Analysts Laud Duterte’s Successful Diplomacy on Arbitration Decision & Spratlys

July 12 marks second anniversary of the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, Netherlands on the case filed by the Philippines against China on the territorial dispute in the Spratlys and the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea, causing problems in bilateral diplomatic and economic relations as well as increasing tensions in the region.

On July 9, the non-partisan Pandesal Forum with media in Quezon City had three geopolitics and diplomacy experts former Undersecretary Butch Valdes, former Philippine diplomat to Washington, D. C. Adolfo “Ado” Paglinawan and Ateneo de Manila University lecturer Lucio Pitlo III to discuss this issue, and they lauded President Rodrigo Duterte’s “pragmatic approach of normalizing diplomatic ties with China and engaging in bilateral negotiations without forsaking the Philippines’ territorial claims and without losing the PCA victory”.  Moderator of Pandesal Forum is Wilson Lee Flores, owner of the 79-year-old Kamuninhg Bakery Café.

The three experts said the Duterte administration’s wise and sober handling of the PCA decision and upholding an independent foreign policy of befriending all the world’s big powers USA, China and Russia have “resulted in lowering tensions in the region and contributing to peace in Asean as well as Asia”.

Three geopolitics analysts recently said this is the second anniversary of the Duterte administration’s “successful high-level diplomacy and independent foreign policy which advance and protect the Philippines’ national interests without forsaking territorial claims”.

Pagkalinawan and Valdes pointed out that the PCA isn’t a United Nations body and not a court, but an ad hoc arbitration mechanism similar to a local barangay hearing to arbitrate with two conflicting persons after which an unsettled dispute can thereafter be elevated to a real court. They pointed out that the PCA also has no enforcement mechanism and that the other party, China, had refused to participate. Valdes and Pagkalinawan concluded that the previous Aquino administration’s filing of this case at this PCA without China’s participation had therefore rendered the ruling as “more for propaganda purposes rather than as a way for resolution of the territorial dispute”.

Valdes and Paglinawan both lauded the Duterte administration’s “wise, pragmatic and high level diplomacy” approach to setting aside the PCA decision, but not forsaking it, while normalizing the ancient bilateral diplomatic and economic ties of the Philippines with the world’s No. 2 economic superpower China.

Valdes and Pagkalinawan agreed with President Duterte’s openness to possible joint exploration of the disputed area and joint development of any resources in the Spratlys, pointing to the Philippines’ joint venture with Western countries in the gas project of Malampalaya, Palawan as an example.

Academic scholar Lucio Pitlo III said bilateral negotiations between the Philippines and China has good precedents based on two countries’ histories. He said the Philippines has successfully, peacefully settled with Indonesia on our maritime borders after 20 years of patient, bilateral negotiations, while China has also successfully concluded its border demarcation boundaries with 13 countries out of 14 neighbor countries that have land borders with China such as Russia, Mongolia, North Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Afganistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.  As of today, China have settled its border disputes through years of peaceful, bilateral negotiations with 13 of the 14 countries (all except India).

Gov. Imee Marcos plans Senate bid, invites tourists to Ilocos Norte 200th anniversary

Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos confirmed to media that she’s thinking of running for the Senate in 2019 but is still now “50/50” on this decision until final consultations with her mother Congresswoman Imelda Romualdez Marcos and other kin, she said this at Kamuning Bakery Café’s non-partisan Pandesal Forum. Despite the Feb. 6 fire which burned down Quezon City’s pioneer, iconic, 79-year-old Kamuning Bakery Café, the previously scheduled forum with media proceeded at a temporary venue.

            Governor Marcos expressed her strong support for “the successful socio-economic, foreign policy and political reforms of President Rody R. Duterte” which she said have sustained, fast and more inclusive Philippine economic growth. One of the tangible benefits of the country’s robust economic growth is booming tourism not only nationwide, but also to Ilocos Norte such as the arrivals of Star Cruise tourist groups and others enjoying the historic, cultural and numerous unique eco-tourism wonders of Ilocos Norte province.

            Governor Imee Marcos announced also that Ilocos Norte has launched their year-long celebration of the bicentennial or 200th anniversary celebration of the creation of the province starting in February 2018. She welcomes more tourists and investors to visit their province.  

            In response to recent problems of Boracay, Governor Marcos said that her province of Ilocos Norte recognizes that it cannot accommodate many millions of mass tourists yearly but would prefer to cater to manageable numbers of tourists in order to enhance the ecology, nature, sustainability, and beauty of the province.

            Governor Imee Marcos lamented the delays in the on-going election protest case of her younger brother former Senator Bongbong Marcos and expects a recount of provincial votes in Camarines Sur to start soon.

            When asked if her running for the Senate in 2019 is due to their efforts to rehabilitate the legacy of their father the late President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos, Governor Imee Marcos said that her possible running or the vice-presidential bid of Bongbong Marcos, all that have nothing to do with their father’s legacy. She stressed that President Marcos’ legacy can stand on its own based on his solid accomplishments in massive infrastructures, socio-economic welfare programs, a more independent foreign policy of the Philippines befriending all the world’s big powers, etc., and that nothing they---his children---shall do or not do, can change his legacy for future historians and future generations to judge dispassionately and objectively.

            Governor Imee Marcos added that her family has endured 32 years of criticisms by critics and political foes on the alleged wrongs of their father’s administration, but they are also gratified that more people---especially millenials and the youth---are also giving due recognition to the numerous contributions of President Marcos to nation-building and development.

            When asked why at the Panagbenga Festival, she and former Senator Bongbong Marcos were allegedly campaigning there, she said some critics are exaggerating the issue, but she and her brother were grateful for the warm welcome of Baguio people and they were very touched to witness that there’s still the “Solid North” unity of many Ilocano people.  

            On the Marcos wealth issue, Governor Imee Marcos said that there is nothing concrete yet on this issue, but she hopes that proper representatives from their family and the government can thresh out something during the term of President Duterte, because she and her family trust that Duterte shall be sincere and capable in putting to good use for the public welfare whatever money to be returned. In reply to questions, she said she still had no idea the exact amount of money to be negotiated.

            On what her top priorities shall be as possible Senator, Governor Imee Marcos cited these top 3 advocacies---First, the construction of better, modern nationwide and provincial public transportation systems to benefit rural development and economic development; Second, ensuring cheaper consumer prices and putting in place social safety nets for ordinary and poor families to protect them from high prives; Third, reforms to create millions of new jobs. She said that her advocacies mainly support the progressive, pro-people and comprehensive reforms by the strong-willed President Duterte. She urged all leaders and citizens to unite in supporting the government’s reform efforts.

            On the recent controversy about the new Bagani TV series of ABS CBN, Governor Imee Marcos said she and Ilocos Norte province enthusiastically support “this beautiful, well-made, and interesting TV series” which was set and shot in the natural locations of their province. She believes this project doesn’t dis respe3ct our cultural minorities or indigenous peoples.  Governor Imee Marcos encouraged the public to watch this new TV series, also congratulating Liza Soberano, Enrique Gil, Matteo Guidecilli, Sofia Andres and others behind the project for their good talents, their creativity, and professionalism.

            Herself a former movie producer, head of the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines (ECP) and producer of classic Filipino films like Nora Aunor’s multi-awarded “Himala”, Governor Imee Marcos said she is thinking of again going into movie production to boost support for Philippine cinema and arts. She also welcomed local and international film producers and others to continue using the beautiful and “lucky” Ilocos Norte province as location for their projects, citing the box office successes and critical acclaim of many movie and TV projects shot there through the decades.

*This is Press Release

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.