Maniolas

  First posted in PositivelyFilipino.com World War II was quickly coming to an end. Manila was a jungle of wreckage. Office buildings, churches, homes, hotels, factories and docks lay in ruin. In other parts of the country, people poked through similar scenes of destruction, looking for food or belongings or the remains of family members killed by either the retreating Japanese or the bombardment of the advancing Americans. “Our family survived by gathering wild cassavas, bananas, guavas, pineapple and jackfruit,” recalled Flory Bautista, then a teenager in war-torn Leyte. “There was never enough food, but we hardly thought about it because we were afraid. We just wanted to survive.” A few months later, Bautista would leave behind that tragic chapter of Philippine history and sail for America as the “war bride” of a Filipino serviceman in Uncle Sam’s army. Her journey was part of a larger phenomenon—the beginning of the Second Wave of Filipino immigration to the United States. The Second Wave of Filipino immigration was short in duration but profound in its impact on the size and composition of the Filipino community in America. The bulk of the wave came into the United States directly after the war, between 1946 and 1953, as Filipinos who served in the armed services were granted U.S. citizenship for their contribution to the war effort. Many of these servicemen had been living in the United States before the war as younger members of the First Wave of immigration. Returning with their Florys, they would, Read More …

Instead of calling it a setback, Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara sees the temporary suspension in deliberations on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) as a chance for lawmakers to mull the possible impact of the measure. Angara said it is a good thing that the House of Representatives can take a breather from discussing the Bangsamoro bill considering the breakneck speed that the panel created to work on the bill has been holding discussions. “Maganda na ring nagkaroon ng break or tigil dito sa usapin ng BBL dahil parang tren itong BBL na napakabilis. Mga 20 hearing na sa Kamara at tatlo sa Senado. Mabuti nang nagkaroon muna ng tigil sa debate dito para mapag-isipan natin kung talagang gusto nating pasukin ito,” he told dzBB radio in an interview Sunday. Angara is one of the co-authors of the BBL at the Senate. Shortly after the bloody Jan. 25 clash, Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito withdrew as co-authors of the bill. While stressing he supports the concept of peace “in general,” Angara said efforts to attain it should be balanced with justice, especially in light of the death of 44 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos during a clash with Moro rebels last Jan. 25.  “Eh sa ngayon parang dehado pa ang estado eh, parang masama pa ang loob, so maghintay-hintay pa tayo. Sana ang MILF naman ay magpakita sila ng [participation] sa trust-building dahil nawala ang tiwala sa kanila eh. Makapagpakita man lang sila Read More …

Commanders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are aggressively recruiting members in several provinces in Mindanao in an attempt to bolster their clout once the proposed Bangsamoro region is established, a former soldier turned lawmaker has claimed. In an interview over dzBB Sunday, Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano said several governors from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) have testified in recent congressional hearings that the MILF is conducting recruitment activities in their areas. Among the provinces where the MILF is recruiting new members according to Alejano are Maguindanao, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, North Cotabato, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga, Sibugay, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-tawi. Based on reports he gathered from sources on the ground, Alejano said MILF commanders are competing among themselves in building up their forces in anticipation of the positions they will secure in the envisioned Bangsamoro parliamentary government. “Mas maraming tao, mas maganda. Nagpaparami sila ng kani-kanilang puwersa para maging mas malawak ang kanilang clout in the future,” he said.  Alarming recruitment The lawmaker, a former Marine captain, said the Moro group is recruiting members under the guise of preparing for the creation of the Bangsamoro police force even though Congress has yet to approve the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). He described the MILF’s recruitment activities as “very alarming.” “Once na ang BBL ay pumasa, may dahilan na sila (MILF) to conduct training in coordination with the government. But at this point in time, very alarming Read More …