Standoff with China

Many thought that the controversy was settled in the case of graduating students of St. Theresa’s College who were barred by the school from joining the commencement rites when the court issued a Temporary Restraining Order  against the school.  But the school defied the TRO and still didn’t allow the  students to join the March 30 graduation rites.  According to the school’s legal counsel, the TRO was defective because no bond was paid by the plaintiffs. So the parents sued STC for  damages and child abuse.

STC countered that the court had no jurisdiction in the first place because the case involved minor children and should be heard in a family court.  With new lawyers, STC again issued a clarification that the students who were barred from  the graduation rites were  not punished because they wore bikinis in photos posted in Facebook but because of many violations for which their attention had been called before.

There are those who support the decision of the administration and those who object. I hope the  controversy will find a settlement to the satisfaction of all  parties. I was informed that the rest of the graduates were prepared to  protest if the school had allowed the complaining students to join the graduation rites.

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The standoff between the Philippines and the People’s Republic of China in Scarborough Shoal is causing unnecessary tension between the two countries. The question is, how will the Philippines resolve this  issue with the People’s Republic of China?

Realistically our country should not and cannot confront China on a military basis because we don’t have the  military capability to do so. Some parties suggest and rightfully so that we deal with China  diplomatically, which is more practical.

I think it would be a smart move to explore diplomacy here. Besides we aren’t interested in provoking  China to start a world war by bringing in our allies to our side and confronting  China militarily. Our  allies may not want to risk getting involved. The Philippines can always protect our sovereignty by diplomatic means.

In last Tuesday’s  888 News Forum, Bogo City Mayor Celestino Martinez  Jr. lamented that there weren’t many infrastructure projects in north Cebu aside from the Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbo. Martinez was intimating that the government should start building a highway  that would lead to the establishment of an international airport in the north and help decongest the population in the Metro Cebu area.

Martinez even invited the president of the Cebu Real Estate Association to hold their next monthly meeting in Bogo so that members can help the city in its development.  While Martinez welcomed the holding of the Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbo tourism caravan, he said he hoped the Cebu  provincial government and the national government would bring in more infrastructure to the north.

Many of us in the  888 news forum agreed this suggestion would help decongest the growing population of Metro Cebu.

It is hoped that Mayor Martinez could bring his concern to the Regional Development Council (RDC). I think the RDC with Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama as chairman and presiding officer is receptive to this idea and that RDC members would listen to the proposal also the President if endorsed by the RDC.