Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Manu Ginobli, SPURS Shooting guard


One of the best NBA players, 29 yrs. old from Argentina.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Tim Duncan, 3X NBA Finals MVP


31 yrs. old SPURS Forward-Center

Friday, June 22, 2007

Tony Parker, MVP NBA Championship

Tony Parker, 25 yrs.old is the point guard of SPURS. He also raps in French.

SPURS, 2007 NBA CHAMPION

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Philippine Independence - Enrico D. Elizan

PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE DECLARED: June 12, 1898

Someone asked if this day had any special meaning to me, a Filipino-American who had grown up here in the United States. I responded that I thought so, yes.

From a fact-based perspective, I agree that June 12 was the correct choice for the Philippines to celebrate her independence rather than July 4th. June 12th was the date that Filipino independence was proclaimed by General Emilio Aguinaldo and the Filipinos fighting Spain. It was the first proclaimation of Filipino independence from foreign rule. It set the stage for the development of the first Philippine republican government by the Malolos Congress. Sadly, it was short lived. But I felt it also set the stage for the continued desire for Philippine independence until it was finally and officially "granted" by the Americans on THEIR independence day, July 4th.

From a patriotic perspective, however, how I would have loved to been there! The unfurling of the first Filipino flag and the playing of the first Philippine National Anthem at Kawit. Witnessing the birth of a nation really is something I would have loved to have witnessed and been a part of. Many tie Filipino identity to this date.

I agree with Diosdado Macapagal when he wrote that the "celebration of a common independence day with the United States on July 4 caused considerable inconvenience. The American celebration dwarfed that of the Philippines. June 12, on the other hand, would be a greater inspiration to the youth who would consequently recall the heroes of the revolution against Spain and their acts of sublime heroism and martyrdom."

Here's the timeline around this historic Philippine date...

During the Spanish-American War, Filipino rebels led by Emilio Aguinaldo proclaim the independence of the Philippines after 300 years of Spanish rule.

By mid-August, Filipino rebels and U.S. troops had ousted the Spanish, but Aguinaldo's hopes for independence were dashed when the United States formally annexed the Philippines as part of its peace treaty with Spain. The Philippines, a large island archipelago situated off Southeast Asia, was colonized by the Spanish in the latter part of the 16th century. Opposition to Spanish rule began among Filipino priests, who resented Spanish domination of the Roman Catholic churches in the islands.

In the late 19th century, Filipino intellectuals and the middle class began calling for independence.

In 1892, the Katipunan, a secret revolutionary society, was formed in Manila, the Philippine capital on the island of Luzon. Membership grew dramatically, and in August 1896 the Spanish uncovered the Katipunan's plans for rebellion, forcing premature action from the rebels.

Revolts broke out across Luzon, and in March 1897, 28-year-old Emilio Aguinaldo became leader of the rebellion.

By late 1897, the revolutionaries had been driven into the hills southeast of Manila, and Aguinaldo negotiated an agreement with the Spanish. In exchange for financial compensation and a promise of reform in the Philippines, Aguinaldo and his generals would accept exile in Hong Kong. The rebel leaders departed, and the Philippine Revolution temporarily was at an end.

In April 1898, the Spanish-American War broke out over Spain's brutal suppression of a rebellion in Cuba.

The first in a series of decisive U.S. victories occurred on May 1, 1898, when the U.S. Asiatic Squadron under Commodore George Dewey annihilated the Spanish Pacific fleet at the Battle of Manila Bay in the Philippines.

From his exile, Aguinaldo made arrangements with U.S. authorities to return to the Philippines and assist the United States in the war against Spain. He landed on May 19, rallied his revolutionaries, and began liberating towns south of Manila.

On June 12, he proclaimed Philippine independence and established a provincial government, of which he subsequently became head. His rebels, meanwhile, had encircled the Spanish in Manila and, with the support of Dewey's squadron in Manila Bay, would surely have conquered the Spanish. Dewey, however, was waiting for U.S. ground troops, which began landing in July and took over the Filipino positions surrounding Manila.

On August 8, the Spanish commander informed the United States that he would surrender the city under two conditions: The United States was to make the advance into the capital look like a battle, and under no conditions were the Filipino rebels to be allowed into the city.

On August 13, the mock Battle of Manila was staged, and the Americans kept their promise to keep the Filipinos out after the city passed into their hands.

While the Americans occupied Manila and planned peace negotiations with Spain, Aguinaldo convened a revolutionary assembly, the Malolos, in September. They drew up a democratic constitution, the first ever in Asia, and a government was formed with Aguinaldo as president in January 1899.

On February 4, what became known as the Philippine Insurrection began when Filipino rebels and U.S. troops skirmished inside American lines in Manila. Two days later, the U.S. Senate voted by one vote to ratify the Treaty of Paris with Spain. The Philippines were now a U.S. territory, acquired in exchange for $20 million in compensation to the Spanish. In response, Aguinaldo formally launched a new revolt--this time against the United States. The rebels, consistently defeated in the open field, turned to guerrilla warfare, and the U.S. Congress authorized the deployment of 60,000 troops to subdue them.

By the end of 1899, there were 65,000 U.S. troops in the Philippines, but the war dragged on. Many anti-imperialists in the United States, such as Democratic presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan, opposed U.S. annexation of the Philippines, but in November 1900 Republican incumbent William McKinley was reelected, and the war continued.

On March 23, 1901, in a daring operation, U.S. General Frederick Funston and a group of officers, pretending to be prisoners, surprised Aguinaldo in his stronghold in the Luzon village of Palanan and captured the rebel leader. Aguinaldo took an oath of allegiance to the United States and called for an end to the rebellion, but many of his followers fought on.

During the next year, U.S. forces gradually pacified the Philippines. In an infamous episode, U.S. forces on the island of Samar retaliated against the massacre of a U.S. garrison by killing all men on the island above the age of 10. Many women and young children were also butchered. General Jacob Smith, who directed the atrocities, was court-martialed and forced to retire for turning Samar, in his words, into a "howling wilderness."

In 1902, an American civil government took over administration of the Philippines, and the three-year Philippine insurrection was declared to be at an end. Scattered resistance, however, persisted for several years. More than 4,000 Americans perished suppressing the Philippines--more than 10 times the number killed in the Spanish-American War. More than 20,000 Filipino insurgents were killed, and an unknown number of civilians perished.

In 1935, the Commonwealth of the Philippines was established with U.S. approval, and Manuel Quezon was elected the country's first president.

On July 4, 1946, full independence was granted to the Republic of the Philippines by the United States."

Monday, June 04, 2007

Election Highlights - Diane D. Garcia


This is the unofficial, tally as of May 20, 2007:

SENATORS COMELEC NAMFREL
as of 9:30pm as of 8:22pm

LEGARDA, Loren 4,399,726 5,633,410
ESCUDERO, Francis 4,294,609 5,504,222
VILLAR, Manuel Jr. 3,692,773 4,607,874
PANGILINAN, Francis 3,666,165 4,498,689
LACSON, Panfilo 3,552,968 4,861,789
AUINO, Benigno III 3,394,119 4,409,844
ARROYO, Joker 3,253,545 3,680,216
ANGARA, Edgardo 3,222,027 4,018,899
RECTO, Ralph 2,849,908 3,251,879
PICHAY, Prospero 2,688,133 3,157,923
HONASAN, Gregorio 2,684,597 3,672,038
ZUBIRI, Juan Miguel 2,674,602 3,313,590
Cayetano, Alan Peter 2,616,136 3,520,542
Defensor, Michael 2,614,426 3,053,347
Trillanes, Antonio 2,465,916 3,453,958

S O R S O G O N

Namfrel as of May 17,1pm:

GOVERNOR:

ESCUDERO, Antonio 15,499
HAMOR, Edwin 57,303
LEE, Inocencio 193
LEE, Sally 54,492

VICE GOVERNOR:

DERI, Oscar 48,722
LAURUNARIA, rENATO 44,905

CONGRESSMAN (1st District)

BALMACEDA, Cesar 9,181
BANARES, Jerry 1,504
DINEROS, Daniel 68
DURAN, Jose Vicente 18,568
ESCUDERO, Salvador III 35,729
OCAMPO, Isagani 372

(2nd District)

DE CASTRO, Alex 117
GOLPEO, Edna 60
GOLPEO, Ricardo 12,969
GONZALES, Rodolfo 16,355
RAMOS, Cyril 14,597
SOLIS, Jose 14,141

SORSOGON CITY

MAYOR

AQUINO,Rebecca 1,388
CHUA, Roman 1,419
DELGADO, Rosario Jr. 1,099
DIONEDA, Leovic 29,307
RODRIGUEZ, Robert 20,398

VICE MAYOR

ABEAR, Edmundo 4,701
ATUTUBO, Edmundo 22,575
GERONA, Rofedar 11,779
GO, Michael 8,749
LASTICA, Aristeo 246

Election Sidelights:

Imelda clan retains clout in Tacloban

Vilma Santos proclaimed as Batangas governor

Pacquiao accepts defeat

Sunday, June 03, 2007

East meets West - Annie

Welcome Cavaliers, LeBron James & company!
Welcome Cavaliers coach Mike Brown former assistant to SPURS coach Gregg Poppovich.
San Antonio is waiting for you.

Congratulations for winning the Eastern Conference and the chance to play against the SPURS in the Finals.

San Antonio has been anticipating your arrival.

First game is on June 7, 2007 Thursday at 8:00 PM.

SPURS fans cancel your vacation & watch the big games.

Prepare for victory parade celebration.
As they say, Championship game was over when the SPURS beat the SUNS in the playoff.
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