The Fourth Perspective

The Philippine  population is beyond 96 million, 39.6% or about 38 million of that are employed. If the participation of each citizen can be harnessed to boost Philippine defense through an enabling law, or more expediently through a discounted bond offering, urgent and essential funds for military procurement could increase, at a minimum by PHP 34 billion or 40% of the PHP 85 billion modernization budget. Lets say that a theoretical bond offering with a face value of PHP1,000 is discounted at 10%, with a maturity of 7 years is availed of by the 38 million employed Filipinos, it would translate to PHP 38 billion or about USD 864 million bond indebtedness by the Philippine government to its citizens, and a net cash proceeds of USD 777.6 million to the procurement coffer. The latter could equate to 12 JAS 39 Gripen or 20 more FA 50 Jets; maybe 38 fully armed KFIR Block 60; perhaps an additional two brand new frigates; it may buy 500 or so SAM and Anti-Ship missiles, or even arou...

GMO are living organism/s modified genetically through the introduction of DNA from other species of likewise living organisms. Plants, animals and seeds are commonly the objects of the process. Genetic modification cannot occur by natural process and hence it is distinctively and entirely different from natural cross-breeding. Briefly, genetic modification in the context of this writing is a laboratory process conducted not only with persistence of life as an object, but more so for business profit. The process basically involves injection of foreign genetic material to a selected target sight in a host gene to alter its genetic code thereby creating a new genetic expression, like greater resistance to diseases which should result to reduction in pesticide use and consequently increase in crop yield. It is a common knowledge that a substantial percentage of food in the US has ingredients of GMO and its derivatives. Prime objects of GMO companies are wheat, corn, rice, other fruits a...

Treaties and alliances should always be mutually beneficial to parties concerned. It is a declaration of commitment to each other, whereupon participation is assured, and reliance amongst them is guaranteed not only in the present but also in the future. A treaty of alliance should never be rendered onerous by time. Such that the benefit will only inure to one party, and the burden to the rest. Parties to an alliance or treaty have a responsibility, to ensure that each worthiness as an ally is maintained and un-eroded. This will vest each one the legal and moral right to demand the performance of an obligation committed by the other parties to a treaty. Unjustified complacency and the absence of reasonable diligence which rendered a party incapacitated to perform his end of the commitment due perhaps among others to ill-preparedness, are acts of the irresponsible and a conduct unbecoming of a respectable nation. In the limelight is the Philippine and US Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) s...

Let us make a concise appraisal of the real situation the Philippines is currently facing at the West Philippine Sea . With the orientation that the South China Sea is part of their destiny, the Chinese is hell bent in practically taking as their own the whole of that waters to include the appertaining islets, atolls and islands within the 200 miles exclusive economic zone of the western Philippines. The growing aggressiveness of China attests to that resolve. Filipino fisherman had dared not to venture in this zone due to the continues harassment by the omnipresent armed para-military Chinese vessels. In the southwest a token force of Filipino troops stationed at a dilapidated ship at the Ayungin reef can barely be reach by the re-supplying Philippine vessels on account of Chinese intimidation. The general area is taken and occupied by a foreign force, a state of siege exist tantamount to occupation and invasion. The sovereign right is violated. Diplomatic options were exhausted, a...

A cartel in itself is not illegal, but there are  illegitimate acts that could render the alliance as similar or akin to an organized crime.  Like a group of entities, juridical or natural, in a concerted and monopolistic act, in defiance of existing rules regulations and laws connived or is conniving to arbitrarily or artificially fix the price of products or services under their control, contrary to the genuine dictates of economic and market forces with undue profit as the goal. Illegitimate cartel surprisingly and commonly operates through the basic economic law of supply and demand, exploiting the same through machinations like hoarding. The latter is the intentional withholding of available goods for sale in a period of time to trigger an artificial shortage.The intention to create a shortage in commodities like rice may also be intended to hide a surplus which otherwise will cause a significant drop in commodity price. The situations that could project a...

Why would the Philippines in its sane and righteous mind imagine, much more prepare for a war with China over the West Philippine Sea ? One can only deduce the brunt of insurmountable military force the Philippines has to bear and suffer if war should ever break out with China . After all, the latter as we know it, is now the second largest economy in the world, and by experts estimate, in a decade or so, China to say the least may achieve parity with, or at most will overtake the United States as the world’s greatest military power. Even more, a Philippine senator had went against the purchase of twelve trainer jets from South Korea, implying the same to be a nonsense endeavor, while favoring instead the helicopter procurement for COIN operations. Also, it is a fact that the Philippine military is at a dismal and sorry state to the point that one could shed tears on the sight of its pathetic condition. With the foregoing, no one really ever has neither the notion nor the co...

In finance and accounting parlance opportunity cost is a loss sustained either by inaction or taking another alternative action due to the inability to grab or take advantage of an opportunity when it presented itself. It is the value or benefit of a choice bypassed and foregone. The Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) KFIR Block 60 is a multi-role networked fighter that is based on the French Mirage jet and re-manufactured by the former to zero timed frame and installed with 4 th plus generation avionics and radar, being so it can synchronize operation with its allies including aerial refueling; it has nine hard points to accommodate an array of modern weaponry; can run at mach 2+ up to 1000 nautical miles without refueling and a manufacturers guarantee of 8000 hours flying time equivalent to 40 years. Rumor has it that it is being offered at a meager sum of 20 million US Dollar a piece including the weaponry. A price that represents 1/3 the cost of a brand new fighter with si...