More on AJ Madrigal #BatangGilas

Prior to Batang Gilas' stunning victory in Medan, Indonesia, this article by Enzo Flojo appeared in the online site of Fox Sports Asia on April 21, 2016 (with additional photos from Aldren Madrigal).

AJ Madrigal out to do Marinduque proud as member of Batang Gilas

AJ as proud Marinduque morion, too. Photo: Aldren Neri Madrigal

When Alain “AJ” Madrigal first laced up his sneaks and dribbled a basketball in his home province of Marinduque, playing for flag and country was probably quite far from his mind. Years later, however, on a humid summer Wednesday evening, he’s in the Meralco Gym, training hard and wearing the Batang Gilas colors weeks away from plunging into the 2016 Southeast Asian Basketball Association U18 Championship in Medan, Indonesia.

It has been an interesting story for someone like Madrigal, who has never really hugged the headlines despite being one of the main cogs for the La Salle Green Hills Junior Blazers this past season in the NCAA.

Alain "AJ" Madrigal. 6'2" at 17. Photo: Aldrin Neri Madrigal

“I actually started playing in Marinduque,” narrates Madrigal, who is still only 17 years old and just finished high school.

“Around Grade 7, I moved to Lourdes School Mandaluyong, where I became teammates with Gian Mamuyac,” he adds. “And then in first year high school, I got recruited by LSGH.”

Exchanging the light blue hues of LSM for the famed green and white of LSGH meant Madrigal would enjoy much more exposure as well as the chance to be teammates with another member of the Batang Gilas pool, Ricci Rivero, the star playmaker who already competed abroad for FIBA 3×3 and was the consistent leading NCAA Juniors’ MVP candidate this past season.

Rivero, however, isn’t in the Meralco Gym on this particular night. He also isn’t among the final twelve Batang Gilas players recently released to the public.

But Madrigal is.

The Marinduque product is out to prove he not only belongs at this level, but that he can be an important piece — a standout perimeter player.

“They can expect shooting,” he says. “I just have to keep on working on my speed and shooting because that’s how I can really help the team.”

That’s natural, of course, since Batang Gilas will be undersized once they reach the FIBA Asia U18 Championship in Iran later this year. Madrigal is aware of this, and he is resolved to be a difference-maker for coach Mike Oliver’s squad.

“I expect much bigger and stronger guards in the international game,” Madrigal says.

At 6’2, though, Madrigal has great size at this level for a wingman. This, combined with his outside shooting, should make him a potential match-up nightmare for opposing countries.

In the 2016 SEABA U18 tourney, only the top three teams will earn tickets to the FIBA Asia joust, and though Batang Gilas can be expected to be the overwhelmingly heavy favorite, Madrigal and his teammates don’t plan to take anything for granted.

“Our ultimate goal is to win the SEABA championship and qualify for FIBA Asia,” he declares. “We have a different playing style, and we will do what it takes to win.”

If his words eventually become reality, then, indeed, Madrigal will have made Marinduque, not to mention the rest of the country, proud. – By Enzo Flojo

Batang Gilas bags the SEABA U18 gold in Indonesia; Marinduquenos cheer for AJ Madrigal

The Philippine national youth basketball team, Batang Gilas, captured the Gold Medal in the 2016 Southeast Asia Basketball Association Under-18 (SEABA U18) Championship held in Medan, Indonesia April 23-28, 2016.

Countries that vied for the championship are the Philippines, host Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.

The tournament serves as the qualifier for the FIBA Asia U-18 tilt in Tehran, Iran on July 15-24.

Batang Gilas won 6 straight games including the Finals where they beat Thailand by 37 points. 

The Philippine team defeated Indonesia, 113-73,  Singapore, 87-52, Malaysia, 87-68, and Laos, 133-52 in Game 1 where the top scorer was Alain Jethro Madrigal with 23 points.

Marinduque's great pride, Alain Jethro Madrigal

Many sports fans from Marinduque have followed the event, cheering for Madrigal who hails from Boac.

Batang Gilas SEABA U18 roster

Other members of the team are Will Allen Gozum, Joshua Sinclair, Gian Mamuyac, Evan Nelle, Fran Yu, Lorenzo Mendoza, Rendell Lee, Pedro Alfaro III, Theo Flores, Jonas Tibayan, and John Bryle Bahio.

The roster boasts of three holdovers from the U-16 squad which stunned China last year namely Tibayan, Mamuyac and Gozum.

The team was mentored by head coach Michael Oliver, assistant coach Jigs Mendoza, assistant coach Mc Abolucion, and team coordinator Dennis Llames.

Madrigal with proud parents Mr. & Mrs. Aldren Neri Madrigal and sister Ishi

It will be recalled that in 2014, basketball prodigy Kobe Paras, now playing for UCLA Bruins of the US NCAA basketball league, led the Batang Gilas U-18 team to a quarterfinals appearance before succumbing to a heartbreaking 90-86 defeat to Chinese Taipei.

The team at that time finished fifth place in the classification round after routing Kazakhstan and an overtime victory against Japan. 

What a Philippine victory for 2016! 

Congratulations Batang Gilas!

Photos courtesy of Aldren Neri Madrigal

Huge potential with bamboo

The $60 billion a year industry made from a plant

Asia is by far the biggest grower of bamboo, using it for a variety of things. Here, a chocolate factory is constructed from bamboo on the island of Bali, where the plant is an emblem of a sustainable construction. Bali also has a school and luxury villas made from bamboo.

The word bamboo typically brings to mind images of baskets, or bamboo shoots commonly used in Asian cuisine.

But this hearty, fast-growing plant has become an economic stronghold in parts of the world, with an estimated global economy valued at $60 billion a year, according to the International Network of Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR), an intergovernmental organization promoting bamboo and rattan.

Though Asia is by far the biggest grower of bamboo, Africa's growth in bamboo has "great opportunity", according to Hans Friederich, director-general of INBAR.

"The (African) continent has vast reserves of largely untapped bamboo that, if properly managed, could benefit rural communities and promote green economic development," said Friederich.

Sturdy plant with huge potential

Bamboo can grow up to almost one meter a day. Not only can it rapidly regenerate, but it has the advantage of being incredibly versatile.

The robust plant is used to make everything from watches, bikes, scaffolding, chopsticks, flooring, furniture, building and roofing materials, paper and textiles among other items.

"You can really plant bamboo in soil not useful for something else," said Friederich, explaining the plants potential in Africa. "To plant bamboo on unproductive land and eroded soil is very feasible," he said.

What's more, says Friederich, is that bamboo is a resource that's truly sustainable. He believes it can help not only help boost the economy but also provide an environmentally sound way to alleviate many challenges in some African countries.

"Bamboo can be harnessed to reverse land degradation, slow deforestation, combat climate change through carbon sequestration, and boost rural livelihoods through the creation of jobs and income," added Friederich. - Katie Pisa from CNN

NASA finds new planet 10 times the size of Jupiter - "so far away, doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore?"

'All By Myself': Lonely Planet Found Floating Around in Space

NASA has discovered a new planet floating freely around the galaxy proving the theory that in the dark depths of space, lonely planets outnumber stars in the Milky Way.

A recent study "provides new clues in this mystery of galactic proportions," said NASA, after scientists found a free-floating, planetary-mass object within a young star family called the TW Hydrae association.

The newly discovered planet, called WISEA 1147 for short, is thought to be up to ten times the size of Jupiter.

"The features on this one screamed out, 'I'm a young brown dwarf,' " said Adam Schneider, lead author of the study due to be published in The Astrophysical Journal.

But despite its size, tracing the origins of free-floating worlds to see if they are indeed planets or brown dwarfs is tricky — because they are so isolated and lonely.

A sky map taken by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, shows the location of the TW Hydrae family, or association, of stars, which lies about 175 light-years from Earth and is centered in the Hydra constellation. The stars are thought to have formed together around 10 million years ago. 

"We are at the beginning of what will become a very hot field — trying to determine the nature of the free-floating population and how many are planets versus brown dwarfs," co-author of the study Davy Kickpatrick of NASA's Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena said.

By studying lonely planets, like the WISEA 1147, astronomers 
hope to learn more about what they're made out of — as well as weather patterns on isolated worlds.  - Sputnik News

But just note what they said less than a month ago, on April 5, 2016 here:

It remains unclear just how big the distant planet would become. Given its rocky composition, it will be far smaller than gas planets like Jupiter and Saturn, but it could form to be a larger super-Earth. Orbiting within the habitable zone, it could potentially host life.

Just about two weeks later, on April 21, 2016:

The newly discovered planet, called WISEA 1147 for short, is thought to be up to ten times the size of Jupiter.

Then maybe it's not so far away? "Doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore?" (With apologies to Carole King).

Canada PM Justin Trudeau outrage at beheading of Philippines hostage Ridsdel

The Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has condemned the beheading of a Canadian hostage kidnapped by Islamist militants in the Philippines.

John Ridsdel, 68, was taken from a tourist resort with three others by the Abu Sayyaf group in September 2015.

In November, the Islamist militants released a video showing Mr Ridsdel and three other captives, and demanded a ransom of $80m (£55m).

Mr Trudeau called his death "an act of cold-blooded murder". - Full story on BBC

Prime Minister Trudeau in last year's APEC conference in the Philippines. Photo: Canoe

STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA ON THE DEATH OF CANADIAN JOHN RIDSDEL

Kananaskis, Alberta
25 April 2016

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the death of Canadian John Ridsdel:

“I am outraged by the news that a Canadian citizen, John Ridsdel, held hostage in the Philippines since September 21, 2015, has been killed at the hands of his captors.

“Canada condemns without reservation the brutality of the hostage-takers, and this unnecessary death. This was an act of cold-blooded murder and responsibility rests squarely with the terrorist group who took him hostage.

“The Government of Canada is committed to working with the Government of Philippines and international partners to pursue those responsible for this heinous act and bring them to justice.

“On behalf of the Government of Canada and all Canadians, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Ridsdel. They have endured a terrible ordeal, and this is a devastating moment for all of them. Our thoughts are with them as they come to terms with this loss, and I would ask that the media respect their privacy at this difficult time.

“The Government of Canada’s first priority is the safety and security of its citizens. The Government of Canada will not comment or release any information which may compromise ongoing efforts or endanger the safety of the remaining hostages.” - PM Justin Trudeau

Pope Francis: Marinduque in his mind (Part 5) Battle between Good and Evil

Twenty years have passed since the Marcopper mine tragedy. The first 10 years were characterized by endless public hearings, consultations, media releases, reports and voluminous studies by the scientific community all of which did not really produce solutions that address problems that continue to confront the Marinduque people such as issues on environment, social and health problems, the result of more than two decades of irresponsible mining.

A class suit was then filed in Nevada by the provincial government, strongly supported by civil society whose role in making the world realize the extent of the seriousness of the environmental situation in Marinduque was extremely valuable. It took another 10 years of legal battle but one that eventually would only see the dismissal of the legal case on jurisdictional grounds. 'File your case in Canada or the Philippines', the court has decided.

Isn't the Devil at work here?

Saint Michael casting Satan into Hell. From Lacma

Evidence of the Devil's activities are so apparent as twenty years of deception, secrecy, manipulation and control by those in power, the Devil's tools, done in a highly sophisticated and specialized way reveal. 

Warring against a people's call for truth and justice is foremost in his mind. So he tempts, bribes, deceives, enters into, vexes and his prey are the good people. Not the liars, thieves, the greedy and corrupt government officials and their minions, not the shrewd and manipulative legal counsels because he already controls all of them.

Meanwhile, the good people have not stopped praying, beseeching the Lord's guidance, "Lighten our Darkness Oh Lord", and Mother Mary's intercession.

Marinduque's Moriones not giving up

This Marinduque story is about the continual battle between good and evil, between embracing God and worshiping the rituals of Satan.

Mine tailings poured directly into Calancan Bay from the mines way back. One of the many things government and legal counsels in the Nevada case attempted to ram into the throats of the people of Marinduque as something "that never happened" in exchange for cash going into pockets of the greedy and evil-oriented. People cried "NO, NO, NO!", and rejected the "crumbs".

Is it any wonder then why the Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishop of Rome and leader of the world's Catholic Church, by some twist of fate or perhaps by Divine design, fully aware of this chapter in our history, would be interested in seeing a final and just conclusion to this agonizing, soul-draining Marinduque story and pray to God for the same?

Pope Francis in prayer.
So that many 'owned' decision-makers would be enlightened.

(To be continued)

ISA NA NAMANG KATIWALIAN SHOCKER SA P 300-MILLION LOAN NG LALAWIGAN NG MARINDUQUE!

Ayaw na rin ng DBM (Department of Budget and Management) ng KATIWALIAN sa MARINDUQUE

Department of Budget and Management building in Manila

Matapos umalma ang COA, umalma naman ngayon ang DBM sa ginawang panggigiit ng mga opisyal ng Lalawigan ng Marinduque na ipasa ang isang Appropriations Ordinance No. 05 series of 2015 na inaprubahan ng Sangguniang Panlalawigan noong January 8, 2016 pero isinumite for review sa DBM noong February 1, 2016. Ito ay may kinalaman sa kontrobersyal na inuutang ng Lalawigan sa DBP na nagkakahalaga ng P 300-MILLION.

Maliwanag na inihayag ng DBM Regional Office sa Lalawigan ang pagtutol nito na may petsang Abril 7, 2016, dahil nilalabag nito ang IRR ng RA 7160, at sinabing:

"The Sanggunian cannot pass an Appropriations Ordinance covering a supplemental budget for the current fiscal year after December 31. Supplemental Budget No. 5 covers changes in the FY 2015 Annual Budget of the Province, thus, it should be authorized within FY 2015. Article 455 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of R.A. 7160 provides that:

"The official year of the LGUs shall be the period beginning with the first day of January and ending with the thirty-first (31st) day of December of the same year"

Marami ang nakapuna na sinubukan ng SP na isingit, madaliin at palusutin ang Appropriations Ordinance No. 5 na tinutulan ng ilan dahil tapos na ang fiscal year 2015, noong ito ay ipinapasa subalit hindi ito pinakinggan.

Dahil dito tahasang ibinalik ng DBM sa Kapitolyo ng Marinduque ang isinumiteng FY 2015 Supplemental Budget No. 5 na hindi inaprubahan. - Eli J Obligacion

‪#‎KorapPaMore‬
‪#‎NoToCorruption‬
‪#‎SoThePeopleMayKnow‬

Also read:

Paglabag sa batas sa Marinduque FMR bids atbp umusok na

Pope Francis: Marinduque in his mind (Part 4) His thoughts

His Holiness, Pope Francis, has already expressed his sensitivity to the cry of the many people who've suffered as a result of irresponsible mining activities, and he has likewise expressed his thoughts about the "short-sighted and often unbridled exploitation" of the natural environment and of the "widespread evasion of accountability".

As conveyed by the Most Rev. Bishop Maralit in an address to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, during the Congregation for Bishops held at the Vatican in September last year, he informed the body that he was in the company of all new bishops appointed by the Pope.

It is at the Clementine Hall where the Pope
addressed his newly appointed Bishops

No less than the Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Prefect of the Congregation, former Archbishop of Quebec and Primate of Canada, conveyed to the Bishop from Marinduque that the Pope was interested to know where the environmental case on Marinduque was heading for after the Nevada dismissal of the case on jurisdictional grounds.

Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Prefect of the Congregation of Bishops

Prior to his trip to the Vatican the Bishop was following local developments on the case and therefore had a specific response. Maralit was fully aware of the clamor to move the case to Canada, and had prior knowledge of arrangements being made by local authorities for direct talks among the provincial government, stakeholders involved, a high caliber Canadian law firm, as well as the U.S. law firm that represented Marinduque in the Nevada case.

"At kung makadaragdag po sa inyong lakas ng loob, nais ko pong ipaalam sa inyo ang pagkaalam ng ating Mahal na Santo papa sa sitwasyon ng ating kaso," the Bishop to the Sanggunian.

"Noong Setyembre po ako ay nanggaling sa Roma at humarap sa ating Mahal na Santo Papa. Ako po ay isinantabi sa lahat ng Obispong bago at sinabihan po ako ni Cardinal Ouellet na galing sa Canada, hepe ng Kongregasyon ng mga Obispo, at binanggit sa akin ang pagpapaabot ng Santo Papa, saan pupunta sa susunod ang kaso ninyo?" Dahil alam niya ang naging desisyon sa Nevada.

"Kaagad-agad ang aking tugon ay pinag-uusapan na po, sapagkat noong ako at umalis at naroon na po ang pag-uusap na merong mga kakausapin na mga abogado at ini-schedule ang pagdating," he added.

"At ang sabi ng Santo Papa sa akin, ipinaabot ay hayaan ninyong malaman mo ang aming pag-alam at pagsuporta sa kasong ito. Kaya nga at nabanggit ko po sa Santo Papa ay kung maaari ipagdasal kayo, para kayo ay malinawan para sa dapat nating hakbangin", said Maralit in his address at the provincial session hall.

Catholic prelates joining calls by civil society groups in this Inquirer article

Catholic prelates, civil society groups and the people of Marinduque have been offering prayer petitions every Sunday mass for this class suit to move forward. The Bishop has then personally conveyed his humble request to the Pope for prayers for the enlightenment of Marinduque's decision makers. 

The power of prayers, pontifical prayers even, that brings renewed perspective, that opens eyes, and sheds light to shame and pride.

What happened next?

(To be continued)

Marinduque youth makes stand for change

"Make a stand! Be the change! One good vote."

Text and photos by Sat Rioveros 

The Youth Caravan was held successfully today. Almost one thousand and five hundred youth from the fourteen parishes in the Diocese of Boac gathered at Mogpog Covered court to convey to all the clear message which is to uphold a CLEAN, HONEST and PEACEFUL election. Wala ng magpapabola, mansasamantala, magpapabili ng boto at manyuyurak sa dangal lalo na ng mahihirap. 

To start the day's activity, a concelebrated Mass was held, officiated by Fr. Allan Malapad and he was joined mostly by the young clergy.

All the participating youth toured around the major streets of the six towns of Marinduque (particular in the market) during the whole day. They carried streamers and placards with them, gave leaflets to the people as a sort of guiding principles during the election.

May the call of the youth of the province of Marinduque be heard and considered by the voters.

Pope Francis: Marinduque in his mind (Part 3). Poster child of irresponsible mining past and present

Marinduque, poster child of irresponsible mining past and present

The Vatican under Pope Francis has become starkly aware of the challenges encountered by local communities around the world brought about by mining operations and practices. In September 2013, the The Vatican in a Day of Reflection with the Mining Industry reminded leaders of the mining sector "to create a harmony of interests involving investors, manager, workers, their families, the future of their children, the preservation of the environment", among others.

The CEO's of some of the world's top mining companies participated to "open a dialogue where mining interfaces with the community … to hear other views with the promise of all of us making a difference.”

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), on the other hand, has often cited in various forums the need to address the "devastating effects and the adverse social impacts of mining that will destroy both environment and people and will lead to national unrest".

CEO's of some of world's top mining companies during "Vatican Day for Reflection on Mining" in front of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace in Rome. Photo: JPIC

In July 2015 the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace (PCJP) gathered participants from 18 countries from Latin America, US, Europe, Africa and Asia including the Philippines, locale of the Marcopper mine disaster, now known globally as the "poster child of irresponsible mining, past and present".

But three weeks before the conference, the Associated Press carried a news story that was followed with great interest by the mining sector: 'Nevada court blocks Philippine province's Barrick Gold suit'.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A Philippine island province that experienced mining waste disasters in the 1990s has lost its final plea for a Nevada court to hear its claim for damages against Barrick Gold Corp.

The Nevada Supreme Court ruled Thursday that state courts don't have jurisdiction to hear the lawsuit that the province of Marinduque (mehr-in-DOO'-kay) filed in 2005.

The justices ruled 6-0 that a lower court judge correctly decided that courts in Canada or the Philippines are more appropriate venues. Barrick is based in Toronto.

During the conference with mining communities the Pope described the context of the mining conflicts with great insight and empathy acknowledging that the participants came "to echo the cry of the many people, families and communities who suffer directly and indirectly as a result of the consequences, too often negative, of mining activities."

 Pope calls for "radical change" to respect the rights of local communities and the environment. Photo: CNS

He continued: "A cry for lost land; a cry for the extraction of wealth from land that paradoxically does not produce wealth for the local population who remain poor; a cry of pain in reaction to violence, threat and corruption..."

There the Pope stated, “The entire mining sector is undoubtedly required to effect a radical paradigm change to improve the situation in many countries.”  This sentiment reflected his latest encyclical, Laudato Si, in which he encourages “care for our common home.”  

He said all parties needed to adopt a behavior based  in a sincere and respectful dialogue to deal with this crisis.

PCPJ gathered participants from mining-affected communities.
Photo:paxchristi

By September 10, 2015, the Pope would be addressing exclusively all the Bishops he appointed the past year. This transpired at the Congregation of Bishops held at the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace. Cardinal Marc Ouellet of Canada is Prefect of the Congregation.

As history would have it, the said bishops included the Most Rev. Bishop Marcelino Antonio M. Maralit, Jr., Bishop of Boac in Marinduque, site of the Marcopper mine disaster 20 years ago, that "significant historical infamy" as Marinduquenos would remember it. 

The Pope named Maralit as Bishop-elect on December 31, 2014.

Pope Francis meeting some Bishops during a weekly general audience.

In his address to the Bishops, the Pope, among others said, "I am thinking of the natural environment, the garden that God has given as a home to human beings and to other creatures and which is threatened by short-sighted and often unbridled exploitation; I am thinking of the dignity and future of human work... of the widespread evasion of accountability."

So what pontifical message was unexpectedly conveyed particularly to the new Bishop of the Diocese of Boac during the said appointment with the Pope's newly ordained ministers?

(To be continued)

Ecuador M7.8 Earthquake Kills at Least 41

Buildings were damaged in a powerful earthquake that shook the central coast of Ecuador on Saturday.CreditAriel Ochoa/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

QUITO, Ecuador — A 7.8-magnitude earthquake shook the central coast of Ecuador on Saturday, killing at least 41 people, officials and news reports said. The effects could be felt as far away as the capital, Quito, which lies some 105 miles from the epicenter.

Authorities said they expected the death toll to rise.

The quake was centered 16 miles southeast of Muisne, Ecuador, the United States Geological Survey said.

Officials declared a nationwide state of exception, which gives the government expanded authority, and a state of emergency in six of the country’s 24 provinces. Deaths were reported in the northern provinces of Esmeraldas, Manabí and Guayas, along the northern border with Colombia.

Among the dead was a minor who fell down the stairs in a mall in Guayaquil, and another who died after the collapse of a bridge in the city, according to reports from the television station Teleamazonas. 

Full story on The New York Times

Ang araw na ito sa kasaysayan: Sumuko sa Marinduque si Col. Maximo Abad

April 17, 1901: Sumuko sa Marinduque si Col. Maximo Abad

Ang mga Marinduqueno noon na nakipaghamok ay itinaya ang buhay nila para sa isang paniniwala at ideyolohiya. Na kapag nakalaya na sila mula sa paniniil ng mga Kastila at mga Kano, at mula na rin sa pang-aabuso ng mga kababayan nilang naging kasabwat ng mga dayuhan, ay pahahalagahan naman ng mga susunod sa kanila ang kanilang mga ipinaglaban. 

Hindi sa pamamagitan ng mga monumento o ng mga walang silbi at paulit-ulit na mga talumpati. Kundi sa pagsasapuso ng mga sisibol na henerasyon ng kanilang mga ginawa. Para sa tuluyang paglaya at pagkakamit naman ng kanilang pinagsamang mga panaginip noon para sa bayan.

Pangunahin sa kanilang pakay ang pagkakaroon ng isang demokratikong sistema. Isang sistemang nagtuturing na lubhang sagrado ang malayang pagpili ng mga taong magpapatakbo sa mga bayan-bayan at lalawigan.

Pagkaraan ng limang henerasyon, sukdulang naging katatawanan na lamang ang halalan at kahulugan ng demokrasya. 

Kaya't panakanakang isinisigaw na naman ngayon ang kanilang isinagawa noon: HIMAGSIKAN!

Malamang, himagsikan sa pag-iisip ang talagang kailangan kung pagbabago ang pakay.

In photo above, Colonel Maximo Abad, chief of Filipino forces in the island province of Marinduque, is being accompanied to Boac by Colonel Harry Hill Bandholtz of the Philippine Constabulary. On April 17, 1901, Abad surrendered to Major Frederick A. Smith, inspector-general of the US Army, with 9 officers and 70 men. The oath of allegiance to the United States was administered with great ceremony on the plaza at Boac, capitol of Marinduque.

The rest of Abad’s command soon followed suit. Captain Pedro Torres gave up in  Torrijos  on April 24, 1901 with 2 officers and 42 men, with 2 revolders, 38 rifles and 360 rounds of ammunition. Lieutenant Alciano Pareno surrendered on April 26, 1901 at Santa Cruz, with 52 men and turned over 1 revolver, 32 rifles and 240 rounds of ammunition. This terminated active hostilities in the island.

One of only five battles that the Filipinos won in the Filipino-American war was the Battle of Pulang Lupa in present-day Barangay Bolo, Torrijos, a mountainous part of Marinduque overlooking Tayabas Bay, Mongpong Pass and Tablas Strait. On September 13, 1900. Colonel Abad and his men ambushed a detachment of 54 soldiers from Company F, 29th U.S. Volunteer Infantry, led by Captain Devereux Shields, killing 4 and forcing the rest to surrender.

Japan tremors moved from SW to NE striking multiple volcanoes; Mt. Aso volcano erupts

Whole portion of south Japan moves from southwest to northeast during major shift

April 16, 2016 by Michael Janitch

A series of large earthquake has occurred (and is still occurring) in South Japan.

The earthquakes so far topped out at M7.1, with swarms of M5.0 to M6.0 range “aftershocks” spreading out across the region to nearby adjacent volcanic locations.

Make note of the “line” or progression of earthquakes which shows over the past three days since the original M6.5 earthquake struck.

________

The movement began at the Southwest tip of the island, and has progressed Northeast, striking multiple volcanoes along the way (as seen in this graphic below).

During this widespread swarm of large earthquakes, Mount Aso (located towards the center of all the activity) sent off a new blast.

Japanese news covered the eruption at the nearby volcano, but most international media outlets are lagging behind by at least a day in reporting events.

_____

It is troubling to see that the whole series of earthquakes kicked off with a M6.5 near a long dormant Volcano named Kumano-Dake, then spreading Northeast to Mount Aso Volcano, then spreading further Northeast to Yufu-Tsurumi Volcano.

See the video report on Japan here:

______

The line of earthquakes across the whole interior of the South island of Japan / Kyushu is pointing towards further large movement in nearby adjacent areas in the near term.

Additionally, the threat of new volcanic eruptions coming from other nearby volcanoes is a real possibility over the next several days. - MJ

Phivolcs not reporting some strong earthquakes?

In this period of our earthly existence which Internet chatter has often called the 'end times' period in view of of incredible weather anomalies occurring one after another, significant increase in strong earthquakes daily and getting stronger, volcanic eruptions that include the awakening of volcanoes (around forty erupting now), that have not shown activity for hundreds of years, animals and birds dying by the thousands, bees by the millions in various parts of the world, countless sinkholes popping up just about everywhere, the occurrence of something unheard of - a different type of thunderbolts that emanate not from the atmosphere but from the surface of the earth, the magnetic poles shifting at an unimaginable speed, increasing number of fireballs falling from the sky many of which have never been tracked before, and so many other freak phenomenon that they could be labelled 'apocalyptic manifestations', indeed, so we have to pay attention.

A rescue worker carries an eight-month-old baby girl after she was pulled
from the rubble following the earthquake in Mashiki, Kumamoto Prefecture. CNN photo

Again, we have to pay attention. You still have loved ones don't you?

Just last night, a very large M7.1 earthquake hit southwestern Japan in the same location where residents are still reeling from the damage, deaths and injury an earlier earthquake had caused, and just as residents were still trooping to safer grounds. This was the seventh strong earthquake of M6+ I have monitored that has hit our planet in less than 72 hours. Normal?

Living in the Philippines which sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, we're familiar with earthquakes, at times even feeling the swarm of earthquakes for many days (such as the swarm of earthquakes in Marinduque that preceded the 2013 Bohol earthquake which killed thousands, the actual number still being debated).

What's going on here?

It is natural therefore for one to check what's going on in the Philippines as far as tectonic and volcanic events are concerned. To my surprise, international earthquake monitoring agencies (USGS, EMSC, Earthquake-Report among them) are reporting a "strong" Philippine earthquake (M5.1), that occurred on April 15, 2016, 197 km SE of Sarangani. So I checked the Phivolcs website which should normally be the first to report it. Nada!

To think that on April 5, 2016 Phivolcs reported on a M5.9 that occurred "413 km S 49 degrees E of Sarangani (Davao Occidental), therefore farther, was properly reported by Phivolcs.

Random checking showed that per USGS another strong earthquake that occurred on April 6, 2016 at 22:19:20 with M5 near Sarangani at Depth of 10 km, had the same fate as this April 15  "M5.1 197 SE of Sarangani". Both were not reported by Phivolcs on their site. For now, there seems to be no point in checking if there are other such unreported events, but... 

But Phivolcs should be reminded.

M5.9 earthquake on April 5, 2016
413 km East of Sarangani was reported by Phivolcs

M5 (M5.1) earthquake on April 6, 2015 with Depth of 10 km at 22:19:20

Above list from Phivolcs does not register the April 6, 2016 M5 earthquake at Depth of 10 km near Sarangani 

Just to think that the Celebes Sea where these tremors are happening quite often now, part of that Sea is the Moro Gulf, site of the little known 1976 earthquake-caused tsunami that killed 5,000 to 8,000 Filipinos (mainstream media did not cover that one, honest), and a very large M7.4 in July 2010, raises very serious concerns! 

What if these swarm of strong earthquakes turn out to be the silent precursors for a mega one out to change the course of our lives as we know it?

April 14, 2016 Zamboanga earthquake.
This one was reported by all relevant scientific agencies.

We have to consider that the Philippine Sea plate is at the heart of these recent large earthquakes, probably the reason why USGS has just updated yesterday, April 15, 2016, its scientific data on  Seismotectonics of the Philippine Sea and Vicinity (reproduced below). 

This USGS update came with the Sarangani tremor that Phivolcs failed to report.

In part it says: The Philippine Sea plate is bordered by the larger Pacific and Eurasia plates and the smaller Sunda plate. The Philippine Sea plate is unusual in that its borders are nearly all zones of plate convergence. The Pacific plate is subducted into the mantle, south of Japan, beneath the Izu-Bonin and Mariana island arcs, which extend more than 3,000 km along the eastern margin of the Philippine Sea plate.

Yesterday's (April 15) M5.1 - 197 km SE of Sarangani
recorded by USGS is NOT on Phivolcs' site

Phivolcs list of earthquakes April 15-April 16, 2016, as of publishing time

Another USGS update showing the same M5.1 tremor and Japan quakes same day

M5.1 - 197km SE of Sarangani, Philippines

Contributed by US¹ last updated 2016-04-15 11:33:49 (UTC)
Time

1. 2016-04-15 11:05:32 (UTC)
2. 2016-04-15 19:05:32 (UTC+08:00) in your timezone
3. Nearby Places

• 197.0 km (122.4 mi) SE of Sarangani, PH
• 231.0 km (143.5 mi) SSE of Caburan, PH
• 251.0 km (156.0 mi) SE of Glan, Philippines
• 257.0 km (159.7 mi) SE of Malapatan, PH
• 933.0 km (579.7 mi) WSW of Koror Town, Palau

Seismotectonics of the Philippine Sea and Vicinity

The Philippine Sea plate is bordered by the larger Pacific and Eurasia plates and the smaller Sunda plate. The Philippine Sea plate is unusual in that its borders are nearly all zones of plate convergence. The Pacific plate is subducted into the mantle, south of Japan, beneath the Izu-Bonin and Mariana island arcs, which extend more than 3,000 km along the eastern margin of the Philippine Sea plate. This subduction zone is characterized by rapid plate convergence and high-level seismicity extending to depths of over 600 km. In spite of this extensive zone of plate convergence, the plate interface has been associated with few great (M>8.0) ‘megathrust’ earthquakes. This low seismic energy release is thought to result from weak coupling along the plate interface (Scholz and Campos, 1995). These convergent plate margins are also associated with unusual zones of back-arc extension (along with resulting seismic activity) that decouple the volcanic island arcs from the remainder of the Philippine Sea Plate (Karig et al., 1978; Klaus et al., 1992).

South of the Mariana arc, the Pacific plate is subducted beneath the Yap Islands along the Yap trench. The long zone of Pacific plate subduction at the eastern margin of the Philippine Sea Plate is responsible for the generation of the deep Izu-Bonin, Mariana, and Yap trenches as well as parallel chains of islands and volcanoes, typical of circum-pacific island arcs. Similarly, the northwestern margin of the Philippine Sea plate is subducting beneath the Eurasia plate along a convergent zone, extending from southern Honshu to the northeastern coast of Taiwan, manifested by the Ryukyu Islands and the Nansei-Shoto (Ryukyu) trench. The Ryukyu Subduction Zone is associated with a similar zone of back-arc extension, the Okinawa Trough. At Taiwan, the plate boundary is characterized by a zone of arc-continent collision, whereby the northern end of the Luzon island arc is colliding with the buoyant crust of the Eurasia continental margin offshore China.

Along its western margin, the Philippine Sea plate is associated with a zone of oblique convergence with the Sunda Plate. This highly active convergent plate boundary extends along both sides the Philippine Islands, from Luzon in the north to the Celebes Islands in the south. The tectonic setting of the Philippines is unusual in several respects: it is characterized by opposite-facing subduction systems on its east and west sides; the archipelago is cut by a major transform fault, the Philippine Fault; and the arc complex itself is marked by active volcanism, faulting, and high seismic activity. Subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate occurs at the eastern margin of the archipelago along the Philippine Trench and its northern extension, the East Luzon Trough. 

The East Luzon Trough is thought to be an unusual example of a subduction zone in the process of formation, as the Philippine Trench system gradually extends northward (Hamburger et al., 1983). On the west side of Luzon, the Sunda Plate subducts eastward along a series of trenches, including the Manila Trench in the north, the smaller less well-developed Negros Trench in the central Philippines, and the Sulu and Cotabato trenches in the south (Cardwell et al., 1980). At its northern and southern terminations, subduction at the Manila Trench is interrupted by arc-continent collision, between the northern Philippine arc and the Eurasian continental margin at Taiwan and between the Sulu-Borneo Block and Luzon at the island of Mindoro. 

The Philippine fault, which extends over 1,200 km within the Philippine arc, is seismically active. The fault has been associated with major historical earthquakes, including the destructive M7.6 Luzon earthquake of 1990 (Yoshida and Abe, 1992). A number of other active intra-arc fault systems are associated with high seismic activity, including the Cotabato Fault and the Verde Passage-Sibuyan Sea Fault (Galgana et al., 2007).

Relative plate motion vectors near the Philippines (about 80 mm/yr) is oblique to the plate boundary along the two plate margins of central Luzon, where it is partitioned into orthogonal plate convergence along the trenches and nearly pure translational motion along the Philippine Fault (Barrier et al., 1991). Profiles B and C reveal evidence of opposing inclined seismic zones at intermediate depths (roughly 70-300 km) and complex tectonics at the surface along the Philippine Fault.

Several relevant tectonic elements, plate boundaries and active volcanoes, provide a context for the seismicity presented on the main map. The plate boundaries are most accurate along the axis of the trenches and more diffuse or speculative in the South China Sea and Lesser Sunda Islands. The active volcanic arcs (Siebert and Simkin, 2002) follow the Izu, Volcano, Mariana, and Ryukyu island chains and the main Philippine islands parallel to the Manila, Negros, Cotabato, and Philippine trenches.

Seismic activity along the boundaries of the Philippine Sea Plate (Allen et al., 2009) has produced 7 great (M>8.0) earthquakes and 250 large (M>7) events. Among the most destructive events were the 1923 Kanto, the 1948 Fukui and the 1995 Kobe (Japan) earthquakes (99,000, 5,100, and 6,400 casualties, respectively), the 1935 and the 1999 Chi-Chi (Taiwan) earthquakes (3,300 and 2,500 casualties, respectively), and the 1976 M7.6 Moro Gulf and 1990 M7.6 Luzon (Philippines) earthquakes (7,100 and 2,400 casualties, respectively). There have also been a number of tsunami-generating events in the region, including the Moro Gulf earthquake, whose tsunami resulted in more than 5000 deaths.

The Philippine Sea Plate