politics

Japan gives Philippines patrol ships, discusses new rail project

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OssanA:

Ah, the PAC ruling!

Many Filipinos are now asking why former Prexy Noy Aquino spent so much money in the Haque when : The United Nations holds no position on the case, and the International Court of Justice has had no involvement.

Scandal in the offing?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Yet the Philipines needs these vessels for anti pirate patrol as well as search and rescue.

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The Philippines... all they want is a free ticket to the US. Japan, stop wasting our tax payers money on "aid". This isn't Africa

& Likewise. . . . Japan is on the free ticket too. Constantly enjoying their freedom & national security, knowing damm-well they can hide behind the American Flag if (when) the shit-hits-fan.

They'll freeload another 71 yrs as an US protectorate. Yet, the anti-basers will never-ever go away.

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Dylan SmithAUG. 13, 2016 - 05:22PM JST   The Philippines... all they want is a free ticket to the US.

Mr. Smith, What exactly are you implying? Can you elaborate what you meant? I think you're going out on the topic , WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH THIS ARTICLE'S TOPIC OF JAPAN HELPING THE PHILIPPINES? Are you saying Filipinos are opportunist in general, that all they want is a free ticket to the US? Well, for one - i am here and not in the US. I've chosen to live here despite families and kins have all mostly migrated and settled in the US. I work helping shaping children in Japan through means of Education; i live and raise my kids in Japan; married to a Japanese National; and yes i pay my own taxes like you do and everybody else here.

Not all the Filipinos are so eager to get to the US as you claim in your remark. And even if you are correct in what you said, i don't see any wrong with that as long as them-- Filipinos going to the US are law-abiding; working and living decently; paying their taxes and isn't a burden to the nation. (America) welcomes all different races, right? A country who gives equal opportunity to any individualー regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, race and color?

Your first sentence sounded like Filipinos in general are all just wanting a "free-ticket" to go to the US. What are your basis in saying it? Real, nice Americans do not give such remarks. A quick Google check would show you how Filipinos are in the US now.

http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/filipino-immigrants-united-states

Contrary to your comment, of all the many races and different ethnicity migrating and settling in the USー the FILIPINOS are doing exceptionally well, with flying colors, may i add. Mostly professionals; college graduate; higher-income; or if not rearing kids; excellent home-makers and loving housewives to American Nationals. Filipino Immigrants infact had much higher education rates compared to both the native- and total foreign-born populations in the US. Using the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS); the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Yearbook of Immigration Statistics; and the WORLD BANK's Annual Remittance Dataー 48% of Filipino Immigrants reported achieving at least a bachelor's degree, compared with about 30% of native born and 28% percent of all Immigrants.

Likewise, according to these recent year 2013 datasー compared to the total foreign-born population in the United States, Filipino Immigrants were more likely to have strong English-language skills and be college educated. They were also more likely to be naturalized U.S. citizens; have higher income and lower poverty rates; and were less likely to be uninsured. Let me add too, that all Filipino Immigrants are also tax-payers to the US, thusー contributing greatly in America's socioeconomic growth and to what the US is today, as a whole nation.

So NO again, I don't think that Filipinos are generally just a bunch of people wanting a free ticket to the US. What you said is just a classic example of American exceptionalism MYTH.

Dylan SmithAUG. 13, 2016 - 05:22PM JST Japan, stop wasting our tax payers money on "aid". This isn't Africa

You do not equal Africa to "aid" or charity. That, again, is a bad-taste remark. The Japanese care about where their taxes go as much as you do, and they don't whine nor complain when their country help and assist a nation in need- particularly when the one they are helping are a neighbor or an ally. Yes, Japan is that good and generous, whether you agree or not.

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This is welcome development to the Japan-Philippines alliance against China's aggression in the South China Sea. Efforts must also be made for Japan to sell/arm the three former USCG cutters given to the Philippines Navy with anti-ship missiles.

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Hiro S NobumasaAug. 13, 2016 - 11:39AM JST President Duterte is no fool. He knows Japan is tryin hard to drag Manila in her conflict with China.

You didn't realize that the PAC ruling found in favor of the Philippines and against China?

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well we can can see due rte is fast becoming the next marcos . perhaps the world needs this

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The Philippines... all they want is a free ticket to the US. Japan, stop wasting our tax payers money on "aid". This isn't Africa

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Finally, it's coming into the surface. Promised words into actions. This is a step-up move by Japan, and good news to the Philippines. We could only be thankful. "Japan has always been the Philippines' top source of aid." No doubt about that.

"The new vessels and planes are on top of 10 coast guard ships that Tokyo pledged to the previous Philippine leader Benigno Aquino" , Yes, it was promised during PM Abe's participation in the last APEC summit held in Manila late last year. Added to this the Japanese Coast Guard has also conducted sea drills with its Philippine counterpart since their two countries signed a Declaration for a Strengthened Strategic Partnership and its Action Plan last June 2015.

・From Japan ~ 2 ninety meter coastguard ships and 10 fourtyfour meter MRRV ships. ・From Korea ~ 2 corvettes.. ・From U.S. ~ 4 one hundred seventeen meter ships.. ・From Indonesia ~ 2 one hundred twenty five meter sea lift vessels.. ・From Australia ~ 5 landing craft utility, 6 fifteen meter locally built MPAC and two brand new frigates.

These ships are enough to patrol our borders, however each one of them is not sufficient to defend itself from naval threat, air threat or submarine threat. A sufficient weapon system should be installed to the ship to protect the Philippines from external threats, yet overall these are all such a great boost to the Philippines' weak, under-equipped maritime security.

ー ー ー ー

As for the loans, Japan's $2.4 billion loan for a new railway aimed at easing Manila's notorious gridlock. If it pushed-through the 38-kilometer (24-mile) elevated commuter line would connect Manila to nearby Bulacan province to decongest the capital and help spur economic activity. I just truly hope the loaned amount will go to these projects alone, and not in the pockets of corrupt officials.

"This is one of the biggest projects Japan has ever embarked upon using the yen loan, Japan was also open to building a railway in the southern region of Mindanao, a project Pres. Duterte previously said China had offered to fund."

Personally, I'd rather be indebted to Japan rather than be a puppet to China. I am certain many of the Filipinos feel the same about that.

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China making no shortage of enemies. No wonder a number of their neighbours are strengthening ties. Even the South Koreans have woken up to the fact that China is an aggressive threat to the entire region.

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President Duterte is no fool. He knows Japan is tryin hard to drag Manila in her conflict with China.

He knows that it is Shinzo's refusal to acknowledge a territorial rift that is causing the crisis .

Besides, Tokyo only offered the trains for Mindanao after China did it first.

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This is a wise move by Japan, and is in the best interests of Japan and the nations other than China in the Pacific theater.

The best way the countries of Asia can keep China's growing aspirations for ever more territory in check is to build positive relations and a cohesive front, particularly the countries that now have territorial disagreements with China.

Also, the Donald Trump candidacy in particular shows that U.S. backing for these countries is somewhat fragile, and could implode at some point, leaving these nations to fend for themselves. These nations need to depend much more on one another, and less on the U.S.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

"Giving?" hardly. You dont get something for nothing. Right the end of the article is the payback.

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