Duterte Harry, Part 1: The rise of Duterte & the shifting sociopolitical climate in the Philippines.

[Arkain2K]

I want to get out,

I have family in the USA they are American citizens but they won't petition me.

Also I don't have enough money to start over as an immigrant.

Since we're touching on the subject of U.S-Philippines relations, did your Dad told you about how prior to 1992, college-educated Filipinos were the ONLY foreign nationals in the entire world who are invited to enlist in the U.S Navy despite never stepped on U.S soil, and then become a naturalized American citizen after 6 years of military service?

A cushy job working right there on the base, or assigned to one of the mighty warships patrolling the South China Sea to protect the Philippines, with much better salary than the average wage, and receiving an American passport as a bonus. No wonder over 100,000 college-educated Filipinos petitioned to join the U.S Navy every single year!

Competition for those highly-coveted slots were fierce, and only about 400 of the best and brightest Filipinos are accepted annually after passing various tests (that means the odds were 1 out of 250 applicants). After their first enlistment is over, only 5% chose to leave the Navy, while an incredible 95% chose to re-enlist, again and again.

It's unclear how many of the 35,000 Fillipino members of the U.S Navy who enlisted from the 1950s to 1992 to eventually migrated to the U.S and brought their families with them, but I'm gonna assume that it was a lot. With 148,000 at the last count, Filipinos are the largest Asian-American group in San Diego County, a bona-fide Navy town in sunny Southern California where many sailors settled down after they're discharged from the service.

Surprisingly, this special opportunity for our Filipino allies actually angers a large number of unappreciative Philippine Senators, who think it's unpatriotic, revolting, and unacceptable for young Filipino sailors to work alongside American sailors on great big American ships, just like it's unpatriotic/revolting/unacceptable for the government to continue leasing a naval base to "a foreign military on our sovereign land", because of colonial past blah blah blah. We proud Filipinos can do everything by ourselves! Hurraw!

So, the dumb-asses (who actually called themselves "The Magnificent 12") decided to ruin it for everyone. The rest is history.

That unique Navy enlistment (and American citizenship) opportunity came to an end in December 31st, 1992, as the "last vestiges of American colonialism" packed up and left Naval Station Subic Bay. The 3,400 Filipino sailors on active duty in the U.S Navy at the time got to stay and given a choice to either re-enlist or go back to the Philippines when their first enlistment period ends, and ain't nobody chose to go back to be governed by a band of nationalistic idiots.

Needless to say, the Philippine Senate were ecstatic that their country have finally cuts all ties with the U.S Navy, they "finally gets to be free from colonialism", and no more young Filipinos like you have to "betray their country", "work for the American masters on your own homeland" ,and endure the "travesty" that is dual Philippine-American citizenships that they "forced on their servants"!

I'm pretty sure your Dad and his friends were less than happy standing on the docks waving goodbye to the ships slowly pulling out of Subic Bay for the last time, with American and Filipino sailors waving back while forming into the "Farewell Subic" message on the launch deck of the aircraft carrier USS Independence, while his nationalistic compatriots cheered and danced on the streets to celebrate the future they have just wrecked.

We were watching those contrasting scenes from this side of the Pacific too. I was not even a teenager yet at the time, but I did noticed that sometimes the pages of history are so sad as it unfolds, it's almost amusing in a tragic sort of way.

 

[Possum Jenkins]

So what is your point? China is still the worst partner in the region.

The point is that the US has been an absolute nightmare to SE Asia for over a century so shedding tears because some ties might be severed is silly.

 

[Rod1]

The point is that the US has been an absolute nightmare to SE Asia for over a century so shedding tears because some ties might be severed is silly.

Its a nightmare that kept other nightmares in check, do you think the Americans were worse than the Japanese? do you think the Chinese are going to be better?

 

[NSX-R]

The Filipinos have increasingly become anti western since 1946 and in the last 25 years it got worst to the point a majority of youth in the country believes that its Americas intention to destroy Manila during the 2nd World War.

I have observed this phenomenon since I was in High School since some history teachers endorse this reviosnist version of things.


Any one who is trying to learn how to speak English properly is deemed a pro American traitor.

Some Television stations stop airing American TV shows in favor of Korean,Taiwanese and Japanese anime.
And those that show American shows are translated and dub in Tagalog.

I predict that in a few years the Philippines will be Hostile to the Western governments and will be a very poor backwards country much worst than Valenzuela and other african nations.


We will not survive this.

Huh? I've returned to vacation in the Philippines many times in the last decade and not once did I feel a tangible sense of anti-Americanism brewing among the people, not from my relatives or the general population. The BPO sector is booming (most offices are American), American brand restaurants and stores are popping up everywhere, American tourists make up the second largest group after Koreans, Hollywood movies are as popular as ever, and the largest source of remittances and FDI is from the US. Kpop is huge in the Philippines right now which explains the popularity of Asian TV shows.

Filipinos can get jealous of others who speak English better than they can but it's not because of some anti-American sentiment. What you're claiming is a mystery to me. The Philippines and Israel are the two countries with the most favorable opinions of the US.

 

[Arkain2K]

Filipinos love Americans to the extent that they might possibly benefit from them, either through migration to the US or mooching and leeching off of them in the Philippines. Trust me on this, most Filipinos really don't like Americans that are not benefiting them. There's about 10% that you can befriend here on even terms, but the other 90% look at you like an ATM, and hate your guts if it's out of order. But yeah, I bought into that "90% love Americans" BS myself when I decided to come here.

Hahaha, I call this phenominon "friendship with expectations".

 

[ShinkanPo]

Huh? I've returned to vacation in the Philippines many times in the last decade and not once did I feel a tangible sense of anti-Americanism brewing among the people, not from my relatives or the general population. The BPO sector is booming (most offices are American), American brand restaurants and stores are popping up everywhere, American tourists make up the second largest group after Koreans, Hollywood movies are as popular as ever, and the largest source of remittances and FDI is from the US. Kpop is huge in the Philippines right now which explains the popularity of Asian TV shows.

Filipinos can get jealous of others who speak English better than they can but it's not because of some anti-American sentiment. What you're claiming is a mystery to me. The Philippines and Israel are the two countries with the most favorable opinions of the US.

I may be exagerating a bit about the Filipino mas becoming increasingly anti American I just based that opinion with fact millions of my country man voted a communist anti American in Malacañang palace.

 

[ShinkanPo]

Hahaha, I call this phenominon "friendship with expectations".

@steve38 I am sorry you have to experience the reall fun in the Filipins.
Sadly I think you are correct.

They think all Americans are rich they also think all white people are Americans. I may sound that I am bad mouthing my fellow Filipino here a lot, I love my country but I have to tell what I see there are a fuck ton of ignorant folks here even the very edducated once have a very shallow mindset and its getting worst.


God I hate Francis Magalona for his song "We are Filipino". And his Brown Pride Flat nose movement.

 

[suizuri]

I may be exagerating a bit about the Filipino mas becoming increasingly anti American I just based that opinion with fact millions of my country man voted a communist anti American in Malacañang palace.

Nah, don't worry too much, Shinkan. I don't think he's gonna be too radical as people expect.

He was saying things during the campaign radically because he knows in GENERAL the people are clamoring for "change", whatever it means to them. Once he's in office i don't think he'd be inclined, nor even have the power, to implement changes very radically; not in his term, at least.

If he should do something to extend it later on, though, then that's another story.

 

[ShinkanPo]

Nah, don't worry too much, Shinkan. I don't think he's gonna be too radical as people expect.

He was saying things during the campaign radically because he knows in GENERAL the people are clamoring for "change", whatever it means to them. Once he's in office i don't think he'd be inclined, nor even have the power, to implement changes very radically; not in his term, at least.

If he should do something to extend it later on, though, then that's another story.

I agree I don't even think he has to guts to challenge the status quo, he wont risk getting impeach or getting ousted by the millitary, the millitary is strongly connected with sone bussines elites and they will be pissed if their ecconmy got wreck because of Duterte's policy.

 

[Orgasmo]

As already mentioned in the news articles I posted (which I'm absolutely SURE you have already read), Duterte actually pledged to welcome the communist insurgency into his administration, and once they're part of the Philippines government, foreign relations gonna be a doozy since the CPP/NPA are on everybody else's terror list (U.S, E.U, and so on) for their explosive-assisted revolutionary accomplishments.

Working with the Philippines government therefore would effectively mean working with terrorists.

I'm sure China wouldn't have a problem warming up relations with our soon-to-be former ally though. After all, Duterte said he will suspend all territorial disputes over China's land grab in the South China Sea if they simply come in and build him a railroad like the one they're building in Africa! I honestly don't know how any patriotic Filipino could cast a vote for a President who's willing to give up his country's sovereignty just like *that*, but they did. Tens of millions of them.

Suddenly the Philippines' 1992 break-up with the U.S Navy as a hollow symbol of sovereignty look even MORE stupid now, when their own President publicly offered to sell his country's territory out to his communist comrades in Beijing in exchange for investments, and that Mutual Defense Treaty that we signed with the Philippines is making less and less sense when they cozies up with China.

The day that Chinese warships began docking in our former naval base in Subic Bay is the day we should give the Philippines a 30-day notice of the Mutual Defense Treaty's expiration.

Inclusion of rebels into the government is part of any negotiated peace deal, or else it would be a simple surrender. I don't know about you, but I rather have the communists mouthing off in the legislature than planning attacks because they can't get any representation. Obviously they have a degree of support from the population, otherwise they couldn't have sustain their insurgency for this long. Excluding them is not going to make the insurgency go away, and you risk alienating a large section of rural poor. Like it or not, Philippines has severe problems with rural poverty, corruption and income inequality, and those play right into Communist propaganda.

Maoist rebels around the world actually dislike China, due to the fact that they consider China to have betrayed Marx and Mao's teachings by turning to capitalism. China is motivated by greed and profit today, not ideology. It doesn't give a flying shit of who's in charge of Philippines as long as they can slap him/her around.

The CPP NPA have been extorting farmers, killing police and bombing infrastructure like Cell towers power pylons and bridges.

Duterts is communist plain and simple.

That's pretty much the same charges you can throw against any rebel group in the world, not specifically limited to communists. You also can't be communist without favoring a command economy, which there is no evidence of it being part of Duterte's economic policy.

 

[suizuri]

I agree I don't even think he has to guts to challenge the status quo, he wont risk getting impeach or getting ousted by the millitary, the millitary is strongly connected with sone bussines elites and they will be pissed if their ecconmy got wreck because of Duterte's policy.

Yup. Our country will be fine, more or less (i mean "fine" like we have always been).

I hope he'd at least make some sort of a dent in our system though, for the positive. If there's gonna be change, i hope it's for the better; but i dont think it's gonna be anything radical.

 

[ShinkanPo]

Yup. Our country will be fine, more or less (i mean "fine" like we have always been).

I hope he'd at least make some sort of a dent in our system though, for the positive. If there's gonna be change, i hope it's for the better; but i dont think it's gonna be anything radical.

The thing is we already know how the government here works what ever positive things a current Pressident have done will be tottaly undone by the next administration.

 

[Arkain2K]

Rodrigo Duterte, Poised to Lead Philippines, Is Expected to Take New Approach to China
By RICHARD C. PADDOCK
MAY 11, 2016

MANILA — Rodrigo Duterte, poised to be the Philippines’ next president, has signaled that he will try a new approach toward China by emphasizing economic ties.

During the campaign, he talked tough about China’s activities in the South China Sea, saying he would ride a Jet Ski to the contested Spratly Islands and plant the Philippine flag there. Yet he also said he would seek Beijing’s help in building a rail line that would link Manila to the southern island of Mindanao, where he served as mayor of Davao City for nearly two decades.

He even proclaimed he would “shut up” about the South China Sea if China built the railway.

“Development rather than deterrence — that is going to be doctrine on the South China Sea,” said Richard Javad Heydarian, a political science professor at De La Salle University in Manila. “The Jet Ski, planting the flag, that is Duterte the entertainer. But you will see the contemplative president developing foreign policy.”

Though the bombastic Mr. Duterte has yet to assume the role, some analysts say his unpredictability will help him negotiate with foreign powers. At the same time, they expect him to maintain a close relationship with the United States, which has strong military ties with the Philippines.

Under Mr. Aquino, the Philippines challenged China’s claims in a United Nations arbitration court. A decision is expected before Mr. Duterte takes office on June 30, and experts say the Philippines is likely to prevail. However, China has refused to participate in the case, and the court has no enforcement mechanism.

Mr. Duterte is likely to use a decision in the Philippines’ favor as leverage to win concessions from China, particularly investment in infrastructure, like the rail line to Mindanao, analysts say.

“He will talk to China, not like President Aquino,” said Ramon Casiple, executive director of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform, a nonprofit organization promoting democracy. “He is willing to explore other realms of relations, economic cooperation and joint development.”

Beijing views relations with the Philippines to be at a low and sees room for improvement, an editorial in the state-run Global Times said this week.

“China will not be too naïve to believe that a new president will bring a promising solution to the South China Sea disputes between Beijing and Manila,” the editorial said. “Only time will tell how far the new leader, be it Duterte or not, will go toward restoring the bilateral relationship.”

Filipinos overwhelmingly favor close ties to the United States, which once governed the islands as a territory, and many are suspicious of China and its intentions in the South China Sea.

The United States and the Philippines have a mutual defense pact. In addition, in Mindanao the United States is helping to combat Abu Sayyaf, a gang of kidnappers that has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/12/world/asia/philippines-election-rodrigo-duterte.html

 

[Possum Jenkins]

Its a nightmare that kept other nightmares in check, do you think the Americans were worse than the Japanese? do you think the Chinese are going to be better?

What did they keep in check? The Japanese invaded anyway so Filipinos got the worse of both, American imperialism and Japanese imperialism.

And the US is much more powerful than China so you tell me which is more dangerous. Also, the idea that you HAVE to be dominated by someone, you just have to choose whom, is pathetic. Until China starts putting military bases all throughout Europe, Africa, Latin America, and encircling the US, you can't talk about both being on the same page.

Maybe, just maybe, Filipinos finally got tired of being the US/West's bitch and decided to go its own path.

 

[ShinkanPo]

Duterte has become a noisy all talk no walk politician. He tries so hard to look menacing as if he is begging to be feared.




I will just use this quote from the show "Fear the walking dead."

"In my time, I've known men who inspire fear. Do you know what they have in common? They never say how frightening they are." - Daniel Salazar.

 

[Rod1]

What did they keep in check? The Japanese invaded anyway so Filipinos got the worse of both, American imperialism and Japanese imperialism.

And the US is much more powerful than China so you tell me which is more dangerous. Also, the idea that you HAVE to be dominated by someone, you just have to choose whom, is pathetic. Until China starts putting military bases all throughout Europe, Africa, Latin America, and encircling the US, you can't talk about both being on the same page.

Maybe, just maybe, Filipinos finally got tired of being the US/West's bitch and decided to go its own path.

The US had already given independence to the Philippines, and are you that dense? do you think the Japanese just decided to pack and leave? they got kicked out thanks to the support Americans gave the filipinos.

Say whatever you want about American imperialism, hell, latin america has been fucked bad by the US, but when compared to other empires at a time? they were fucking tame in comparison.

China is not simply exercising economic imperialism, they are actually taking over the entire sea.

 

[bad seed]

I'll miss you when Duterte rounds you up to the work camps for being a dissident, ShinkanPo.

 

[ShinkanPo]

I'll miss you when Duterte rounds you up to the work camps for being a dissident, ShinkanPo.

Haha he will send me to Dabao to plant bannana all day.


Bannana republic....

 

[Arkain2K]

I always give people who posted something stupid one more chance to response with something intelligent worthy of being in my thread, if they fail to do that, I ignore the rest of their shitty posts so the discussion wouldn't be derailed by ignorance.

May be you should do what I did and stop wasting your time, @Rod1 .

The bare minimum requirement for a meaningful debate is that everyone at the table must have a decent grasp on logic and reasons, despite having different perspectives on the well-known subject matter.

If your guts already told you that someone in the WR is utterly detached from this reality, and their mind-numbing responses have all but confirmed your suspicion that their IQ is the same as their age, carrying on that meaningless discussion would be as fruitful as having an intense conversation with a wall.

There are many other posters in this thread, I'm absolutely sure you can find someone sane to debate with, rather than quoting the posts that makes you want to jab your own eyes.

 

[YoungBoyd]

China numba one