Ballooning

China over U.S. airspace. Recovered remnants of that balloon have been sent to an FBI laboratory for examination. Washington has not released technical details to date.

On Feb. 10, U.S. jets downed another “cylindrical” flying object off the coast of Alaska. Here, too, we are not told how much of the downed object was recovered from the frozen sea. All that has been shared is the observation that the downed object did not seem to have any system of propulsion or control.

The flying object has not been attributed to China.

A day later, Feb. 11, another U.S. jet shot down a “highaltitude airborne object” over Canada’s Yukon province, close to the border with Alaska.

Apart from describing it as a hexagonal object, little has been made publicly known.

On Feb. 12, yet another strange flying object was tracked from over Montana and shot down over Lake Huron.

Still, we are not told about the nature of the object nor its origin. Washington says the object was shot down because it posed a threat to commercial aircraft.

With very little detail disclosed, it is assumed that the three later objects were also balloons or something akin to it. Inasmuch as Washington had not officially attributed the three latter objects to China, Beijing has not issued any statement about them. The mystery deepens.

A debate has erupted in Washington over whether the flying objects shot down while wafting over North America were actually engaged in surveillance. We know next to nothing about the larger framework within which these strange flying objects was launched.

These balloons and whatever equipment they carry are rather costly things. They are not being sent up for the pleasure of watching a balloon waft in the air, carried by atmospheric currents with apparently very little ground control over their precise flight paths.

In addition to the very real ratification in July of that same year. The agreement was very timely as it paved the way for the conduct of disaster relief assistance by the Australian Defense Force when Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) hit the Philippines in November 2013.

President BBM’s recent visit to Tokyo is also expected to boost economic as well as security ties between the Philippines and Japan. No less than the President underscored this when he said prior to his departure that the bilateral visit is essential as it is “part of a larger foreign policy agenda to forge closer political ties, stronger defense and security cooperation” in addition to “lasting economic partnerships with major countries in the region amid a challenging global environment.”

In a recent brief written by our friend Gregory Poling with Andreyka Natalegawa and Danielle Fallin titled, “Building a U.S.-Japan-Philippines Triad” published at the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ online site, the authors underscored Japan’s growing role in the Indo-Pacific, and hazard these balloons pose to commercial aircraft, they have been flown over another country’s airspace without prior notice. That is a clear national security concern. We are now told that unidentified balloons have been detected flying across U.S. airspace the past years, although nothing was done about these previous flying objects. One analyst surmised that China could be testing highaltitude or “near space” craft as part of its futuristic weapons development program. When enough has been known about wind currents and weather corridors, these devices could be fitted with warheads.

Defense officials have enough reasons to be worried. Over the past months, North Korea has been testing missiles like mad. A few weeks ago, Pyongyang paraded intercontinental ballistics missiles that could theoretically reach the U.S. heartland.

It is not just North American airspace that have been violated by these strange flying objects.

A large balloon similar to that one shot down off the coast of South Carolina was reported in the vicinity of Colombia. These why Tokyo and Washington should collaborate more closely in “engaging with other alliance partners, including the Philippines. Japan is uniquely suited to this role given its extensive and long-standing security partnership with the Philippines, creating a robust level of security cooperation between Tokyo and Manila.”

In fact, having security alliances that show we are part of a coalition of likeminded countries can serve as a deterrent and can promote peace in the Indo-Pacific region.

As usual, pseudo-nationalists are looking at it from a negative perspective, saying we may be sucked into the maelstrom if a conflict between the U.S. and China breaks out. In the first place, if there is a conflict in the region over Taiwan for example, the Philippines would not be able to remain a fence sitter for long because of its very strategic location as well as its proximity to Taiwan. We would feel the impact and would be involved in one way or another. In this global world, there is no such thing as an “island nation.” devices apparently have the ability to circumnavigate the globe and stay aloft for long periods.

The downing of the first balloon was, no doubt, a huge embarrassment for the Chinese leadership. It marked the first strong response to whatever “near space” strategy China might be brewing. Beijing is probably scrambling for a viable explanation for the other objects shot down the past few days.

The balloon-related incidents reinstates Beijing as the true strategic rival to the U.S.. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine merely exposed its muchballyhooed army as obsolete, badly trained and ill-equipped.

It is an army that belongs to the past century, now forced to recruit convicts to man the frontlines or die in large numbers trying to achieve badly thought-out military objectives.

The Russian army is now hobbled by the fact that its most sophisticated weaponry has been shown to rely on parts made in other countries. Russian technicians are now reported to be cannibalizing refrigerators for chips to be

Fortunately, we have enlightened senators like Win Gatchalian, Chiz Escudero and Francis Tolentino who clearly see the significance of the EDCA expansion and the resumption of joint maritime patrols as good for the country. Even Senate President Migz Zubiri and many key legislators that include Congressman Rufus Rodriguez see the importance of our alliance with the United States. Some may have an axe to grind against the U.S. but they know very well this latest development is a positive step for our country’s security. And more importantly, this decision by President Marcos is appreciated and supported by 90 percent of Filipinos not only here but in many parts of the world, who continue to look at the United States as our most trusted ally and partner. (Philstar.com)

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The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

* * * babeseyeview@gmail.com used in assembling missiles.

By contrast, China now appears to be gearing up its military for highly technological warfare. It appears to be devising strategies only poorly understood by the U.S. and its allies.

After the first balloon was downed by a missile, China might have gotten away with the explanation that this was a meteorological instrument that somehow flew off course. After the three subsequent shootdowns, the original Chinese explanation can no longer hold. Beijing better come up with a more viable explanation for why these “lost” flying devices seem to be crossing into the North American airspace in a wave.

Beijing does not have to explain anything until the remnants of downed flying objects reveal them to be of Chinese origin. Depending on the quality of the debris recovered, this could happen in a few days. (Philstar.com)

* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

Maharlika fund, 9 other bills on fast track to approval by June 2

MANILA — Malacañang and legislative leaders on Monday, February 13 identified 10 priority bills that Congress should aim to pass before it adjourns sine die on June 2, including the controversial measure that seeks to create the Maharlika Investment Fund.

The Maharlika fund, which the House of Representatives approved just 17 days after it was filed, was selected as one of the priority measures during the meeting of the LegislativeExecutive Development Advisory Council in Malacañang.

The proposal to create a sovereign wealth fund, which is typically capitalized with excess state revenue that the Philippines does not have, is currently pending before the Senate banks panel chaired by Sen. Mark Villar.

The committee of Villar, one of the authors of the bills in the Senate alongside Sen. Raffy Tulfo, was set to resume hearings on the measure on Wednesday, February 15.

While the LEDAC has identified the Maharlika fund as a priority which may grease the legislative mill and hasten its passage in the Senate, it is not a guarantee that it will be swiftly approved. During the committee’s first hearing on the measure two weeks ago, senators raised concerns about investment gains and the proposed fund’s governance structure.

It also faces stiff opposition from the two-member Senate minority bloc, whose leader Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III vowed to block passage.

But the potency of the minority is in question given their lack of numbers in the chamber dominated by allies of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

This was seen when they tried and failed to pry the Maharlika fund from Villar’s panel and send it to the government corporations committee chaired by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. CDC, VIP, mandatory ROTC Another measure identified during the LEDAC meeting as a priority is the bill that seeks to create the Philippine Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) and the complementary proposal to establish the Virology Institute of the Philippines (VIP).

The bill creating the CDC, a technical authority on forecasting, analysis, strategy, and standards development for the prevention and control of all diseases of public health importance and health security events, reached the Senate plenary on Monday as Sen. Pia Cayetano sponsored the measure.

Bills establishing the VIP remain pending at the committee level in the Senate, while a similar proposal and the CDC bill has been passed by the House in December 2022 .

The LEDAC also identified the proposal to make the Reserve Officers Training Corps program mandatory again as a priority.

Like the VIP bills, mandatory ROTC is pending at the committee level, although the panel chaired by Sen. Ronald dela Rosa which is handling it is preparing to send it for plenary deliberations.

The House approved a bill making ROTC mandatory again in December 2022.

Other bills identified as LEDAC priorities are amendments to the Build-Operate-Transfer law, the creation of the Medical Reserve Corps and the condonation of unpaid amortization and interests of loans of agrarian reform beneficiaries.

Also identified as priorities are the Internet Transactions Act, amendments to the law that fixed terms for Armed Forces officers and the Salt Industry Development Bill.

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OCTA: Nationwide COVID-19 positivity rate at 1.6% by PIA LEE-BRAGO Philstar.com

MANILA — The risk of contracting coronavirus in the National Capital Region (NCR) is now at “low” level as the OCTA Research group noted a positivity rate of only 1.6 percent from Feb. 9 to Feb. 11.

by CHRISTIAN CROW MAGHANOY ManilaTimes.net