Addressing the issue on Child Soldiers

This seminar made me relate to my fellow Muslims in Mindanao, because whenever im in that place, the place where my grandfather is living I did saw a children who is under 18 holding weapons, the feeling when I saw children like that makes me think that there is more people needing education for a good future than I saw here in manila. knowing the stories about these child soldiers breaks my heart. I really pity them because they are not able to experience the same privileges that I experience like education, good health or what not and with that I have come to realize how fortunate I to have this kind of life am. I am looking forward to the end of this issue and I hope that all of us would be able to do some action about it. Colonel Dickson P. Hermoso is currently the Chief of Public Affairs Division, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. He had special assignments and positions that earned him honors and distinctions concerning conflict management and resolutions. He has an actual involvement and vast experiences in peace- building and conflict management in Luzon and Mindanao.

Hostage Crisis

While the actions of the man are clearly misguided, the overall handling is really bad. The hostage taker already released hostages early in the day, mostly elderly and children. He asked for food and gas for the bus’s air conditioning. He gave a 3pm deadline but the deadline passed without incident. It should have been properly cordoned off and people moved back. In failure of this, a bystander was shot by a stray bullet. Pure luck the bystander lives. Then at the end of the event after the hostage taker was shot, bystanders stormed the bus area and it was chaos. I am pretty sure this hindered the retrieval operations and movement of authorities. I hope the victims and their families recover fully from this horrible ordeal, which I believe could have been prevented had everyone involved thought about their actions first than recklessly ruining all efforts for a peaceful surrender of the hostage taker.
Like many Filipinos, I'm also completely disappointed and very angry with the fact that the crisis was totally mismanaged by our government and a lot of innocent lives were wasted. Sadly, the incompetency and inefficiency of our government shone brightest in this incidence, which led me to feel that we again lack the needed leadership to move forward. In hindsight, all the crisis-management team needed was a good leader someone level-headed, patient, peace-loving, determined, brave and smart enough to take hold of the situation and resolve it. That leader, frustratingly, I believe we still sorely lack. To the people of Hong Kong, know that the whole Philippines is deeply mourning with you on this great loss and tragedy and we share the anger over the appalling professional standards and the lack of strategic planning over the crisis. However, please spare our fellow citizens who are peacefully working and staying in your country. It is not them who should bear the consequences of the actions of one crazy man and the mistakes of our government.

Public Diplomacy

We had a seminar about public diplomacy and for me it was a little funny for me, anyway, the first speaker start the blog with an introduction and brief story about his experiences, and the favorite fact that he said that if your going to another country you should never let your country down, because whenever I'm out of the country I keep forgetting about our country, seriously because sometimes I'm embarrass. Tourism is a good chance to participate in big trade shows like the one in London World Federal Market that in tourism it is a good venue to discuss the value of the products and negotiate product's rates. These people want to make money profit- minded and so we want to make sure that they can earn here in the Philippines. The speaker also told us that DOT receives the smallest budget allocation from the government. Even though that is the situation, he said that their exhibits are popular or pinipilahan, especially their free massage booth. Back then I thought DOT just deals with advertisement but no they also have diverse roles that they play. And lastly when our professor tell us a story about “have you ever been to..?” a lot of people in our country do not see other places of our own, but if you’re going to realize something, I mean, for me it is beautiful to look other places in other country because you already have the Philippines.

Group Activity

My group was the one who discussed the bilateral relationship of the Republic of the Philippines with South Korea. The fact, South Korea is currently a major trading partner of the Philippines. The cooperation between the Philippines and South Korea in the political, security, economic,development fields is expected to continue as both parties strive to further strengthen relations. I thought that we will have discussions but we had a group assignment.

Foreign Policy

Our topic is to strengthen our foreign policy and our national interest. For me, if we try to strengthen our foreign policy we would have been the best country, for me. Because, I think that we don’t have the cooperation, this is need for all the projects and some normal things we’ve doing with people, full cooperation in our country is needed to be improve. These organization just guiding us for our improvement for the better of others, but come to think of it, if we don’t have cooperation, do you think we’re going to arrive of the perfect conclusion? I don’t think so, I see our government should be the first who would pursue that full cooperation so that the followers or our people in our country will support because they can see the effort and changes for the better. The organization helps us to connect and also combine with other countries because it also can strengthen our countries and fewer problems.

Philippine foreign relation

Our discussion is about foreign relations. A country’s diplomacy, foreign policy and foreign relations are all about threats and opportunities assessing threats and dealing with threats, recognizing opportunities and seizing opportunities. What are the threats against the Philippines today? By now, it should be clear that the threat of invasion is not one of them. One could even argue that it never has been since the Philippines became an independent country. One could go further and contend that a misconception of threat as an invasion by massive armies from across the seas distorted the Philippines’ foreign policy. It placed the Philippines under suspicion from other newly-independent nations, including some of its neighbors. And it allowed the problem of the American bases to persist and fester.

PNOY asean foundation

In the Bulwagang Apolinario Mabini, President Noynoy Aquino gave his speech about our relation with ASEAN. Some of the concrete steps the President mentioned are the country’s commitment to abide by the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, the support to the ASEAN Connectivity project and further cultural exchanges with its ASEAN neighbors. “Today, the ASEAN Charter is more of an aspiration rather than a reality. My administration will do its part in the long process of creating a more binding commitment to our mutual economic and political interests,” Mr. Aquino said in his speech. I knew that his speech would be good after all. Philippines under his administration will fulfill its international commitments without undermining and forsaking its national interests. I commend how he was able to be proud with his country by stating how the Philippines is a country that is attractive to investments and that how we are able to harmonize our national interest with our international responsibilities. It will help us to improve our country. In his speech before I notice that he didn’t mention some important things for our country, but it done well as it is. I hope that he can carry the problems that our country will encounter.

VFA

As a muslim i think it can affect our rights, In our discussion our professor mention a lot of negative things about his topic, at first i really dont have an idea of VFA and i dont know why, i think VFA despite of a lot of people are against this, i think it will continue to cooperate and help us, but its good to hear some of the benefits of it and we owe americans in colonizing our country. I think we should continue to give them permition to enter our country with no limitations because we are actually benefiting for it.

SONA NOYNOY and GMA

Former president gloria macapagal arroyo gave her state of the nation address in batasan, quezon city. im not interested with sona's at all but i have to hehe that why only watched it on youtube so that i can recall some statements and differentaite two president. The former president did not discuss things about charter change and focused only on the ongoing global crisis for food and oil. the muct awaited issue of scrapping VAT was denounced by the president. '' If we remove the VAT, business confidence will decline, interest rates will go up, the more the value of the peso will fall, and the more commodity prices will rice. It will strip the majority of out people of the means to ride the world food and energy crisis'' president said. I think the only thing that I hate about her sona is she is speaking in english as if everyone in our country understand what her saying is, I think sona helo us think and gives us benefits in some ways but i think lies our still in her statements in that day.

Our new elected president Benigno Noynoy Aquino gave his state of the nation address this year and i felt faith in our country, i think he is gonna change something and big in our country, after his sona, people expected that his gonna state all of the prolems and not gonna skip things, but he did, his SONA is more on corruption matters among government officials, but i hope his not gonna focus only on demanding aout governement officials but also the reason for our country to survivie, and i hope everyone will support him. hmm the only thing that i dont like about Noynoy's SONA is MERONG PASOK..

Peace process in Mindanao

In our discussion about this topic, it did affect me a lot because i'm a muslim and what im hearing about muslims now a days and entering college i feel really lonely and alone in our school, like what happen in mindanao massacre, but I became interested in this topic because sometime my friends asking me why, what about this things, sometime its really annoying but in the long terms im happy because i can defend what is really happening and why they are doing that. In our session today is intersting and hearing new things about islam community.

SONA

In our discussion about the SONA, the first thing that comes to my mind is lying and i dont know why, but after our discussion about this and what our prof said that Noynoy's admin will pointing mistakes of the precious administration,and they will find it hard to say who maid these problems, even if Noynoy present in his sona some solution it doesn't mean that it will be fix. I think they should move on, on the past mistakes that made by our former president, i think we should learn and try to concentrate to our future and for the better of out country. After Noynoy's sona i think that other filipino also fill the strength that we should have and lift up our country, and we should still be proud for our country.

Exam!

ASEAN membership

I choose ASEAN membership because I already have a background about this for the last 3 years and as of now we are still discussing and try to expand more about ASEAN and their members, and Philippines is still a member of the International organization which is ASEAN, but first I have to indicate the general background about the ASEAN membership for you to have a review about some issue. I have stated also the introduction of Philippines entering the International organization the ASEAN, and some issues about The new ASEAN charter will do little to improve the regional grouping’s human rights reputation as long as Burma continues to dictate the agenda this can help to understand how issues in ASEAN can be fixed and to help other countries to improve the issues in human rights, you will see that it also reflect from our previous discussion like the Realsin and Liberalsim which deals with the decisions of countries and their partnership of the Internaional organization. Realism was dominant during the cold war and I think it will help to understand the problems and how the ASEAN help the countries and make a a good result for that problem, I indicate some problems and issues about the ASEAN and how they maximize their power to be more useful for the members of the international organization. The importance of power in all states and what I heard is that this theory is an antidote to international institutions. The interest of this theory is survival of the state, and if all states are trying to be powerful there is a security dilemma. Liberalism is an economic interdependence between states and spread of diplomacy. The last is the Constructivism theory is changing norms of sovereignty, human rights, and ideas in politics. I knew that every theory has disadvantages and advantages like liberalism; I thought that it is the best theory because of its advantages that was read and was discussed in the class. I think you reflect also The Philippine History, Institutions and Decision Making Processes in Foreign Policy because it talks about policies how they make their decisions for their country to survive and develop. In this chapter I will explain first the overall introduction and background about the ASEAN for you to have a review and answers your questions and explain why the Philippine government should formulate foreign policies.

ASEAN was come first by an organization called the Association of Southeast Asia, commonly called ASA, an agreement consisting of the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand that was formed in 1967. The bloc itself was established when foreign ministers of five countries Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand met at the Thai Department of Foreign Affairs building in Bangkok and signed the ASEAN Declaration, more commonly known as the Bangkok Declaration. The five foreign ministers Narciso Ramos of the Philippines, Adam Malik of Indonesia, S. Rajaratnam of Singapore, Abdul Razak of Malaysia, and Thanat Khoman of Thailand are considered as the organization’s Founding Fathers. The motivations for the birth of ASEAN were so that its members’ governing best could concentrate on nation building, the common fear of communism, reduced faith in or mistrust of external powers in the 1960s, as well as a desire for economic development; not to mention Indonesia’s ambition to become a regional hegemony through regional cooperation and the hope on the part of Malaysia and Singapore to constrain Indonesia and bring it into a more cooperative framework. The Melanesian state of Papua New Guinea was accorded observer status. Throughout the 1970s, the organization embarked on a program of economic cooperation, following the Bali Summit.

During the 1990s, the bloc experienced an increase in both memberships as well as in the drive for further integration. Malaysia proposed the creation of an East Asia Economic Caucus composing the then-members of ASEAN as well as the People's Republic of China, Japan, and South Korea, with the intention of counterbalancing the growing influence of the United States in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) as well as in the Asian region as a whole. This proposal, however, failed since it faced heavy opposition from Japan and the United States. Despite this failure, member states continued to work for further integration. The Common Effective Preferential Tariff (CEPT) scheme was signed as a schedule for phasing tariffs and as a goal to increase the region’s competitive advantage as a production base geared for the world market. This law would act as the framework for the ASEAN Free Trade Area. After the East Asian Financial Crisis of 1997, a revival of the Malaysian proposal was established in Chiang Mai, known as the Chiang Mai Initiative, which calls for better integration between the economies of ASEAN as well as the ASEAN Plus Three countries. Aside from improving each member state's economies, the bloc also focused on peace and stability in the region. The Southeast Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty was signed with the intention of turning Southeast Asia into a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone. It became fully effective after the Philippines ratified it, effectively banning all nuclear weapons in the region. At the turn of the 21st century, issues shifted to involve a more environmental perspective. The organization started to discuss environmental agreements. These included the signing of the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution as an attempt to control haze pollution in Southeast Asia. Unfortunately, this was unsuccessful due to the outbreaks of the Malaysian haze and the Southeast Asian haze. Other environmental treaties introduced by the organization include the Cebu Declaration on East Asian Energy Security, the ASEAN-Wildlife Enforcement Network, and the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, both of which are responses to the potential effects of climate change. Climate change is of current interest.

ASEAN has subscribed to the notion of democratic peace, which means all member countries believe democratic processes will promote regional peace and stability. Also, the non-democratic members all agreed that it was something all member states should aspire to. The leaders of each country, particularly Mahathir Mohamad of Malaysia, also felt the need to further integrate the region. Beginning in, the bloc began creating organisations within its framework with the intention of achieving this goal. ASEAN plus Three was the first of these and was created to improve existing ties with the People's Republic of China, Japan, and South Korea. This was followed by the even larger East Asia Summit, which included these countries as well as India, Australia, and New Zealand. This new grouping acted as a prerequisite for the planned East Asia Community, which was supposedly patterned after the now-defunct European Community. The ASEAN Eminent Persons Group was created to study the possible successes and failures of this policy as well as the possibility of drafting an ASEAN Charter. In 2006, ASEAN was given observer status at the United Nations General Assembly. As a response, the organization awarded the status of "dialogue partner" to the United Nations. Furthermore, José Ramos-Horta, then Prime Minister of East Timor, signed a formal request for membership and expected the accession process to last at least five years before the then-observer state became a full member.

ASEAN celebrated its 40th anniversary since its inception, and 30 years of diplomatic relations with the United States. ASEAN stated that it aims to complete all its free trade agreements with China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand, in line with the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community by 2015. The ASEAN members signed the ASEAN Charter, a constitution governing relations among the ASEAN members and establishing ASEAN itself as an international legal entity. During the same year, the Cebu Declaration on East Asian Energy Security in Cebu, by ASEAN and the other members of the EAS, which promotes energy security by finding energy alternatives to conventional fuels. A Free Trade Agreement with the ASEAN regional block of 10 countries and New Zealand and its close partner Australia was signed. Apart from consultations and consensus, ASEAN’s agenda-setting and decision-making processes can be usefully understood in terms of the so-called Track I and Track II. Track I refers to the practice of diplomacy among government channels. The participants stand as representatives of their respective states and reflect the official positions of their governments during negotiations and discussions. All official decisions are made in Track I. Therefore, "Track I refers to intergovernmental processes”. Track II differs slightly from Track I, involving civil society groups and other individuals with various links who work alongside governments. This track enables governments to discuss controversial issues and test new ideas without making official statements or binding commitments, and, if necessary, backtrack on positions.

Although Track II dialogues are sometimes cited as examples of the involvement of civil society in regional decision-making process by governments and other second track actors, NGOs have rarely got access to this track; meanwhile participants from the academic community are a dozen think-tanks. However, these think-tanks are, in most cases, very much linked to their respective governments, and dependent on government funding for their academic and policy-relevant activities, and many working in Track II have previous bureaucratic experience. Their recommendations, especially in economic integration, are often closer to ASEAN’s decisions than the rest of civil society’s positions.

The track that acts as a forum for civil society in Southeast Asia is called Track III. Track III participants are generally civil society groups who represent a particular idea or brand. Track III networks claim to represent communities and people who are largely marginalized from political power centres and unable to achieve positive change without outside assistance. This track tries to influence government policies indirectly by lobbying, generating pressure through the media. Third-track actors also organize and/or attend meetings as well as conferences to get access to Track I officials. While Track II meetings and interactions with Track I actors have increased and intensified, rarely has the rest of civil society had the opportunity to interface with Track II. Those with Track I have been even rarer. Looking at the three tracks, it is clear that until now, ASEAN has been run by government officials who, as far as ASEAN matters are concerned, are accountable only to their governments and not the people. In a lecture on the occasion of ASEAN’s 38th anniversary, the incumbent Indonesian President Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono admitted:

“All the decisions about treaties and free trade areas, about declarations and plans of action, are made by Heads of Government, ministers and senior officials. And the fact that among the masses, there is little knowledge, let alone appreciation, of the large initiatives that ASEAN is taking on their behalf.”

This was an issue about The new Asean charter will do little to improve the regional grouping’s human rights reputation as long as Burma continues to dictate the agenda

ONE Caring and Sharing Community” that is how the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, in its newly launched charter, envisions itself some four decades after its creation.
This is probably a far cry from the self-image that the leaders of Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines the bloc’s five original members had in mind when they first joined forces during one of the most incendiary periods of the Cold War era. At the time, the governments running these countries were more interested in preventing the spread of communism, bolstering nationalist sentiment and building up their economies than in showing their citizens how much they cared.

Much has happened since then. The original members of the bloc have witnessed the end of a war that consumed Indochina and left a tragic legacy in Cambodia; been through a period of breakneck economic growth; and evolved, albeit erratically, toward somewhat more accountable forms of governance.

But perhaps the most significant development has been Asean’s expansion to include Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Burma and Cambodia. It now covers an area roughly half the size of China, with a population to match. On the surface, all of this bodes well for the grouping’s future. But Asean’s drive to encompass virtually all of Southeast Asia has come at a price, as the newer members, especially those that joined after 1997, are significantly less developed, both economically and politically. With the introduction of the new charter, however, Asean hopes to accelerate its integration by putting it on a similar legal footing to the European Union, making it, in the words of the association’s secretary-general, Surin Pitsuwan, “more rules-based and more people oriented.”

But Asean’s reluctance to act on its own rules may be the greatest obstacle to realizing its long-term goal of establishing an EU-style union. Critics charge that the bloc’s longstanding policy of non-interference in the domestic affairs of member states enshrined in the charter alongside “the principles of democracy, the rule of law and good governance, respect for and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms” will continue to serve as an excuse to do nothing, even in the face of blatant violations. Underlining Asean’s lack of will in enforcing acceptable norms of behavior among its members was its failure to respond effectively to egregious abuses perpetrated by Burma in late 2007, at the very moment Asean was preparing to make a binding commitment to transform itself from a regional assemblage of ruling elites into a “people-oriented” community.

The charter officially came into effect last year on December 15, but was ratified at the 13th Asean Summit in Singapore less than two months after Burma’s military regime moved to crush the largest popular protests against its rule in nearly two decades. At the time of the junta’s crackdown on massive monk-led demonstrations, Asean broke with its customary reticence about the affairs of its members to express “revulsion” at the bloodshed. In an official statement, nine of the bloc’s 10 foreign ministers said they were “appalled to receive reports of automatic weapons being used” on crowds, causing hundreds of casualties. The ASEAN Charter serves as a firm foundation in achieving the ASEAN Community by providing legal status and institutional framework for ASEAN. It also codifies ASEAN norms, rules and values; sets clear targets for ASEAN; and presents accountability and compliance.

The ASEAN Charter entered into force on 15 December 2008. A gathering of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers was held at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta to mark this very historic occasion for ASEAN.

With the entry into force of the ASEAN Charter, ASEAN will henceforth operate under a new legal framework and establish a number of new organs to boost its community-building process.

In effect, the ASEAN Charter has become a legally binding agreement among the 10 ASEAN Member States. Much of this consternation undoubtedly stemmed from the likely consequences for Asean’s efforts to raise its standing in the international community. Singaporean Foreign Minister George Yeo, speaking on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York at the time of the crackdown, put it bluntly: “Our credibility is at stake; our collective reputation has been besmirched. Unless we put things right, and set Myanmar to a new course, we will all be affected and dragged down with Myanmar.” This sudden recognition of collective responsibility was short-lived, however. Ahead of the Singapore summit in November, Burma backed by Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos succeeded in blocking the UN special envoy to Burma, Ibrahim Gambari, from delivering a briefing on the country’s situation to a gathering of Asean and other Asian leaders. Ironically, Asean’s eagerness to introduce its historic charter may have helped to lift the Burmese regime out of the hot seat.

Basically this International organization aims and purposes of the association are to accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region through joint events in the spirit of equality and partnership. In explaining the Philippine government should formulate foreign policy, Basically, government in other countries not only the Philippines make policies for their country because in every issues in your own country will also affect other countries around you specially your economy. It traces the growing awareness of the importance of global health in foreign policy circles, and the growth of global health diplomacy at levels. The importance of international diplomatic engagement for building global policies to address the ongoing threats of HIV/AIDS, influenza pandemics, insufficient vaccine supply, maternal and child health problems, and the need for strengthening health systems around the world, as well as for advancing national security objectives. If your country is having problems it may cause effect also with others and find that your country is having difficulties, other countries might intervened to your properties because your country is not developing anymore. In order to protect you country or certain country you must have a government whose educated people that build institutions to teach citizens for a country to have good examples for others and it will also help the country to develop.

http://www.aseansec.org/
http://www.aseanfoundation.org/
http://www.aseannation.com/index.htm

Foreign Policy Process

Our discussion is about Foreign Policy process, in the first 2 hours
discussed are only basic and as much I understand it was already
discuss in our previous subjects. In the process of creating Foreign
Policy is only different with their cultures and the nature of their country.
Foreign Policy is important because it must cooperate with the domestic
and foreign conditions. Foreign policy being an extension of domestic
policy talks a broad spectrum of international agendas. The cycle of
foreign policy is similar to domestic policies that are not steady like the
foreign policy it changes bit it depends on the tome, in which it is applied.
This is my only time to post my blogs because my parents, and i had
problems with my laptop and my internet, i have to go to mall with my
yaya to send this one at a time.

Activity July 5

1.)
Republic Act No. 7157 "Philippine Foreign Service Act of 1991" it gives mandate to the Department of foreign affairs to implement the 3 pillars of the Philippine foreign policy, as follows:

*Reservation and enhancement of national security.
*Promotion and attainment of economic security.
*Protection of the rights and promotion of the welfare and interest of Filipino overseas.

2.)
1. China, Japan and the United States and their relationship will be a determining influence in the security situation and economic evolution of East Asia.

*U.S eyes review of East Asia strategic policy by year end: the U.S will review the East Asia strategy report to better shield, itself and its allies.
*East Asia Finance ministers see asset price, inflation risks: Finance ministers from east Asian countries on Sunday cited rising global asset price inflationary pressures and sovereign debt risks possible impact on capital inflow as they as the key risks facing their economies.

2.)Philippine foreign policy decisions have to be made in the context of ASEAN.

*Foreign affairs secretary Alberto Romulo said on Tuesday Philippine foreign policy decisions should be made in the context of the association of south east Asian nations, highlighting the regional blocs key engagements with the U.S , China and Japan to ensure stable security and economic conditions in the east Asian region.

3.)The international Islamic community will continue to be important for the Philippines

*Islamic banking in the Philippines: the first and only Islamic bang in the Philippines, the Al-Amanah Islamic Bank, began it operations in 1973 and was recently bought by the Development Bank of the Philippines.
*Muslim leaders back interfaith dialogue for peace: People of faith came together to promote dialogue as a way of attaining world peace, at the International Workshop of faith -Based Groups and Civil Society held March 16 during the Senior Official Meeting of the Special Non- aligned Movement Ministrial Meeting at the Philippines International Convention Center.

4.)The coming years will see the growing importance of multilateral and inter-regional organization to promote common interest.

*Roman Catholics in the United States, many of them Filipino-Americans, will be doing a lot of soul searching with the election just around the corner. As in the Philippines, one of the reproductive health issues has become a major political issue, with some US Catholic bishops, priests and lay leaders actively campaigning against Democratic Party candidates Barack Obama and Jospeh Biden.
*The debates resonate for Filipinos. in the Philippines, the opposition to the reproductive health bill has taken a one-issue approach, equiting reproductive health with abortion and labeling legislators supporting the reproductive health bill as "pro-death" and threatening to deny them Communion.

5.)As an archipelagic state, the defense of the actions sovereignty and the protection of its environment and natural resources can be carried out only to the extent that it assorts it rights over the maritime territory and gets others to respect those rights.


6.)The country's economic policy will continue to be friendly to both domestic and foreign direct investments

7.)The Philippine can benefit most quickly from international tourism.

8.).)Overseas filipinos will continue to be recognized for their critical role in the country's economic and social stability.

3. Tourism, International Organization is important so that we can reach out to other countries and IO are important actors in the globalizaed world today.

4. ASEAN functions more effectively, an also building a network of trading.

The Philippine History, Institutions and Decision Making Processes in Foreign Policy

We discusseed about Philippine history and I noticed that there is more to know about our country because I am shocked about the information that was said, but I realized that our country has developed in several ways after the Rise of 19th century Nationalism that entered the global trade in export agricultural economy like tobaccos, the rise of liberalism in Europe. After the 19th century Southeast Asia, government tried to centralize bureaucracy and I think that was the time I heard it, after that the First Phase of Revolution entered, Bonifacio eclipsed Aguinaldo's rise of the local elites or principalia, the changes in the character or the Revolution from urban to rural and also the death of Bonifacio - revolution falters. After the Revolution, the American entry to the Phil., there are 2 faces of American imperialism it is a colonized past but at the same time the irresistible temptation for hegemony.

Actually it took me 2 hours to think on what I should type here. All I can say about our discussion is that Philippines history is really really long but when Ms. Dela Cruz shared her story about her friend it keeps me awake, it really helps and also helps me to keep in mind of the things that what my professor discussed in our last meeting. After the session, I realized that I know more about other country than Philippines.

One World, Rival theories and One World-Many Theories

The lecture that was discussed last Monday is about theories that describe world politics, even before; I have the background in understanding these theories. But in terms of IR, it's different and hard to understand. But when my professor and my classmates discussed and shared their knowledge about this topic, it helped me gain new ideas about it.


The three main things that I learned from in this session are...

Realism was dominant during the cold war. The importance of power in all states and what I heard is that this theory is an antidote to international institutions. The interest of this theory is survival of the state, and if all states are trying to be powerful there is a security dilemma. Liberalism is an economic interdependence between states and spread of diplomacy. The last is the Constructivism theory is changing norms of sovereignty, human rights, and ideas in politics. While discussing, I knew that every theory has disadvantages and advantages like liberalism; I thought that it is the best theory because of its advantages that was read and was discussed in the class. The new words that surprised me were the difference between Truth and truth that was actually giving me a headache like the difference between the State and state.


Learn...

In our first session in which we discussed those theories and other factors and after understanding this different kind of topics, I know that this will help me in the future because it will help not just for this subject and our future subjects but also in our everyday lives. Before getting this PHIFOCY subject, these three theories are always discussed by our past professors because they already taught us the basic knowledge about IR. The issues caught my interest, and what I would like to study in more detail is about the conflict between North Korea and South Korea. What I liked most about the session was our Professor really explains the subject matter so that we can actually understand what issue will be discussed.


EXPECTATIONS...

"Philippine Foreign Policy"

I thought this subject was very difficult because I have to read a lot. But when our first session ended I think that I can follow and learn more because we did new activities like forming a big circle and sharing my thoughts and opinions to my classmates, creating blogs and making notes. Even if I don't have the guts to explain in front of people because I am a person who really doesn't talk much and I can't explain what i really know while people are looking and listening to me, but I can write what I feel. I expect that this subject will help us with our subjects for this term, and for our professors to guide us. Thank you ^_^