Duterte’s handling of Arbitral Tribunal case described as “win-win diplomacy”

Defense/diplomacy expert General Victor Corpus and geopolitics analyst former Education Undersecretary Antonio "Butch" Valdes on July 11 at non-partisan “Pandesal Forum” of 78-year-old Kamuning Bakery Cafe in Quezon City said President  Rody R. Duterte's wise, nationalist and pragmatic handling of the July 12, 2016 Arbitral Tribunal decision victory of the Philippines "has brought about stability to Asia, lessening of regional tensions, promoted a win-win strategy benefiting both the Philippines and China, upholding our pursuit of a truly independent foreign policy".

General Corpus said the Philippines had basically two approaches to handle the arbitrary case, the win-lose option or the win-win option. He explained that the win-lose approach calls for pushing the Philippines' total win at the arbitral tribunal and to force the non-participant party China into a total loss position, while Duterte's successful win-win strategy now allows both countries not to surrender or compromise any sovereignty rights and also not endlessly quarrelling, but both countries agreeing to disagree while continuously negotiating, improving the two countries’ ancient bilateral diplomatic and economic relations.

Corpus said President Duterte’s independent foreign policy reform still asserts the Philippines’ sovereignty claims in the Spratlys vis-à-vis those of the rival claims of China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and others, but these territorial disputes shouldn’t sour the Philippines’ important diplomatic and economic relations with all these Asean and Asian neighbors. On the question on how best to respond to China’s constructions in the disputed Spratlys, General Corpus said that he believes the best Philippine response is the Duterte administration’s current policy of maintaining the status quo in the region: the Philippines continues to occupy and build on islets we hold on to, while China and other Asian governments can do so in their respective areas that they now physically hold on to, negotiating for demilitarization of the region and for a Code of Conduct for the region.

Valdes said that President Rody R. Duterte’s independent foreign policy has stabilized Asia, that peace isn’t just the absence of war and that the Philippines’ new “win-win” approach to diplomacy is bringing more economic development benefits to the country and to the whole region.

General Victor Corpus also added that President Duterte’s adroit handling of the Arbitral Tribunal case victory and his high-level statesmanship helped “prevent the possibility of war breaking out in this region”, because Duterte has lessened the possibility of war and of the Philippines becoming a target country in case of superpower rivalry between our military treaty ally U.S.A. and China. Corpus explained that he Duterte is correct in analyzing that China is willing to go to war for the disputed Spratlys and has built port facilities in the disputed islets because it doesn’t want the strategic Straits of Malacca to be blockaded by any foreign country since that area is where much of China’s global trade and imported oil pass.

Corpus also pointed out that China’s government has built up its defense capabilities in this region, in order to safeguard against or block any nuclear and other military strikes against its economically vital coastal cities.

General Corpus said President Duterte’s “successful, nationalistic and win-win diplomacy should be supported by all sectors of our Philippine society”. He said that the Philippines’ independent foreign policy should be guided only by what is beneficial for the national interests and sovereignty of the country, not to be beholden to or dictated upon any big power.

Both Corpus and Valdes said Duterte’s independent foreign policy has resulted in the Philippines becoming now a friend and trading partner of all the world’s big powers USA, China and Russia, the country is no longer considered a foe or a threat to any big power. They both said that the Philippines is becoming more similar to any normal sovereign Asean or Asian country, an ally to all big powers in an equidistant manner and gaining from economic and strategic advantages from all these big powers.

The non-partisan, tertulia-inspired Pandesal Forum of the 78-year-old Kamuning Bakery Café hopes to help elevate the quality of public discourse on national and international issues, current affairs, focusing more on reforms. The Pandesal Forum invites newsmakers, leaders and experts to dialogue with media and intellectuals.

This July 11 Pandesal Forum on the Arbitral Tribunal Case was co-organized with the Integrated Development Studies Institute (IDSI) and the Phil-BRICS Strategic Studies.

Singapore envoy marks World Poetry Day, extols bilateral ties & Asean progress at Pandesal Forum of Kamuning Bakery Café

Singapore Ambassador Madame Kok Li Peng joined award-winning poets Jose F. Lacaba and Marra Pl. Lanot on March 21 morning to celebrate UNESCO’s “World Poetry Day” at the Pandesal Forum of 78-year-old Kamuning Bakery Café in Quezon City. The envoy also discussed Philippine-Singapore relations and Asean issues with the media and intellectuals at the two-hour forum. This artisanal café also gave away free coffee or tea drinks the whole day to all people who came to pay with their original poems, in a unique civic and cultural project.

            To celebrate “World Poetry Day”, Kamuning Bakery Café’s Wilson Lee Flores invited Singapore Ambassador Kok to recite one of her favorite poems entitled “The road not taken” by Robert Frost. Lacaba and Lanot both also each recited their original poems in the Filipino language.

            During the free-wheeling Pandesal Forum with local and international media, Ambassador Kok extolled the warm diplomatic and economic ties between the Philippines and Singapore, as well as the general optimism of the Asean region as it celebrates its 50th anniversary this year with a high-level summit hosted by chairman the Philippines. She said that there are high hopes on the RCEP economic agreement being worked out between the 10-member nations of Asean region and China, that she thinks both this RCEP and even the TPP are all good initiatives to promote freer global trade.

            Ambassador Kok declined to comment to media’s questions on controversies like some Western criticisms of the draconian war on illegal drugs and the new death penalty bill, she reiterated that Singapore respects the sovereignty of its nation to govern itself and solve its own problems. She said Singapore has a very strong policy against illegal drugs. Kok also declined to comment on territorial dispute issues, since Singapore isn’t a claimant state but expressed hopes that Asian regional peace and stability shall be maintained by all Asian countries in order to sustain the region’s strong economic growth.

            Kok also said that Singapore’s founding father the late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and Philippine President Duterte live in different eras and face divergent challenges, but Ambassador Kok said that both Lee and Duterte are similar in their “strong political will and being doers”. She said during President Duterte’s state visit to Singapore, she had witnessed his “magnetic appeal”, charisma and humility in meeting with ordinary people at his short walk at a mall.

            Ambassador Kok said that Singapore is optimistic about bilateral ties and the Philippines’ economic future, especially with strong economic growth and strong will to achieve national peace. She lauded government’s on-going peace negotiations with the Communist rebels and the Moro secessionist rebels.

Duterte’s Independent Foreign Policy benefits Philippines economically & strategically, will make country safe from possible nuclear attack in any superpower rivalry, analysts say

At the February 8 Pandesal Forum with media at Kamuning Bakery Café in Quezon City, it was the consensus of various geopolitics and economics analysts that President Rody Duterte’s independent foreign policy of balancing Philippine diplomacy with a pivot to Russia and China has numerous strategic and socio-economic benefits, and it safeguards the country from the danger of a possible nuclear attack during a conflict between rival superpowers.

            The analysts said that not only has this reform in foreign policy direction gained new trading partners and allies such as the world’s second largest economy China and energy superpower Russia, Duterte’s independent foreign policy has gained record-high economic gains from traditional ally Japan and also expected to boost USA’s traditional ties with the Philippines under new President Donald Trump.

            The geopolitics and economics experts who shared their multi-disciplinary analyses were General Victor Corpus, former Senator Francisco Tatad, former Undersecretary Butch Valdes, analyst Rod Kapunan, ex-diplomat Ado Pagkalinawan, Catholic University of Louvain graduate and strategic analyst Celso Cainglet, Phil-Brics Strategic Studies, Inc. founder Herman T. Laurel, and the Integrated Development Studies Institute (IDSI) director, Wharton-educated economist and geopolitics analyst George T. Siy.

            The experts said that an independent foreign policy is mandated in the Philippine constitution, that President Duterte is the only Philippine leader in modern times to have upheld this policy not only in terms of balanced and pragmatic diplomacy to make the country an equidistant friend of all major powers, this policy also seeks to uphold the all-important goal of economic sovereignty.

            The analysts said that President Duterte’s reform of seeking neutrality of the Philippines with regards to the strategic rivalry and possible military conflict between the big powers USA and China, USA and Russia will ensure the long-term safety of the Philippines from any nuclear attack by the powers, in the same way most Asean countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and others are not militarily tied up with or strategically beholden to any of the major powers.  

            The analysts said the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the U.S. was signed in 1951 at the height of the Cold War between the capitalist countries and Communist countries, but the world has changed a lot since then and the Cold War ended in 1991, but the country’s leaders had failed to renegotiate the Mutual Defense Treaty and to reform Philippine foreign policy directions.

            The experts said that in March 2015 at the highest point of the tensions over the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea controversy the SWS conducted a survey of the Filipino public sentiment over the prospect of armed conflict between the Philippines and China. The survey showed that 84% of the Filipino public were “worried” about armed conflict with China and half of the people were “worried a great deal”. This is the wisdom of the Filipino people speaking, a sentiment President Rodrigo R. Duterte respects.

            In September 2016 President Duterte set the new pro-Philippines direction, “We will observe and I must insist – I repeat, I must insist – on the time honored principles of sovereign equality, non-interferen ce and commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes to best serve our people…”

            President Duterte launched the Philippines’ Independent Foreign Policy (IFP) with uniquely Filipino characteristics, re-opening bilateral dialogue with China which immediately bagged $ 25-Billion of investments, soft loans and assistance from China, boosted tourism and agricultural exports.

China’s initiative and prompted other other competing countries such as Japan playing to play catch up and offering $ 19-Billion of its own funding and support to the Philippines. President Duterte’s IFP has also opened the huge potential markets of Russia for Philippine agricultural exports and imports of 4-million barrels of cheaper Iranian oil.

            The normalization of ancient close ties with China also brings the Philippines a special seat on the gigantic 21^st Century “One Belt, One Road” (OBOR) project of infrastructure, communication, innovation and trade links that cross from Asia to Europe and back to Asia via the sea, and the Philippines offers the unique prospect of making that New Silk Road circumnavigate the global as OBOR’s eastern hub to the Pacific.

            The experts at the Pandesal Forum said that the Philippines under Spanish colonial rule was an entrepot between the robust China trade with Mexico, Spain and Europe via the fabled “Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade”, that the new independent foreign policy of President Duterte can revive this strategic trade importance of the Philippines via the China-led trans-continental “One Belt, One Road” project.  

            As part of efforts to diversify sources of economic support, the Philippines’ new independent foreign policy reform can also help expand the country’s source of huge infrastructure development funding through the Beijing-led Asian Infrastructure International Bank (AIIB) of which even many USA allies Canada, South Korea and Germany are also already founding members.

            Most important of all is the crucial emerging role the Philippines now plays under President Rodrigo R. Duterte as the Pivot for Peace in the Asia-Pacific, being the fulcrum for the balance-of-power in a Multi-Polar World, especially this year 2017 when the Philippines is assuming the role as chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Kamuning Bakery opens at SM North Edsa, 1st branch in 77 years

Quezon City’s pioneer and iconic bakery Kamuning Bakery Café has opened a new branch on December 23 at SM City North Edsa’s East Bridgeway, 2^nd floor, this is its first ever branch in its colorful 77 years history.

Founded in 1939 upon the invitation of Quezon City co-founder the media tycoon Don Alejandro Roces, Kamuning Bakery Café’s founder was Atty. Leticia “Letty” Bonifacio Javier, it was bought and revived in 2014 by writer and realty entrepreneur Wilson Lee Flores.  

Kamuning Bakery Café has steadfastly continued its unique pugon-style, artisanal, no-preservatives, all hand-made and Filipino/Spanish baking traditions.

Since September 2015, Kamuning Bakery Café has also hosted the non-partisan “Pandesal Forum” where leaders and newsmakers dialogue with media and intellectuals over pugon-baked breads and excellent Philippine coffee

. History of Kamuning Bakery Cafe with intellectuals, artists & reform stalwarts: Kamuning Bakery was founded in 1939 as Quezon City’s first bakery by Atty. Leticia “Letty” Bonifacio Javier and her husband Lt. Marcelo Javier (who died fighting the Japanese invaders of World War II in the Battle of Manila). It was acquired and revived in December 2013 by writer, history buff and realty entrepreneur Wilson Lee Flores, he restored the old cafe on March 20, 2015. Kamuning Bakery Cafe continues its artisanal and pugon or wood-fired brick oven baking.

Among its many colorful clients include pre-war media tycoon Don Alejandro Roces who facilitated sale of gov’t. land in 1939 at 50 centavos per square meter, his son the newspaper publisher & activist Joaquin “Chino” Roces, press freedom stalwart U.P. Dean Armando Malay, the late President Cory C. Aquino, national artists like Nick Joaquin and Levi Celerio, many showbiz celebrities, to a public school student who used to walk here to buy pugon-baked breads and is now the first female Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

2017: charter change, fastest Philippine economic growth of 7.5% to 8%, sports reforms

“We at the House of Representatives guided by the priorities of President Duterte and under the leadership of Speaker Alvarez, we shall prioritize charter change for new year 2017 and other socio-economic reforms. We foresee the fastest ever Philippine economic growth ranging from 7.5% to 8% a year for the coming 5 years due to more massive new infrastructure projects and other reforms” 1-Pacman Partylist Congressman Mikee Romero said at the December 13 non-partisan “Pandesal Forum” of 77-year-old, artisanal Kamuning Bakery Café in Quezon City. Romero was accompanied by his partymates Congressman Eric Pineda and Pampanga Congressman Dong Gonzales.  

            At the free-wheeling Pandesal Forum of Kamuning Bakery Café, Congressman Mikee Romero said that legislators now in Congress are different in terms of successful daily quorum in attendance and in the speed of passing priority bills such as the National Budget for 2017.

            Cong. Romero foresees charter change towards federalism to move forward smoothly in 2017, with debates and public consultations for creating 12 new federal regions for the Philippines which shall hopefully improve political and economic democracy. Romero said if the charter change work moves on schedule, it is possible to hold a nationwide plebiscite in time for the 2019 mid-term elections.

            On President Duterte’s war on illegal drugs, congressmen Romero, Pineda and Gonzales all expressed strong support, saying: “The war on illegal drugs is a war on ‘narco-politics’, this war will dramatically improve peace and order nationwide and thus lead to better Philippine economic growth. We support President Duterte’s sincere wish and goal of ensuring social peace for the next generation of the Filipino nation by ending the illegal drugs menacel.” They said 2017 will see accelerated debates and public consultations on such new priority bills as the re-imposition of the death penalty on heinous crimes and the lowering of the age for criminal liabilities because many drug dealers have been using young people as illegal drug couriers or accomplices.

           

            Cong. Mikee Romero admitted that there is opposition to the death penalty bill by certain sectors, such as the Roman Catholic Church, but he said the legislators will hold debates and public consultations before making their final vote on this proposal. Romero also stressed that it is not true that the proposed death penalty will be unfair to poor offenders of heinous crimes since rich convicts tend to hire better lawyers, he stressed that laws apply to all rich or poor and what we should ensure is improvement of efficiency and fairness of the criminal justice system.

            Congressmen Mike Romero, Eric Pineda and Dong Gonzales also announced the good news for 2017 of the proposed new “Department of Sports”, this bill they had filed. They also shared the good news that President Duterte is giving government budget of P3 billion pesos for the construction of the new “Philippine Olympic Training Center” on 50 hectares of land in Clark, Pampanga. The legislators hope reforms can help make the Philippines become more competitive in international sports competitions, no longer a laggard in Asean or Asia.

            Congressmen Romero, Pineda and Gonzales lauded the good leadership and reforms by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Butch Ramirez, while severely criticizing the “failed leadership” of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, Jr. who just recently won his fourth term. Congressman Mikee Romero also publicly called for former Congressman Peping Cojuangco to resign from the POC, to give way to new vigor and new reforms in Philippine sports.

           

            Cong. Mikee Romero also appealed to Transportation Secretary Art Tugade to speed up reforms to solve what he described as “the horrible traffic mess in Metro Manila which people have been suffering daily for years”, and he lamented that DOTC has “not yet shown any positive results in the past six months”.

            Congressman Eric Pineda also made a public appeal for improvement of the country’s telecommunications services and the construction of more cell sites as among his legislative priorities for 2017.

Erap, Imelda, Atty. Gozon greets “World Pandesal Day” on Oct. 16

Free 50,000 pugon-baked breads & gifts packs, Free medical/dental/optical mission



Ex-President & Manila Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada, Ilocos Norte Congresswoman Imelda Romualdez Marcos, GMA Network, Inc. CEO Atty. Felipe Gozon expressed support for the holding of the “World Pandesal Day” with gift-giving plus free medical/dental/optical mission on October 16, 2016 Sunday at the 77-year-old, artisanal Kamuning Bakery Café at No. 43 Judge Jimenez Street corner K-1st Street, Barangay Kamuning, Quezon City, Metro Manila, the Philippines. October 16 is globally marked every year as “World Bread Day”, but celebrated since 2015 as “World Pandesal Day” by Kamuning Bakery Cafe.



On October 16 from 8 a.m. to 12 noon, a free medical, dental and optical mission shall be conducted by 50 volunteer doctors and dentists by the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII), the Philippine Chinese Charitable Association and the Chinese General Hospital for the less privileged and urban poor at the “World Pandesal Day”. The ceremonial gift-giving of 30,000 pugon-baked pandesal breads and gift packs will start at 9: 30 a.m.



Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada said: “My warmest greetings to the artisans, staff and operators of the celebrated Kamuning Bakery Café as they observe World Bread Day through their own adaptation known as the World Pandesal Day.”

Estrada continued: “This occasion is a fitting tribute to our humble and favorite Filipino breakfast staple which is a nourishing fixture in our dining tables as families start their day or as friends congregate in between breaks.”

“I commend the Kamuning Bakery Café and Wilson Lee Flores for expanding the relevance of the event by tackling the issue of widespread hunger. It is an issue that we are familiar with and currently addressing in the City of Manila through daily provision of free and nutritious breakfast set of vitamin-fortified bread and milk to thousands of malnourished elementary schoolchildren. In its initial implementation, we have seen how previously severely wasted students became healthy and active kids.”

Estrada added: “Further, I laud the historic cafe for honoring our local heritage by preserving traditional cooking methods, supporting local produce, and providing a venue for intelligent discussion of social issues. In this age of modernity and constant progression, it is encouraging to know that businesses can successfully thrive by remaining true to their roots.”





Ilocos Norte Congresswoman Imelda Romualdez Marcos said: “My warmest greetings to the Kamuning Bakery Café, for taking this initiative of honoring our well-loved pan de sal by celebrating the World Pandesal Day, concurrent with the global celebration of the World Bread Day.”

Congresswoman Marcos continued: “The humble bread of the Filipinos now takes the center stage as we honor its value, and the symbol it represents in every family. The pan de sal surely gives everyone a special memory of breakfasts and snack times shared with our loved ones. Like the pandesal that transcends every strata of our society, may we all be inspired to break social barriers and be advocates for poverty-alleviation. Congratulations and more power to you!”





GMA Network Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Atty. Felipe Gozon said: “Congratulations on Kamuning Bakery Café’s celebration of the ‘World Pandesal Day’ which coincides with the global celebration of the ‘World Bread Day’. It is only fitting that a recognized institution in traditional Filipino-inspired bread making would honor such an iconic recipe which has been part of our culture for many years. The pandesal is the only bread that transcends social classes in our country. The Filipino household will never be the same without the pandesal. I am also one with you in helping our underprivileged countrymen through your own simple way. Your modest act of generosity can create a rippling effect.”



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Why “World Pandesal Day”? —The pandesal is the historic and unique national bread of the Philippines, it is bread eaten by the masses, middle-class and by all. The pandesal is a basic necessity of the people, like rice. The humble pandesal bread represents the people’s simple wish for liberation from hunger. Hot freshly pugon-baked pandesal also represents happiness. In celebrating “World Pandesal Day”, Kamuning Bakery Café hopes to give honor to this humble yet great Filipino bread, and to remind all about the goal of eradicating poverty, inequalities and the age-old problem of hunger.





Backgrounder—“World Pandesal Day” was started on October 16, 2015 by Kamuning Bakery Cafe owner & writer Wilson Lee Flores at this historic bakery cafe at 43 Judge Jimenez Street corner K-1st Street, Kamuning, Quezon City, the Philippines which coincided with the annual “World Bread Day”. Wheat foods do make up 20 percent of the world’s calories, according to the United Nationsa

Hashtags: #worldpandesalday #ChristmasInOctober #kamuningbakerycafe

 

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Actor and then National Youth Commission official Dingdong Dantes graced the Oct. 16, 2015 launching of the “World Pandesal Day” at Kamuning Bakery Cafe in Quezon City.