Typhoon Nona (Intl Name Melor; should have been Nonoy) made large swath of destruction; could damages be far worse than previously reported?

It is more fun criticizing

Rizal Philippines
December 24, 2015

From Press Reader - Extensive Damage from Typhoon Nona;  170,000 houses damaged

Sorsogon reports P8.52 billion in damanges, 123,000 houses damaged

From GMA 250 schools damaged in Oriental Mindoro;   You tube on school damages

From CNN Philippines Oriental Mindoro in state of calamity;   worst typhoon to hit Or Mindoro in 20 years

From Rappler - P4 billion in damages in Oriental Mindoro Meralco first to help in restoring power

There seems to be unconsolidated report on damages from typhoon Nona and they do not seem to match.    While some reports mention 170,000 houses damages, Sorsogon reports 123,000 houses damaged.  In a town alone in Pinamalayan in Oriental Mindoro, there was a report of  16,000 houses damaged.  In a single town.

NDRRMC appeals for large trucks (14 wheelers) to deliver relief goods to typhoon stricken areas

This posts watched the TV reports from ANC which showed extensive damages in Mindoro Oriental and Northern Samar.  The Vice Governor of Northern Samar Lavin said that the typhoon moved very slowly and has 300 km swath thus the typhoon was there for 4 hours. Compare this Typhoon Yolanda.  Its swath was narrow and was in and out quick.

Maybe we soon we realize that this Nona, coming at the heels of Christmas was more destructive to property and more provinces than Yolanda.   As reports come in we will know. Gov Umali said that the damages in Mindoro Oriental is in the order of P4 billion all ready.  But he enjoined of Mindoro to rise up again

Damages were likewise reported in Bicol Region.  And there was From Manila Bulletin - flooding in Cabanatuan.  We must join hands together to help our countrymen to recover.   As we squandered the relief goods for Yolanda, foreign donors are very unlikely to help again

Nabulaga yata tayo kay Nona?  I thought we had disaster preparedness?

What is the fuss about the SUA of Montero?

It is more fun criticizing

Rizal Philippines
December 15, 2015

                                Comparison of Fortunner and Montero Sports gas and brake pedal

Lately there was a lot of bad publicity on Mitsubishi Montero's SUA (Sudden Unintended Acceleration) likened to some American Cars.  The complaint has been aired in TV interviews. It was featured at Rappler and discussed by Top Gear.

        Top Gear   Is John Chua, a blogger allegedly representing Montero owners who experienced SUA, real?

        Top Gears full discussion on SUA

Will Davao City Mayor do this to drug lords again?

It is more fun criticizing

Rizal Philippines
December 15, 2015

I had a meeting with a well known businessman who clearly stated before that he is for Mar Roxas.  No he disagrees with Digong statement that Mar did not graduate from  Wharton.  (He is US educated and thus worked as investment banker in the US)

But he did say the following:

1.  There was a forum, about 50 of businessmen and leaders where Digong narrated that he brought 2 drug lords up in the air in a helicopter and interrogated the two regarding their suppliers, outlets their operation.  Digong he said, threatened the first one that he will be kicked out of the helicopter if he did not cooperate.  So he was kicked out of the helicopter (and presumably plunged to his death)  So he threatened the second drug lord.  Fearing for his life, he spilled all but nevertheless was executed by being kicked out of the helicopter.  The businessman friend told me he marvels at the courage and guts of this candidate and hopes he lives up to this type of bravery.

                          Duterte gives drug pushers 48 hours to leave

                          Now Grace Poe is praying for Duterte

2.  Many retired generals resonate with Digong and  are for him.

3.  Many intelligentsia in Cebu I met are for Digong.

But Digong faces possible DQ and DU30 (not being able to run or being assassinated if he gets elected as some would say>)

Did Sen Grace Poe reacquire her natural born status under RA 9225? Did she really use her US passport 7x?

It is more fun criticizing

Rizal Philippines
December 15, 2015

Justice Carpio has argued that she is not a a natural born Filipino but naturalized and thus can not run as President under the 1986 constitution

There are two issues against her:  that of her residency and being a natural born citizen.

The biggest issue against her, according to one in the know I talked this morning is about her citizenship;
1.  At the time she "reacquired" her Filipino citizenship she used her US passport 7x.  If indeed she was all ready a Filipino citizen, by deed she would have used her Philippine passport.

2.  Our Philippine constitution:  the 1935 and the 1986 does not guarantee that you maintain your Filipino status once you acquire another citizenship as in the Spanish constitution.  Once the citizenship is renounced, as in the case of Sen Grace Poe, the only way to reacquire this is by naturalization, thus her status of naturalized citizen

But Section 3 of RA 9225 (AN ACT MAKING THE CITIZENSHIP OF PHILIPPINE CITIZENS WHO ACQUIRE FOREIGN CITIZENSHIP PERMANENT) says that after taking an oath, gives her back her status of natural born citizen, after having been a citizen of foreign country.  Did she take this oath

                                                 IRR of RA 9225

Valenzuela City Mayor Win  Gatchalian said she did reacquire her Filipino citizenship under this law.?

Other references:

Q and A on Poe citizenship at FB

Family Law expert says Sen Grace Poe is natural born (as all foundlings found in the Philippines should be)

   

War vs ISIS looks more complicated than it looks like now; Western leaders oversimplify the conflict

It is more fun criticizing

Rizal Philippines
December 7, 2015

                                      Sunni and Shiites Muslim distribution in the world

1. The Western coalition has joined forces to go on bombing missions vs ISIS at Syria.  France and UK, KSA have been on various air strike missions.   Russia has done likewise to support Assad, and they are in cross currents and further muddling the issue.   ISIS was even revealed as creation of CIA as counter vs other terror groups before (and even vs Syrian Pres. Assad) Or is it KSA behind ISIS?

Iran's first female vice president, Masoumeh Ebtekar, singled out the United States and the CIA as the progenitor of ISIL. And Iran's former Iranian minister of intelligence, Heydar Moslehi, went further by arguing that Mossad, MI6, And CIA created ISIL, or Daesh.

Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir agreed. He told Euronews this week that America's CIA and Israel's Mossad are behind Boko Haram and ISIL.

"I said CIA and the Mossad stand behind these organisations. There is no Muslim who would carry out such acts," he said. (Bashir also blames the US and Israel for the ICC's 2013 warrants accusing him of responsibility for war crimes, crimes against humanity and acts of genocide.)

And so does Fidel Castro. He believes that Israel and certain American elements are behind ISIL.

Others believe the opposite; that it's actually Iran that's culpable. Former Syrian National Coalition President Ahmad Jarba insisted that Iran is behind rise of ISIL.

Could "Quds Force be behind the ISIL in Iraq?" asked one observer.

And yet, more than a few argued that the Saudi Arabia stood behind ISIL. Then Iran Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, claimed in a statement last summer that the Saudis