Guo Wei and the art of diplomatic delusion

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On the Chinese Embassy’s Facebook page, Deputy Spokesperson Guo Wei wrote the following:

Huangyan Dao is China’s inherent territory, over which China has continuously, peacefully and effectively exercised sovereignty and jurisdiction. HUANGYAN DAO IS NOT A PHILIPPINE TERRITORY. Here are the facts.

First, on 5 February 1990, Philippine Ambassador to Germany Bienvenido A. Tan, Jr. stated in a letter to German HAM radio amateur Dieter Löffler that, “According to the Philippine National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, the Scarborough Reef or Huangyan Dao does not fall within the territorial sovereignty of the Philippines.”

Second, a “Certification of Territorial Boundary of the Republic of the Philippines”, issued by the Philippine National Mapping and Resource Information Authority on 28 October 1994, stated that “the territorial boundaries and sovereignty of the Republic of the Philippines are established in Article III of the Treaty of Paris signed on December 10, 1898”, and confirmed that the “Territorial Limits shown in the official Map No. 25 issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources through the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, are fully correct and show the actual status”. As described above, the Treaty of Paris and other two treaties define the territorial limits of the Philippines, and Huangyan Dao clearly lies outside those limits. Philippine Official Map No. 25 reflects this.

Third, certain individuals in the Philippines claim that “Panacot Shoal” appearing on a 1734 map is Huangyan Dao, and therefore Huangyan Dao falls under Philippine jurisdiction. The fact is, Panacot is not Huangyan Dao. It refers to Marsingola, located between Galit (Spanish name: Bolinao) and Lumbay. In the 1794 map drawn by Robert Laurie and James Whittle, Panacot is clearly identified as Marsingola, while the real Huangyan Dao lies to the west of Panacot.

It is truly a marvel of modern comedy to watch a diplomatic spokesperson like Guo Wei attempt to lecture us on our own geography using the very maps and treaties his Communist masters have spent years trying to ignore. To suggest that Filipinas begins and ends within the narrow, antiquated ink-strokes of the Treaty of Paris is not just a legal absurdity; it is a profound insult to the intelligence of every Filipino who knows that our sovereignty is not a gift from 19th-century colonial penmen, but a reality forged by our own history and confirmed by international law.

Guo Wei’s reliance on a 1990 letter from a misinformed ambassador to a German radio hobbyist is the pinnacle of diplomatic desperation. Since when did a private correspondence between a bureaucrat and a ham radio amateur become the basis for international border demarcation? If the Chinese Embassy is now sourcing its territorial claims from the mailbags of amateur radio enthusiasts, perhaps their next “historical proof” will be a postcard from a confused tourist. One does not lose a patrimony because a single official failed to check his coordinates before licking a stamp.

And please, spare us the patronizing “history lesson” on the Murillo Velarde map of 1734. To claim that the Panácot Shoal is not Huangyan Dao but some obscure phantom called Marsingola is a feat of cartographic gymnastics that would make even the most imaginative fiction writer blush. The Murillo Velarde map was not a mere sketch; it was the definitive Spanish administrative record of Filipinas, and it clearly anchors Panácot to the shores of Zambales. For a representative of a regime that invented a nine-dash line out of thin air to accuse us of misidentifying our own shoals is the height of hypocrisy.

The truth is that China’s “inherent territory” claim is nothing more than a “Leyenda Negra” in reverse — a manufactured history designed to erase the presence of others. You can cite all the mislabeled 18th-century British charts and misfiled 20th-century letters you want, but they will never outweigh the 2016 Arbitral Ruling that exposed your “historical rights” as a legal fantasy.

Sit down, Mr. Guo. History is a discipline of truth, not a tool for embassy press releases. You are not defending a territory. You are defending a delusion, and no amount of witty Facebook posts will turn a reef into a province of Beijing.

EDSA ’86 was a “U.S. coronation”

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The historiography of 25 February 1986 has been so thoroughly saturated with the People Power mythos that we often fail to see the geopolitical machinery operating behind the yellow ribbons.

To view the ouster of Ferdinand Marcos merely as a domestic struggle for electoral legitimacy is to ignore the decisive, imperialist hand of Uncle Sam. While the narrative of a spontaneous democratic uprising is comforting to some, a colder look at history suggests that EDSA was not a revolution of the Filipino people, but a regime change orchestrated by Washington.

​We must remember that the very catalyst of the 1986 drama —the Snap Election— was not a Filipino brainchild. It was “suggested” by the United States government during a televised interview, a clear signal that the White House had decided it was time to move on from a client who had become a liability. The US, through the State Department and the Central Intelligence Agency, did not merely watch the events unfold. They directed the flow. From the strategic pressure exerted by Philip Habib to the crucial role of the US media in delegitimizing the sitting government, the script was written in Langley and the Pentagon long before it was performed on the streets of Manila.

​The idea that Corazón Aquino was “legitimately installed” by the will of the people ignores the reality of how power is actually brokered in a neo-colony. When a sitting President is “rescued” by US helicopters and flown to Hawaii against his expressed wishes, that is not an internal transfer of authority. It is an imperial extraction. It was an act of an overseas master replacing an old steward with a fresh one to ensure the continuity of US strategic interests in the Pacific.

​To frame EDSA as a moral victory for “legitimate authority” is to fall for a masterpiece of psychological warfare. The massive crowds and the religious imagery provided the perfect moral aesthetic for what was, at its core, a cold geopolitical maneuver. While the Filipinos at the barricades may have been sincere, they were ultimately the extras in a production designed to keep Filipinas firmly within the US orbit.

The only miracle that happened in EDSA? The military refused to harm the protesters.

True sovereignty cannot be found in a transition facilitated by the very power that has stifled and corrupted our national identity since 1898. Until we acknowledge that 1986 was a triumph of US interventionism, we will remain trapped in a historical fantasy, celebrating a “freedom” that was granted, not won.

Manila Filatélica: the bookstore that outlived its walls

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📷 Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes.

Manila Filatélica (Philatelic Manila) was a popular bookstore originally located at the corner of Calle Urdaneta and Calle Cabildo in Intramuros. Established in the late 19th century by Regino García y Basa —a well-known Filipino artist, botanist, and forester who illustrated Fr. Manuel Blanco’s famous Flora de Filipinas— Manila Filatélica was, as its name suggests, originally meant to attract postage stamp collectors. During that time, stamp collecting was a popular hobby among the global elite and Filipino Ilustrados. As the shop became a hub for the local intelligentsia, it naturally expanded to sell books, stationery, and other items for writers.

Manila Filatélica was also a prolific publisher. From its presses came historical volumes tackling the Katipunan, the life of José Rizal, and the war against the United States. While its catalog leaned heavily toward history, it also championed significant literary works, including Claro M. Recto’s Solo Entre Las Sombras (1911) and José Palma’s Melancólicas: Colección de Poesías (1912) — both of which I am fortunate to have in my personal library.

During the early 20th century, the bookstore moved to 453 Calle Solana. It also branched outside the walls of Intramuros, with stores established along Calle Carriedo and Calle Soler in Santa Cruz. Unfortunately, the business bore the brunt of the war in 1945. While it did reopen, it did not survive the onslaught of more modern bookstores, not to mention the growing dominance of the English language (as Manila Filatélica specialized in Spanish titles). The business slowly ebbed away sometime in the late 1950s.

My first encounter with Manila Filatélica was, surprisingly, more than a hundred kilometers away from Intramuros. It took place in my wife Yeyette’s bucolic hometown of Abra de Ílog way back in 2001.

One lazy afternoon, while we were rummaging through her grandmother’s baúl (wooden trunk) for vintage keepsakes, I found a very old catechism booklet in Spanish. On its yellowing and brittle frontispiece was the custom rubber stamp MANILA FILATÉLICA together with its Carriedo address. It was an easy surmise that the booklet was procured from that long-gone bookstore. I was amazed by how it found its way into that ancient trunk in forested Mindoro Occidental. Yeyette wasn’t certain if it belonged to her maternal grandmother or the sister of her maternal grandfather, both of whom had lived in that house.

We took home the priceless antique since no one else in the family was interested in it (I was still an atheist at the time, but the bookworm in me compelled me to keep it). Though I haven’t seen it for years —it is currently buried somewhere within my collection of more than 3,000 books— it remains with me. It was from that booklet that I learned the basic Catholic prayers (Padre Nuestro, Ave María, and Gloria) in Spanish, which I have since passed on to my children when I returned to my Catholic faith.

Even though Manila Filatélica disappeared long ago, one of the books it once held for sale made a lasting spiritual impact on my family.

We need statesmen, not politicians

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📷 Philippine News Agency.

We need statesmen, not politicians.

A statesman is a highly respected political leader, wise and prudent in his words and judgment, upright and virtuous in public comportment, and prioritizes national interest over political affiliations and personal gain. A “philosopher king” in the eyes of Plato. A politician is the exact opposite.

A statesman is fiery and flowery in both speech and action. No-nonsense but values accountability. Broad-minded but with conservative, Filipino foundations. A politician grandstands for optics and surveys to continue his dominion.

A statesman’s speeches are for keeps. His words gush forth straight from the heart. He has no need for speech writers — his public discourses are woven from the deepest recesses of his mind. All his public declarations are book-worthy. A politician’s speech, many of which are ghost-written, is meme-worthy.

Whether or not you disagree with a statesman’s views, you still have high regard for him. Unlike a politician who is disrespected and treated with much contempt nowadays, even by minors. Think of Claro M. Recto, Francisco Rodrigo, Manuel L. Quezon, Salvador Laurel, Teofisto Guingona, Vicente Y. Sotto, Enrique Magalona, Arsenio Lacson, Sergio Osmeña, Jovito Salonga, Francisco Tátad, Cipriano Primicias, and to some extent, even Ferdinand Marcos and Benigno Aquino Jr. You may always disagree with what they said or did, but at the end of the day, you cannot deny their intellect and the good intentions that they had for our motherland.

A statesman is cognizant of the fact that he is in position because of public trust, and he values it with gratitude and the willingess to serve. A politician knows only power, and that he is obliged to help his constituents only to maintain that power for himself and for his family and cronies.

A statesman is the highest form of a politician. He is molded by a combination of intelligence, hard work, and selflessness; not from wealth, famous surnames, or celebrity status. Statesmen often clash heads with each other over differences in policies. But at the end of the day, they can still warmly shake hands and heartily dine together, shrugging off heated debates as nothing more but some official work to be done. Unlike today when warring solons take it to the limit by lambasting each other in media interviews and referring to the other camp as enemies.

A statesman knows the difference between intelligence and wisdom, and he knows how to wield both for the betterment of his constituents. A politician, on the other hand, knows only cunning and nothing more.

Our government today is in dire need of statesmen. We don’t need politicians who are composed of action stars, athletes, businessmen, religious leaders, military personnel, vloggers, and what have you. We already have a surfeit of these harlequins for the longest time. We have to bring the power back to our political system by reinstating statesmen.

The problem is where to find them.

My religious conversions

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Sometime during the late 90s, I was on my way to my Padre Rada Street in Tondo, to the house where my mother grew up. I can’t remember the exact year nor the reason why I was headed there. But I remember the exact moment…

I was descending the stairs of LRT Carriedo Station. It was nighttime of January 9th, the feast of the Black Nazarene. I was still in school uniform. Avenida Rizal was bare of vehicles but littered with all sorts of debris and vexatious vendors. The air was still, as if there was no “amihan”. But somewhere off Carriedo, towards where Quiapo Church was situated, I could hear the multitude of devotees. From afar, their voices were ecstatic, joyful (and triumphant? haha!).

But I shook my head in disapproval. I must have clucked my tongue, too. Because during that time, I was already having a crisis of faith. My belief in God was already standing on shaky foundations as I was already steeped in impious literature.

In about a year or two, I shunned the faith of my fathers for those that I deemed were more faithful to Scripture. I went from church to church, like an indecisive bee hovering from one flower to another. But my search for that one true faith got entangled with life experiences that were all too bitter. Humorously, I ended up an agnostic. Marxist literature broke the camel’s back, turning me not just into an atheist, but into an anti-Catholic Marxist atheist, the worst of its kind.

I spat on churches, stole consecrated hosts for vainglory, and devalued catechism in front of friends and cousins. 😞

But it is really true that God moves in mysterious ways. One thing led to another. True enough, my search for our national identity led me back home to Christ’s Bride: the Catholic Church.

Who could have known that some 30 years later, after that boring but unforgettable descent into dark and dank Avenida Rizal, I would turn out to become one of the ecstatic and joyful voices, triumphantly shouting “¡Viva! ¡Viva! ¡Viva!” with other “Hijos de Nazareno” as the centuries-old image of the Black Nazarene passed by in front of us. From calling them idol worshippers, I became one with the flock of faithful sinners who never tire of seeking mercy and guidance from the image that represents the one true King of the Universe.

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¡VIVA NUESTRO PADRE JESÚS NAZARENO! 😇

Black Nazarene procession survival tips

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I am a veteran of the world-famous Quiapo traslación¹. Since 2012, I have joined 14 consecutive traslaciones² and, despite my lean frame, have survived the very dangerous ocho³ numerous times. Suffice it to say, I believe that I have adequate capacity to give advice to first-timers who are planning to attend tomorrow’s event (which will be my 15th). So, without further ado…

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My closest shot of the andas at last year’s traslación.

1. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE PLENTY OF SLEEP.
This should be a no-brainer. You will be joined by millions of devotees who will literally eat up every square inch of space, including sidewalks and center islands, just to get near the andas³. You will have to wrestle your way through.

2. DO NOT WEAR ANY FOOTWEAR.
On my first traslación, I was scolded by devotees because I was wearing a pair of canvas sneakers. I didn’t know back then that devotees were barefoot! Thus, I accidentally stepped on many devotees’ feet. But in the end, I didn’t have to remove my sneakers — both were heavily torn for being stepped on by a multitude. I went home barefoot myself. 🤣

3. DO NOT GO NEAR THE ANDAS ALONE.
If you plan to go to the traslación just to witness it, or to pray from a safe distance, then fine, you can go alone. But if you are planning to touch the miraculous andas and/or ropes, it is advisable that you’re with company. As per my observation through the years, those fortunate individuals who were able to climb the sacred andas almost always had friends to assist them. Also, you cannot and should not bring personal items with you if you want to go near the andas. You will have to leave your wallet, cell phones, keys, shoes, etc. to a friend who will be left at a safe distance as you you swim through the sea of humanity. Case in point: on my first traslación in 2012, I lost my wallet which was tucked deep in my jeans’ pocket — the thief who stole it was an astonishing expert! 😂 So yeah, I had to go home with no money at all. 😫

4. BRING LOTS OF WATER.
I know, it’s a holy event. But still, there will be lots of opportunist vendors who will sell you bottled drinks with insane prices.

5. WEAR SHORT PANTS AND SHIRTS MADE OF LIGHT FABRIC.
You will be able to move about easily with short pants, not to mention the high possibility of climbing up the andas (it’s difficult to do so while wearing pants or jeans). Just make sure you wear a belt to fasten it up your waist to prevent it from being pulled down accidentally — it has happened many times! 🤣 Also, it is advisable to just wear light clothing because it’s going to be a very sweaty affair.

6. FOLD YOUR ARMS LIKE A BOXER.
If you’re deep within the crowd of millions, you should maintain a boxer’s stance by folding your arms in front of your chest. This position helps protect your ribcage and creates vital space around your lungs in order for you to breathe.

7. RAISE ONE ARM IF YOU CAN’T BEAR NO MORE.
If you’re caught within the ocho ropes and you feel that you’re already being crushed by the massive crowd, just raise one arm and shout “¡Mg̃a capatíd, sa banqueta na acó!” or “¡Mg̃a capatíd, lalabás na acó!“⁵. Believe it or not, the people around you will try their best to usher you out to safety. Contrary to anti-Catholic belief, all devotees there care for each other’s protection. Also, the banqueta (Spanish for sidewalk) is considered a safe zone for devotees.

8. IGNORE ANTI-CATHOLICS, OR JUST SHOUT “¡VIVA!” TO DROWN THEIR HECKLING
As in previous years, there will always be anti-Catholics with megaphones who will tell devotees the usual “Do not worship images!” bull. Do not engage with them because there is a proper time for that. And there will always be Catholic apologists who will respectfully debate with these holier-than-thou naysayers. Just shout ¡Viva! to drown their heckling. But if you wish to witness such debates, please do not heckle the hecklers. We are there not to quarrel but to adore, venerate, and petition the blessed image of Christ.

9. BE VERY PATIENT.
There will be lots of pushing and shoving, but all of these are not deliberate. Learn to say sorry when you accidentally hit someone.

And if I may add, PLEASE DO NOT LITTER! Bring an extra plastic bag for your trash and dispose of it properly. Be good and responsible Catholics, please. At para hindí rin tayo masitá ng mg̃a anti-católico. Please don’t forget to take good care of this planet which was gifted to us by the Black Nazarene Himself.

Lastly, we should not forget that the traslación is a centuries-old spiritual tradition. We should still be mindful of piety and solemnity despite the noise.

¡VIVA JESÚS NAZARENO!

¹traslación – Spanish for transfer, commemorating the Black Nazarene’s transfer from the Iglesia de San Nicolás (now occupied by MANILA BULLETIN) in Intramuros to the Iglesia del Santísimo Nombre de Jesús (now known as the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesús Nazareno) in Quiapo.
²Actually, the traslación was suspended from 2021 to 2023 due to COVID-19, but devotees still trooped to Quiapó.
³ocho – refers to a specific rope maneuver where the Black Nazaren’s carriage, pulled by devotees with two thick ropes, is made to move by rhythmic, figure-eight motions, allowing for controlled stops and movements, especially during rest or when navigating dense crowds.
⁴andas – the ornate, wheeled carriage or float that carries the revered statue of the Black Nazarene. It serves as the central platform for the image during the traslación.
⁵”Brothers, I need to go to the sidewalk!”

Our country’s political age

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We have been independent for nearly 80 years. But that length of sovereignty is only an eyeblink compared to 333 years under Spain. Even if we add up all the years that we have as a sovereign state with those under the US and Japanese regimes, our time under Spain still remains the longest. That is why we cannot simply shrug off that extensive period of our history as mere part of our past. Because that past still lingers, still breathes. That past is still alive in our traditions, in our fashion, in our architecture, in our idioms, in our cuisine, in our body language, in our faith. It is still being played in song and dance, remains the canvas of the colors of our minds, and is the backbone of our prose and poetry in whatever language that we write.

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Infograph: Navarræ PJ

Capitanía General de Filipinas / Filipinas: 333 years
United States Military Government of the Philippine Islands: 4 years
Insular Government Philippine Islands: 34 years
Commonwealth of the Philippines: 11 years
Republic of the Philippines / Republika ng Pilipinas: 80 years

That past will forever be our ever-present past. For what is 129 years compared to 333?

Attacking the medium

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New Year’s Day Mass at the Imus Cathedral.

The most ingenious way of attacking the Catholic Church in Filipinas is tarnishing the reputation of its conduit — the three centuries of Spanish rule. This method of attack is called leyenda negra or black legend. By perpetually finding fault in all aspects of Spanish rule in our country, anti-Catholics further cement their case, offering a twisted version of “no good fruit comes from a good tree”. In other words, if it’s from Spain, it must surely be evil. That is why it is an imperative for them that Masonic propaganda and other related literature (Fray Botod, Noli Me Tángere, Dasalan at Tocsohan, etc.) should be taught in schools as if they are gospel truth. Not an ounce of good from our Spanish past must be taught at all. This systematic brainwashing in turn produces hispanophobes who continue the sickening cycle. Thus we have clueless Filipinos today who hail these propagandists —many of whom attacked not just the friars but also Church doctrine and dogma— as our country’s saviors but at the same time maintain their Catholic faith, whose status is already made brittle by said leyenda negra. The main objective, really, is to destroy the mystical Body of Christ, also known as the Catholic Church.







Creo que mi cuenta de Facebook está en peligro 😞

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Estaba usando mi Facebook hace unos minutos cuando, de repente, la pantalla se quedó en blanco. Y entonces apareció una solicitud de Meta (el dueño de Facebook). Me pedía un vídeo de mi cara desde varios ángulos. Después de enviar el vídeo, apareció este mensaje…

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Ya tengo 16.525 seguidores allí. Pero eso no me preocupa. Me preocupan más los recuerdos que he atesorado allí: miles de fotografías de mi difunta mujer y nuestros hijos desde 2009.

Tengo la sensación de que mi cuenta ya no se restaurará. No tengo ni idea de por qué Meta me hizo esto. Soy una persona real, no una cuenta falsa. Esto es muy injusto y doloroso. 😞