Leftist militants are at it again.This time they are questioning the US role in the Armed Forces operations to rid Marawi City from the clutches of the Maute terrorists. What is wrong with the US providing technical assistance to our AFP and PNP forces?
I’m quite sure this piece is not going to endear me to the usual crowd at the US embassy demonstrating against “American imperialism.” They will probably call me a rightist “Amboy.” But as the old saying goes—“sticks and stones will hurt my bones, but names will never do.”
I cannot understand how those leftist protesters gather in front of the US embassy at every whim and perception of American interference in our internal affairs.Yet this same crowd is not as passionate enough to demonstrate at the embassy of China which is clearly violating our territorial waters and sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea. This is a double standard, the height of hypocrisy.
If the Left does not want US meddling in Marawi, then by all means they should volunteer to augment Philippine troops . The fighting has not eased despite pronouncements by Philippine officials they will free the beleaguered city by Independence Day, June 12. Realizing their folly, Philippine military officials have stop giving self-imposed deadlines on when Marawi can be cleared of the Mautes.
The US is providing technical information on where the Maute terrorists and their snipers are located. With its advanced technological equipment, the US is able to pinpoint for the AFP the exact concentration of the Maute gunmen. This assistance would help preclude the repeat of Philippine air strikes that killed 11 government troops by what its known as the familiar “friendly fire.” Is there really such a thing as friendly fire? Bombs unleashed by planes are never friendly. Ask the grieving relatives of the soldiers who died from from the fatal mistake of our own planes.
For the information of our misguided militants, the US role in the Marawi military operations is in accordance with and within the scope of the PHL-US Mutual Defense Treaty signed in 1951. While the US has not put boots on the ground it can provide technical assistance to our troops.and minimize our casualties. So far 57 government soldiers have been killed in the three-week old siege of Marawi by the Mautes.
The US is involved in Marawi since it is a signatory like the Philippines in the United Nations global war declaration against terrorism. After the 911 attack on New York’s World Trade Center twin towers by Al Qaida terrorists, the US has vowed to fight terrorism in every part of the world.
In case the leftists are too young to remember , the US liberated the Philippines from the Japanese occupation forces during World War II. This is not to say Filipinos should lick American boots in gratitude. Let us put in proper perspective this chapter in the Pacific War .
“You are history if you are not current with global events,” so goes a relevant axiom.
DoT borrows a slogan anew
What is it about the Department of Tourism? Does it not have enough creative people to concoct more original slogans, or at least make sure the advertising agencies it hires do due diligence to avoid criticisms of plagiarism? The ad agencies, after all, are paid good money to come up with catchy and original tourism slogans.
For the third time, the DoT is accused of plagiarizing a tourism slogan from another country. This time, the DoT is under fire for borrowing (to put it mildly) South Africa’s “Experience the Philippines”—unmistakably taken from “Experience South Africa. In 2010, the DoT and its advertising agency Campaigns and Grey were criticized for lifting Poland’s tourism slogan. The “Pilipinas Kay ganda” artwork and message closely resembled that of Poland’s tourism logo.
“It’s more fun in the Philippines,” which the DoT launched as slogan in 2012, was taken from a 1951 Swiss slogan, “It’s more fun in Switzerland.”
“Experience the Philippines” is not exactly a tourist come-on. With the siege in Marawi, the attack on the Resorts World Manila casino and the brutal war on illegal drugs, we cannot blame prospective tourists if they stay away. They might conjure in their minds a horrible experience when visiting the country. All they have to do is read the scary headlines of daily killings, kidnappings and robbery in broad daylight. The fact that the World Economic Forum Philippines listed the Philippines as the 11th most dangerous place for tourists in its 2017 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report makes things worse.
The distance and flying time from the US and Europe to the Philippine are daunting enough. If you add that to the prospect of being a crime victim, it negates the promise of having a fun and memorable visit to the Philippines.