With the Ramadan War still raging and the world is getting mixed signals from both US President Donald Trump and the Iranian leadership  about possible ceasefire negotiations, small countries like the Philippines do not have many options.

Lazaro to talk with Iran’s Zadeh

Whenever Commodore Jay Tarriela opens his mouth, perhaps 90 percent of his words and utterances is about the so-called West Philippine Sea (WPS), that portion of the South China Sea that then President Benigno Aquino III claimed as Philippine territory but was unable to provide an official map to bolster the claim.

Guo Wei corrects Tarriela’s ‘satsat’

The important task of formulating the Philippine foreign policy and adjusting it to conform with the changing times is better shared by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and his equally small-minded advisers to those who had been there and done that.

Retired diplomats push for balance

The Department of Energy (DOE) through Secretary Sharon Garin has assured the nation that we have a 60-day supply of petroleum products in the nation’s storage facilities.

Fuel, energy and national security

It is reassuring to note that the government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) which is the official and legitimate source of information and opinions on the subject of the conflicting claims in the South China Sea (SCS), has assured that its communication channels with China are open and working.

Open lines of communication

In our engagements with the superpower neighbor China, it appears that it is the Philippine private sector that is showing the government how to handle things and issues correctly.  Listen, Tarriela, Carpio, Tulfo and Risa:  business and trade, not quarrels with China.

Business and trade, not quarrels with China

Leyte’s erstwhile golden boy by virtue of his surname, Rep. Martin Romualdez, is on a warpath.

Martin, show ‘em the gates of Hell

Habang patuloy na kumukulo ang conflict sa West Asia kung saan nagpapatayan ang Israel, Estados Unidos at Iran, kasama na ang Hezbollah sa Lebanon, ang Hamas sa Gaza at ang Houthis sa Yemen, at habang patuloy na pinakukulo ng  Stratbase Institute at ng mga Tarriela, Brawner, Carpio, Pangilinan at Hontiveros ang isyu sa South China Sea, si Ambassador Jing Quan ay busy naman sa mga bagay na produktibo at positibo.

Masipag na ambassador si Jing Quan 

While the Philippines is desperately seeking all available solutions to the oil crisis, including President Bongbong Marcos’ move to repair our damaged relations with China in order to explore the idea of joint oil exploration in the South China Sea, and Mr. Ramon Ang’s successful purchase of 2.48 million barrels of crude oil from Russia, certain individuals are still pushing to drive a wedge between China and the Philippines.

Carpio, not the PHL, is ‘committing suicide’

Although there is an ongoing war in West Asia that started when the United States and Israel launched  coordinated missile strikes on Iran last February 28, China, just like other big countries, has refused to be involved.

China ramps up its forward planning  

VIEW FROM CALUMPANG Column Diego Cagahastian and Raffy Sarnate

VIEW FROM CALUMPANG

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