aired on AXN at 8:05 p.m.

Four of the nine finalists are from the Philippines: El Gamma Penumbra, shadow players; Junior New System, dancers; Gerphil Flores, singer; and Gwyneth Dorado, singer.

We have an abundance of talent!

Dingdong Dantes talks sense

Published by Ellen on May 8, 2015

I think I’m going to like Dingdong Dantes.

The actor was mentioned by Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice, a Liberal party member, as one of those they are eyeing for the senatorial lineup in next year’s national elections.

Dantes, in an article in Pep.ph, said he was honored by his inclusion in the LP list but, “ nakapagdesisyon naman po ako na wala talaga sa plano ko na tumakbo in any elected post.”

He said he wants to focus on his career while being a husband to actress Marian Rivera and a father to their coming baby.

“Kaya wala po sa plano ko ‘yan and there are lot of things to do. I’m categorically saying that I’m not running in any electoral post this 2016,” he stressed.

Dismissed baggage handlers at NAIA appeal for their side to be heard

Published by Ellen on May 6, 2015

Waiting and hoping that your baggage is intact.NAIA baggage carousel.

A few weeks ago, six baggage handlers in NAIA1 were apprehended by airport intelligence agents after valuables suspected to have been stolen from passengers’ baggage were found in their lockers.

Reports said items found in the baggage handlers’ lockers included a gold ring and earring, a G-Shock wristwatch, a Seiko wristwatch, and three branded men’s sunglasses and padlocks.

Officials of the Manila International Airport Authority, the office that oversees international airports in the country, said they have outsourced baggage handling at the airports so the handlers were employees of one of the accredited companies.

MIAA General manager Angel Honrado said the six were suspended. At the same time, he advised passengers not to put valuables especially cash and jewelry in their checked-in baggage.

Social media comments more enjoyable than megafight

Published by Ellen on May 3, 2015

From where I confine myself every time there’s Pacquiao fight, I can tell if Manny is losing or winning by the shrieks and groans of those watching in the house and even among my neighbors.

Yesterday, everything was quiet. So I know who between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather won.

Mayweather won by unanimous decision affirming what he always brags about himself as the “undefeated champion.”

Alex Pal, a Dumaguete-based journalist related in Facebook that he was not able to see “The Fight of the Century” but he asked the taxi driver what was the result. The driver replied: “Natapos naman ang 12 rounds pero natalo si Pacquiao. Anonymous ang decision.”

Alex’s reaction: “Wahaha!”

I don’t watch boxing because I don’t enjoy watching two people hit each other but I follow stories about Pacquiao. I admire him for rising from poverty through hard work.

Binay warned on joint development with China in Spratlys

Published by Ellen on April 30, 2015

While in Jakarta last week representing President Aquino in the 60th anniversary of the Asia-Africa Conference, Vice President Jejomar Binay articulated what could be a foreign policy shift for the country if he succeeds in his ambition to become president.

“China has all the capital and we have the property so why don’t we try and develop that property as a joint venture?”he said.

Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio

This is not actually new. Binay disclosed this in an interview with Manila Times’ Efren Danao last year.
Amid concerns expressed by President Aquino and Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario over massive reclamations being done by China around their occupied reefs in the disputed Spratlys in South China Sea, Binay further said: “Personally, my feeling is we will continue to insist (on) our sovereignty over those properties but at the same time we hope we can create a situation where we can improve bilateral relations with China.”

Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, who has been conducting a series of lectures on the South China Sea dispute, said in his lecture last April 27 with judges and justices that joint development of the Spratlys with China is not possible without violating the Constitution.

Edith Burgos to Aquino: ‘End this suffering of not knowing the truth’

Published by Ellen on April 28, 2015

Edith Burgos: today's Mater Dolorosa — Edith Burgos: today’s Mater Dolorosa

Yesterday, while many joined the mother of OFW Mary Jane Veloso in prayers , another mother continues the agonizing search for her son.

Edith Burgos, mother of missing farmer/activist Jonas Burgos, together with relatives of persons who have disappeared, went to the Aquino house in Times St., Quezon city to deliver a letter to President Aquino on the on the 8th anniversary of the abduction of Jonas Burgos.

They were blocked by about 50 policemen.

The letter that Edith Burgos was carrying was an appeal to Aquino “to end this suffering of the family of not knowing the truth about what happened to Jonas.”

On April 28, 2007, past noon, Jonas Burgos was at Ever Gotesco Mall in Quezon City waiting for friends. Before his friends came three military agents, one was a woman, approached him and forcibly brought him out to a waiting vehicle. Jonas was never seen after that.

Life’s normal cycle starts with birth and ends with death. To just disappear violates life’s natural cycle.

The disappearance of Jonas and many other Filipinos is an assault to humanity and an outrage especially in a democratic country like the Philippines.

In her letter Edith gave the President an update of Jonas’s case and appealed for him to order the military to return Jonas to them “at whatever state he is in.”

No Asean-China COC until China completes Spratlys military bases

Published by Ellen on April 26, 2015

The standard press statement of Malacañang and foreign affairs officials prior to the President’s attendance in the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is for the Philippines to push for the adoption of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.

President Aquino did that a week before he took off for Malaysia for the 26th Asean summit. He said, “It’s imperative to push for the formulation of the Code of Conduct” especially now that “even the DOC seems to have been violated.”

The violations of the 2002 Declaration of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea that Aquino was referring to are the massive reclamations and construction of military facilities in the seven reefs that China occupies in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.

Maritime Silk Road plan could ease South China Sea disputes

Published by Ellen on April 26, 2015

The following article is a reprint from Want China Times

This part is interesting (6th paragraph): ” After a new president takes office in June 2016, the Philippines is expected to postpone the arbitration and step up bilateral or multi-lateral contacts with China.”

Staff Reporter 2015-04-26 09:23 (GMT+8)

The relationship between the construction of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and the territorial disputes in the South China Sea is drawing increasing public concern along with the implementation of Beijing’s Belt and Road initiative. Observers wonder whether the disputes will produce a turning point for settling the disputes or whether the South China Sea will become the most likely area for potential conflict between China and the US. To answer the question, one should first dig out the exact crux of the disputes and then grasp the latest developments of related parties involved, particularly changes in China’s South China Sea strategies, according to South Winds, a bi-weekly magazine published in Guangzhou.

PH, Vietnam to hold naval drills, scientific research in South China Sea

Published by Ellen on April 24, 2015

By Tessa Jamandre and Ellen Tordesillas
VERA Files

President Aquino and Vietnam President Truong Tan Sang met during the 2014 APEC Leaders’ Meeting in Beijing, China . (Malacañang Photo Bureau)

The Philippines and Vietnam have agreed to conduct joint naval drills and scientific studies amid concerns over China’s intensified reclamations in the South China Sea.

The planned activities are part of the soon-to-be signed “Joint Statement on the Establishment of a Strategic Partnership between the Republic of the Philippines and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,” a copy of which was obtained by VERA Files.

In the strategic partnership agreement, which is considered a final draft until it is signed, the Philippines and Vietnam “reaffirm their commitment to resolve territorial and jurisdictional disputes by peaceful means, as well as to the freedom of navigation in and over flight above the SCS (South China Sea) all in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).”

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