DRESS REHEARSAL FOR CHINESE RULE IN THE PHILIPPINES?

February 26, 2015 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

A full-page China news supplement in this week’s The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – In The Philippine Star (TPS), one of the leading national dailies, a full page is devoted to China, the People’s Republic of China — the same China that is engaged in a tense territorial dispute with the Philippines over islands in the South China Sea.

TPS describes the page as “weekly updates and other relevant information on the People’s Republic of China.”

Apparently, Freedom of Information abounds in the Philippines, except when it comes to government information. Congress has yet to pass a Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill.

The China page on TPS is obviously funded by the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines.

But why, you might ask, does China need weekly news updates in the Philippines? And why would TPS publish such a supplement other than for the adverstising revenue? Would The New York Times or Washington Post publish a similar weekly supplement funded by the North Korean Government or Iraq?

Some political observers are saying that this could be a ‘dress rehearsal’ for when China eventually takes over not just the disputed Spratly Islands, but perhaps the entire Philippines.

Of course, that’s just conjecture, but we’ve seen too many speculations come to fruition.

Human Interest, Science and Environment, Travel

SENATOR NANCY BINAY IS TOP VOTE-GETTER IN ADOBO CHRONICLES POLL

February 25, 2015 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Filipinos have spoken and have clearly made their wishes known on who among four Filipina candidates they want to send to planet Mars aboard Mars One, the first rocketship that will carry humans to the red planet.

In responding to The Adobo Chronicles poll, Filipinos voted overwhelmingly for Senator Nancy Binay who gained more than 50% of the votes. In second place was Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

Many poll respondents opted to vote for their own write-in candidate. Some 95% of write-in voters chose TV host and presidential sister Kris Aquino. The remaining 5% voted for her brother, President NoyNoy Aquino.

Many respondents also sent in their comments, some saying that Nancy Binay should take her entire family with her.

Others suggested that both Santiago and Binay should be afforded the one-way ticket to Mars. That is, if they could stand each other.

Thank you to our readers for participating in the poll. You can still vote for your favorite Mars passenger HERE.

Human Interest, International, Science and Environment, Technology, Travel

FOUR, NOT TWO, FILIPINO WOMEN SHORTLISTED FOR TRIP TO MARS

February 24, 2015 Pol Pinoy 2 Comments

L-R: Jaymee Del Rosario, Minerva Raneses, Nancy Binay, Miriam Defensor-Santiago

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Contrary to an earlier report by GMA News, four –not two — Filipinas have been shortlisted among the first humans to set foot on Mars, after being chosen from a field of more than 200,000 candidates.

According to the Mars One astronaut selection process, the short list has been narrowed down to 100 individuals who were chosen from a pool of 660 candidates, who in turn were selected from 202,586 applicants.

Here are the Filipino candidates included in the short list:

Jaymee del Rosario, 27, CEO and founder of International Metal Source, which distributes raw material metals and exotic alloys to aerospace, defense and commercial industries since 2009. She is also co-owner of fitness equipment Bounce Core Platform, and said she is “very interested to be part of any outer space endeavor.” “I want to offer my life experience, knowledge and skills to the Mars One team to achieve the goal for preserving humanity,” she said on her profile page.
Minerva Rañeses, 24, describes herself as an “intellectual wanderer” who seeks “growth in knowledge and philosophy.” “I don’t decide based on monetary or materialistic returns, but on the experience I will garner. As of now, career-wise, I’m a drifter. There is so much to learn, and keeping to a linear path seems a bit too constricting. I’ve been focusing in adventuring lately. As for my profession, I tell people I’m a writer,” she said. Her interests include philosophy, literature, and history, along with politics and religion, “and their cause and effect on society.”
Nancy Binay, 41, is a junior senator and daughter of Vice President Jejomar Binay. “I’m tired of being the butt of jokes here on earth and I want to live in a place where I will be judged not on the basis of my cluelessness but on the strength of my innocent character and passion for the unknown,” she said. “I want to bring honor to the Binay family of politicians by being among the first humans, and the first Filipino, to set foot on Mars.”
Miriam Defensor-Santiago, 69, is the feisty senator and potential 2016 presidential candidate who is known to be battling cancer. “I want to live in a place where I will only be dealing with intellectuals, not these good-for-nothing, self-absorbed and corrupt colleagues of mine in Philippine Congress.” “I want to spend the remaining years of my very fulfilling life in a place where I can utilize my expertise in law, commununications and humor to the fullest. I believe that the planet Mars is that place,” she said.

If you had the opportunity to vote for one of these four Filipinas who you think deserves a spot on Mars One, who would you choose? Respond to the poll below.