VP Leni Robredo will never resort to using troll armies

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

VP Leni Robredo defeated former Senator Bongbong Marcos in the 2016 vice presidential elections.

But the seeming rivalry between the two seems to be far from over as both are being floated as possible presidential candidates in next year’s elections. 

VP Leni Robredo reiterates in her radio show the 2 things that would push her to run for president in 2022: 

1) if she is chosen as the unity candidate for the opposition or 

2) if Bongbong Marcos seeks the presidency.  

These are Robredo's considerations as she continues with her efforts to build a broad coalition.

"Ang pinakamadali kong gawin magkandidato eh, para matapos na itong lahat ng speculation di ba? Yun ang pinakamadali. Pero ang pinakaimportante yung after the elections eh. 

Yung pagkakandidato ko ba, makakatulong ba siya sa ayaw nating mangyari? Ano ba yung ayaw nating mangyari? Na itong administrasyon na ito mag-continue beyond 2022, na si Marcos makabalik in power –yun yung ayaw nating mangyari. So yung considerations ko.

Sabi ko nga, kung one-on-one kami ni BBM, go na go ako doon! Kung ako yung pipiliin na unity candidate, go na go ako doon. Pero kung hindi ako at maghahati-hati kami ng boto, yung tanong: Best interest ba yun ng bayan natin, ng bansa natin?

VP Leni should run not because of another rival running just to prove she can win again over BBM but because she wants to serve the country - regardless of who's running.

The VP made us believe in a better future, that it's possible if there's transparency and good governance. She is well guided by her moral compass and that's how we know she can lead us at and to our best. Whatever her decision, we hope it is for the best interest of the country. 

I hope Filipinos will see her sincerity and dedication for not attaching into too much power. She will really be an excellent president for her genuine simplicity to lead the country into a better and honest government. Humble yet brave. She is not trapo.

Robredo maintained that she would not resort to fighting troll armies with troll armies, because that would not make her different from her accusers.

Though that will be one of her disadvantage. Hiring a troll army that present TRUTHS to counter the LIES is not doing the same thing the DDS do.

The people should understand how social media algorithms work. More online presence informing us of the truth pushes up content that is deemed popular for more people to see. That's how DDS dominated social media.

Social media platforms are not fair. They prefer more activity and engagement and the DDS troll army provides these. That's how they dominate social media and suppress truth and rational thinking.

Duterte even acknowledged their existense but called these trolls as "advocacy" groups of the government. He even threatened Facebook when it put down their pages. FB also reported several pages originating from China that contains propaganda supporting the Dutertes.

Trolls create an illusion of support towards a candidate. There's nothing genuine there. But social media is full of trolls proliferating fake news, misinformation and lies...and Facebook Philippines has not been doing anything to suppress lies. The PH FB team even appears to side with the DDS. How will the truth reach people if we don't counter their  trolling?

Hindi troll armies ang itatapat natin sa TROLL army nila Duterte. An organized TRUTH army ang kailangang itapat.

John 8:32:"And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you."- Must be Leni's #1 strategy to defeat her opponent. She has the advantage because she doesn't live in a glass house or no issue that will destroy her credibility.

It is a cry for help indeed to ask her to run. Well besides she's really the most competent for presidency anyways. She is compassionate and at least she knows how to listen and tries to understand. Please huwag tayo sa trapo o tuta o enablers like the current ones who have expressed their intentions already.

Tama 'yung analysis kahapon tungkol sa long decision-making ni VP Leni. It's a desperate fight for hope. Umaasa pa rin. The only way we can defeat the threat of another Duterte or Marcos in Malacañang is to unite the opposition - the broadest opposition possible.

Substitution of candidacy is until November. From today to that point, everything is fluid. Better na i-exhaust all means and build unities among groups. Ang selfless ng move na ito. If hindi siya tatakbo dahil may strategically better alternative, I'd still be proud of her.

Dapat kasi mag unite as one ang true opposition para hindi hati-hati ang boto among them. The other candidates may have been setup to do just that...to divide the votes among the opposition.

The VP continues to be in talks with potential presidential bets Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and Senator Manny Pacquiao. Though I don't like any of these two as president.

PNR Clark Phase 2 to spur economic growth and recovery in Central Luzon

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Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Art Tugade has assured that once it is operational, the PNR Clark Phase 2 of the North-South Commuter Rail Project (NSCR) project will create needed jobs and spur economic recovery in Central Luzon amid the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The DOTr, in all of its projects, has always aimed to revitalize the country’s economy. A transport infrastructure project like the NSCR will spur economic growth in Central Luzon, particularly the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga,” Sec. Tugade said.

The NSCR System is the single largest infrastructure project funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and is the longest greenfield commuter railway project to be financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

It is also the biggest project to be undertaken so far under the ‘Build, Build, Build’ Program of the Duterte Administration with a total cost of P777.55-billion. It is one of the key infrastructure railway projects supported by Japan, in addition to the Metro Manila Subway and the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3 Rehabilitation projects.

The PNR Clark Phase 2 is a 53 kilometer-rail line under the NSCR that will connect Malolos, Bulacan to Clark, Pampanga.

Secretary Tugade said once operational, PNR Clark Phase 2 will improve transport connectivity and mobility across the Central Luzon region and spur various employment in various sectors.

“The Malolos to Clark Railway of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) aims to cut travel time between Malolos, Bulacan and Clark, Pampanga, from 1.5 to 2 hours, to just 30-35 minutes. It also features the country’s first-ever Airport Railway Express Service, which will connect Makati to the Clark International Airport in just 55 minutes, from the current 2-3 hours,” Sec. Tugade said.

PNR Clark Phase 2 will have six train stations, namely, Calumpit, Apalit, San Fernando, Angeles, Clark, and Clark Airport. The rail stations will include multimodal facilities that will allow seamless transfer of commuters from public utility vehicles to trains.

The History of Kali: Filipino Stick Fighting

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Filipino Kali is a form of martial arts which uses sticks or batons to help the participants outwit each other before bare hand-to-hand combat occurs.

Filipino stick fighting’s history goes way back to the 15th century and the Spanish invasion of the Philippines. It’s likely that, initially, Kali was a blend of martial arts and traditional fighting techniques such as fencing and sword fighting, which were brought to the Philippines via Europe, Malaysia, China, and India.

Although some Filipinos dispute that FMA is a blend of disciplines, it's likely true that centuries of immigration, invasions, and occupation have likely left their mark.


Where Did the Name Kali Come From?

The name Kali is used to describe stick fighting. This combat sport or martial art derives from the Spanish word ‘Calis,’ meaning sword or knife, and refers to the Spanish style of sword fighting or fencing. As time passed, people dropped the S and the C replaced it with K, interlinking changing times with mythology.

What’s in a name, you might ask? Kali is a Hindu goddess. The all-powerful Kali rules over creation, time, destruction, and power. The name became associated with the sport as travelers, and European traders passed through Malaysia to the Philippines.

Many Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) forms are related to Kali but with different names. Kali is known as Arnis, Eskrima, or Escrima. The principles of Kali are the same, but there are regional differences, including the use of swords and knives instead of sticks or batons.

It’s suggested that similar Pangasinensium words such as Kalirongan, Pagkalikali, and Kaliradman (Pangasinense is one of the eight dialects of Tagalog, the first language of the Philippines) are also persuasive indicators for the use of the term as they mean within the ‘Wisdom of Kali.’

So some experts say that Kali was the obvious choice, but this is no more than an educated guess. However, no matter the derivative of the word, there’s no getting away from the fact Kali is a competitive and dangerous combat sport that is almost a religion in itself.


Kali is a Unisex Martial Art

Kali is taught and practiced by both men and women. The Philippines has a long and proud history of women fighting in tribal wars and combat, so it’s not unusual for female trainers to teach at all levels.

Women who practice FMA have a following all of their own. In Japan, there’s an entire Anime fan club dedicated to strong female FMA fighters. At the same time, these characters are fictional. We understand why Kali and FMA have been elevated to comic book status.

In the wider world, FMA is being taught to women and girls as a form of self-defense as the routines require small, decisive movements that concentrate on the angles of attack rather than specific attacks or the use of strength to overcome an attacker.


Kali Characteristics

To be a Kali practitioner, you must be able to transition from style to style effortlessly. The fluidity of movement must always be present no matter what the fighter is doing. There are many different styles of Kali in use today, combining elements of grappling, fighting with weapons, striking, and throwing. Aggressive techniques like throwdowns and biting are encouraged.

Teaching methods reinforce the belief that hand-to-hand combat and fighting with weapons are the same things. Your arm, hand, and elbow are all weapons, so the movement is taught simultaneously.

Particular weapon combinations are used depending on where you are and who is teaching. Expect to see single stick combat called Solo Baston and Double Baston (double length stick), then Espada, a sword-stick, and a dagger.

Ultimately FMA practitioners are famous for their super fast but fluid feet and body movements. These characteristics set Kali advocates apart from regular martial artists.

You want to inflict as much physical harm as possible on your opponent, either with weapons or without them.

Kali is a dangerous discipline that often causes fatal damage. Therefore those who compete take their sport very seriously, and spectators are expected to do the same.


Sub-Styles of FMA/Kali

● Balintawak Eskrima - on stick technique focusing on fluidity

● Doce Pares Eskrima - also single stick but with sword or dagger

● Garimot Arnis - the combination of ten different techniques

● San Miguel Eskrima - blade-based martial art, no use of sticks

As with most martial arts, mainly mixed martial arts, the fighter can decide which technique to use, and often a combination of training techniques produces the final style. While the basic formula may be the same, Kali differs from fighter to fighter and region to region.



Famous Kali Fighters

Angel Cabales - In the US, Cabales is primarily regarded as the father of Eskrima or Kali. Born in 1917 in Manila, he moved to America in 1939. Once in the US, Cabales opened a Filipino and non-Filipino martial art school in California and developed his version of Kali called Serrada Escrima.

Cabales died in 1991, leaving behind a legacy that advocates of Kali and the Serrada Escrima system credited for keeping FMA alive and kicking.

Leo Gaje - Gaje is the sole heir and founding practitioner of the Pekiti-Tirsia Kali System in Pekiti, Tanzania. Pekiti-Tirsia Kali is purely for combat and is not a sport at any level.

An emphasis is placed on using edged, impact, and improvised weapons in this combat style. Combative training units throughout the world have chosen Pekiti-Tirsia Kali as their primary confrontational training method. As a self-defense strategy, it is said to be highly deadly and effective.

Gaj is a member of the Martial Arts Hall of Fame and the Karate Hall of Fame. He is the only non-Karate member.

Dan Arca Inosanto - Inosanto is arguably the most famous Kali instructor, having studied Jeet Kune Do under Bruce Lee. Inosanto was the only person Lee instructed, and because of this, Inosanto is a force to be reckoned with.

He’s proficient in a variety of other martial arts, primarily FMA. He has been instrumental in preserving some of the Filipino styles. Now aged 85 Inosanto, this ex-paratrooper has no intention of taking it easy.

Founder of the Inosanto Academy of Martial Arts in California, the legend of Bruce and Brandon Lee lives on.