The Phoenicians

 Looking Back...

The Phoenicians have done a great deal in civilization. They were the traders of antiquity and, crisscrossing the waters with their knowledge of trade and economics laid a language trail in its wake.

Then, we have the alphabet for the flow of communications with the participation of the Greeks, Romans, 

and Hebrews. Knowledge opened the floodgates of ideas. The world is not flat but round.  The era of discovery and colonization has arrived. The quest is for gold and spices. Perhaps, the fountain of youth. 
                                                                                                                               

Then, observed the transformations of the states of domicile to the present: Soviet Union. United Kingdom. United States. United Union. Lately, a Philippines Unit team has been born.

Uniteam is the name of the game. A splendid idea is followed. Giving oneself for the greater outcome. But once greed enters the backdoor, the window is opened for a great escape and the negatives are possible.

Unifying the country to ameliorate the people (vox populi) from the throes of want is audacious. This is an indelible mark of the Duterte's. Remember, the father of the former president (PRRD), a lawyer governor of the undivided province of Davao belongs to the Nationalist political party.

The son of that lawyer governor from the people's mandate became a compassionate, loyal, sincere, and resilient, leader of the country (vox populi). He continued the unfinished projects of his predecessors. He 

refused to put his name ostensively as the ideas were from the clamor of the people. He is only an employee. Despite his calling, he forgone the amenities of living in the Malacanan palace. 

Rodrigo Roa Duterte's daughter the former Davao City mayor and now the Vice president of the Philippines gave way to the current president, Ferdinand (Bongbong) Marcos, Jr to occupy the presidency due to the Uniteam agreement but collapsed due to unfavorable circumstances.  

On Mother's Day

Mother's Magnificent Obsession 

Mother is the ever succor

The source of creation's new life

Ready she is for a favor

Give freedom if the time is ripe.

Mother breast-feed milk is the best

Free from material pollution

Passing grades by the Time's strict test

Blessed with love and devotion.

 

Mother's touch and soft lullaby

Lead young to sleep for a mission

Into the space of why and try

To fall and rise when odds are thrown.

Life is dull without a mother

For sane words and love songs to sing 

And she embraced no surrender

Whatever the journey may bring.

Every mother needs God's wisdom

Mercy and truth do not forsake

A vital rule in her queendom

That will keep her always awake.

Dead in trespasses made her alive

With Christ through the Father's great love

Strengthened the bars for her to survive 

Blessed her siblings by Him above.

(Creg Intas Alcala Caponong Trabanca)

Pearl of the Orient Sea

 Remembering WW 11

Pearl Harbor

The Silent Generation recalls the Pearl Harbor attack that signaled the advent of World War 11.

on Dec. 7, 1941, that glued the Phil-US relationship and eventually paved the formation of the

United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE). The USAFFE is composed of 100,000 Filipinos and 20,000 Americans created on July 26, 1941.

The Battle of Bataan

After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, they invaded the island of Luzon, Philippines in Jan.

1942. Despite the insufficient supplies, American and Filipino troops were able to fight for 3 months.

However, they surrendered to the Japanese troops and were forced into the infamous Bataan Death March where some of the most horrific war crimes were committed in the Philippines-Colonial possession of Spain from 1521 until 1898. May 7, 1942, is the Day of the Fall of Corregidor.

The Heart of Uncle Sam

The United States won the Spanish-American war and the Filipinos breathed the air of Independence to be eventually granted to their hopes and aspirations. Circa 1901, emerged the formation of the Philippine Scouts to defend and protect the Philippines and the United States in the Pacific. This allowed the Filipinos to enlist in the US Army. In 1920, the Philippine Scouts became a part of the US Army. It is a point of pride for lots of Filipinos.

WW 11 and The Battle of Bataan

The US entered WW11 following Pearl Harbor. The USAFFE was tasked to push back against the Japanese and delay their action at the mouth of Manila Bay. The objective was to serve as a buffer

between the Japanese and American colonial possession of the Philippines. The USAFFE was able

to hold the Japanese successfully until December 1941. After the Pearl Harbor attack, the troops were

on half rations. They sacrificed for the forces heading into the Pacific to have supplies. Pipe-smoking Commanding General Douglas MacArthur understood and promised the Filipinos extra troops planes and supplies coming to them. On leaving with commanding general confidence, MacArthur said to the troops, "I shall return." 

And the pipe-smoking general did come back to fulfill his promise.