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Goodbye, old friend...

Discussion in 'News from The Philippines' started by Methersgate, Oct 21, 2016.

  1. Methersgate
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    Methersgate Well-Known Member Lifetime Member

    Yawn. Mark comes up not with the speech reported in the original article but some guff from a Dirty fake news site, which he does not even bother to identify.
  2. Methersgate
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    Methersgate Well-Known Member Lifetime Member

  3. walesrob
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    walesrob Administrator Staff Member

  4. Markham
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    Markham Guest

    You seem to have become rather intolerant of views that differ from those you hold. You've also appear to have lost your sense of humour. And that's a pity.

    I am sure you actually do recognise CNN Philippines ;). "Crabbler" is, I'm told, quite a well-known Filipino political blogger although you may not have heard of him as he is no friend of the Liberal Party; that piece was published on Facebook earlier today. I posted those three items without any comment by me in a neutral fashion simply to bring a bit of balance to a rather one-sided discussion.

    Perhaps you won't appreciate me pointing out that Duterte has returned to Davao with a signed agreement by China to invest $24 billion in the Philippines. This is a somewhat larger investment than has ever been offered by the US - or anyone else. That is fact, not pro-Duterte propaganda.
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  5. Methersgate
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    Methersgate Well-Known Member Lifetime Member

    So would I.

    What on earth makes you think that I think that it did?
  6. Methersgate
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    Methersgate Well-Known Member Lifetime Member

    "A signed agreement to invest..."

    Let's see the colour of their money, and the terms on which this "investment" will take place.

    Are you really sure that that is more than the USA - as a nation- has invested in the Philippines, at 2016 values?

    Perhaps it is time for you to put your money where your mouth is and leave the EU that you despise so much and move to China?
  7. Markham
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    Markham Guest

    The full text of the joint statement by the Philippine and Chinese governments has been published by the Philippine Star. One of the projects China is to invest in is the two thousand kilometre Mindanao railway system that will link key cities including Cagayan de Oro, Malaybalay, Davao, General Santos, Iligan and Zamboanga. Work on that is to scheduled to start next year.

    Remind me of the amount of investment Aquino secured in total from the UK, US and EU during his presidential term; I'm pretty sure it's nowhere near $24 billion.

    I know you're not a Sinophile and you may not like me reminding you that Britain is also cosying-up to China; the UK will be one of the major foreign investors in the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank headquartered in Beijing.

    I realise that Britain is in danger of becoming a one party state, something I hope doesn't happen as I believe in democracy which necessitates there being an effective opposition to hold the government to account. Therefore I really don't wish to live in what is effectively a dictatorship, so China would be out as far as I'm concerned. Malta has done rather well out of its EU membership and milks the agriculture, regional development and infrastructure funds very effectively. But the days are numbered for its ruling Labour government and Joseph Muscat, the Prime Minister, is likely to be out of a job at the next election. There are only two parties and the Nationalists have a rather jaded opinion of the EU.

    I would return those bottles of wine to Waitrose if I were you; the contents appeared to have turned into vinegar which is having a disagreeable effect on your writings! :D
  8. Methersgate
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    Methersgate Well-Known Member Lifetime Member

  9. Methersgate
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    Methersgate Well-Known Member Lifetime Member

  10. Markham
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    Markham Guest

  11. Methersgate
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    Methersgate Well-Known Member Lifetime Member

    Another lie.

    A minority of Filipinos voted for Duterte.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_presidential_election,_2016
  12. Markham
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    Markham Guest

    Alright, just to feed your pedantry I will rephrase: Under the electoral system adopted by the Philippines, effective 'first past the post', Duterte's 16,601,997 votes, 6,623,822 more than his closest rival, delivered him the presidency. Maybe you don't consider a victory of over six million - more than voted for Binay - "overwhelming" :p

    The latest Pulse Asia results published last Friday, show Duterte's 'Approval Rating' is 86% which, although down by 5% from PA's July survey, is very healthy indeed.
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  13. Methersgate
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    Methersgate Well-Known Member Lifetime Member

  14. Markham
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    Markham Guest

    From MailOnline:
    A good thing, surely?
  15. Methersgate
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    Methersgate Well-Known Member Lifetime Member

    Indoor or outdoor public places? No smoking in outdoor public places? No smoking in the street?

    Really?

    Meanwhile he has given away the South China Sea for a promise of railways to be built by a corporation banned for corruption in most nations where it has operated:

    http://f.inq.ph/6z7nnNw
  16. Methersgate
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    Methersgate Well-Known Member Lifetime Member

  17. Methersgate
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    Methersgate Well-Known Member Lifetime Member

  18. Markham
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    Markham Guest

    Yes, indeed. One used to be able to smoke outdoors in Davao provided one wasn't in a public park or within 50 metres of the entrance of a building. There is - or was, it may have closed now - a "smoking room" within the departures hall of NAIA Terminal 2 and a similar one at MIA, Cebu, but other than that, no smoking in any public place or outdoors. The only places where smoking is permitted is within your own car - provided there are no children present - and within your own home. Smoking in cars is likely to be banned by the end of the year - in Davao at least.
  19. Methersgate
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    Methersgate Well-Known Member Lifetime Member

  20. Dave_E
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    Dave_E Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    Must admit that as a non-smoker I quite like the occasional "passive smoke".

    As long as it is a decent cigar or quality cigarette that is being smoked.

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