Malilong: Friendly persuasion, persuasive harassment

Malilong: Friendly persuasion, persuasive harassment

HOW do you solve a problem like China? We sued them under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and won but China refused to honor the judgment. During the presidential campaign, then candidate Rodrigo Duterte promised to jet-ski to the West Philippine Sea to plant the Philippine flag and stake Philippine jurisdiction over the disputed territory. His spokesman would later claim that the campaign promise was meant to be a joke.

The joke is on us. China not only built fortifications in the West Philippine Sea from where they harass Filipino fishermen returning to their old fishing grounds but also deployed vessels threateningly close to our country. The act is an obvious insult to our sovereignty, a fact that did not escape the attention of our foreign affairs secretary.

After his protests were repeatedly ignored, Teodoro Locsin Jr. abandoned all norms of diplomacy and opted for the F word in demanding that the Chinese get out of Philippine territory.

The outburst did not sit well not only with the Chinese, which was expected, but also with Duterte who reportedly frowned on the use of profane language. Surprised?

You shouldn’t. Duterte has made it very clear countless times that he does not want to offend China which he considers a friend. Besides, he said, we are no match to China in terms of military might, so it is in our best interests to avoid provoking a war which could only result in the slaughter of Filipino soldiers.

It rankles. We are being bullied, absolutely no doubt about that. China has little regard, if at all, to our sovereignty. But what can we do other than being angry? Remember that feeling when you are sure that you have the problem figured out but do not have the slightest clue as to the answer? It sucks. Big time.

Guess who dropped by the newly reopened Cebu City Sports Center yesterday morning. Mayor Edgar Labella, that’s who, looking ready to walk in his Walk and Talk shirt. He gamely joined us for a while despite being hobbled by a bad knee.

He said he is observing a no rice, vegetable and fruits only, diet to lose weight and ease the pressure on his knee. I tried it when I came home, grabbing a bite only of the jackfruit that Boy and Annie Mayol gave me, for breakfast. Then, I got a spoonful of rice to mix with eggs, fried sunny side up, and then more spoonfuls, one after the other. Well, not all stomachs are created equal.

Vice Mayor Mike Rama called just after breakfast to ask me to help in their campaign to have as many Cebuanos vaccinated as possible. The response from senior citizens has been disappointing, Mike said, so that they are considering immunizing the general population as soon as the next shipment of vaccines arrives. (For full text, visit: www.sunstar.com.ph)

I asked Mike if they could not withhold the release of financial assistance to senior citizens who fail or refuse to be vaccinated. He replied that the suggestion cannot work because the conditions for the grant of financial aid are enumerated in a city ordinance. Then why don’t you amend the ordinance as a way of friendly persuasion, I pressed further. Getting vaccinated is a choice, he said. What you are suggesting is not friendly persuasion but persuasive harassment.

All right, getting vaccinated is a choice. So is suicide, incidentally.

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