By: Artchil B. Fernandez
“WALA, talo tayo, walang laban. Sa China na lang tayo magpusta,” Du30 told Filipinos as the national men’s basketball team, Gilas Pilipinas, participates in FIBA World Cup in China with a game against Italy on August 31, 2019.
“We will lose sa Italy. Ang lalalaki kaya ng mga gagong ‘yan,” he added.
Even in sports, he is a defeatist. Conceding defeat even before the game starts, Du30 doused cold water on the high hopes of the nation of showcasing an impressive performance in the international tournament. It is worst to the players, who instead of getting an inspirational pep talk got instead words of discouragement from the leader of the land. With their president belittling their chances and not believing in their capability, it is indeed a big blow to their morale.
If defeat is inevitable, why join the competition? It is a waste of time, money and effort to participate if this is the mentality. The fact that the country qualified is an indicator that the players deserve to play at this level of competition. Du30 completely misses the whole point of joining the competition and cannot see the big picture beyond his narrow, myopic, coward and bully perspective.
Nothing is certain as to the outcome of the tournament. The ball is round. Upsets happen in games so why yield before the competition begins? Beyond winning, qualifying in this tournament will showcase the talent and skills Filipinos before a global audience. If our players do well in the tournament, it will be a huge boost to the international image of the country.
Instead of disparaging the chances of Gilas Pilipinas and ridicule their ability, Du30 should have boosted their spirit with fighting and inspiring words. But Du30 is a typical bully and behaves as such. Bullies appear brave because they usually choose to victimize the weak and those who cannot fight back. In the face of bigger and stronger opponents, bullies cower in fear and their cowardice is exposed.
Has Du30 ever heard of the story of David who was undaunted when he faced Goliath? The giant mocked the boy and called him a dog but he ended up beheaded by David. Gilas could be the David who will slay some Goliaths in the tournament. But Du30, a certified defeatist has none of the will power or strong drive which motivates the weak to conquer the strong. A coward does not have a fighting spirit and Du30 wanted to infect Gilas Pilipinas with his defeatist mentality. The team must reject Du30’s pessimistic and spineless attitude and instead show their grit and tenacity.
Adding insult to injury, Du30 suggested to Filipinos that instead of supporting the national team, they should bet on China. Why China of all countries participating in the FIBA tournament? This is the country that has stolen strategic parts of Philippine territory. It is the big bad bully whose naval militia run-over Filipino fishermen in Philippine territory and left them for dead. Asking Filipinos to cheer China is not only shoving a finger in the face of a nation but an act of treason. This is something Filipinos cannot and can never stomach – applauding an expansionist and imperialist power that is bent on colonizing the country.
The special preference for China among the countries in the tournament is not only an addition to the long list of evidence of Du30’s subservience to that thief but another proof that he is a puppet of the evil behemoth. Filipinos are upset by recent actions of the Du30 administration that are clearly designed to hand over the Philippines to China.
This week, Du30 reversed the seven-year-old policy of the Philippines of not stamping Philippine visas on Chinese passports that feature the nine-dash-line claiming the West Philippine Sea. The refusal is a gesture of rejection of the Philippines of the Chinese claim which was invalidated by the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague. Visas are stamped on a separate sheet of paper.
Again, Du30 is diluting the legal and moral victory of the country in the case it filed against China before the PCA. Du30 set aside the ruling and now he is silently weakening the legal and moral position of the Philippines, in effect, strengthening China’s illegal assertion. Isn’t this the handiwork of a puppet?
Security officials and the entire nation are also alarmed when it was made public that China will develop three strategic islands in the country. Military officials said the islands – Fuga in Cagayan province, and adjacent Grande and Chiquita in Subic Bay, Zambales province – are strategically important to the country’s national security.
Fuga Island is strategic according to navy officials for “it can potentially control access to Luzon Strait.” Chinese control of the island would allow it to have unrestricted access to the West Philippine Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Spain and the United States during colonial times used Grande and Chiquita islands for defense. Why would Du30 allow China to have control of these islands that are crucial to Philippine security?
China had already seized shoals and reefs that belong to the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea. Now, Du30 is giving the Chinese access to islands very near to Luzon mainland. Only a puppet of a foreign power will do this.
“I love China” spews the dirty and foul mouth of Du30. For him, China is the best. Fortunately, this sentiment is not shared by the vast majority of Filipinos. The Pulse Asia survey was done last June 24 – 30, 2019 reveals 74 percent of Filipinos do not trust China and it is the country least trusted by them. For Filipinos, China is the beast, the bad neighbor who uses its might to steal Philippine territory and bully the country notwithstanding Du30’s defeatist attitude and shameless puppetry.
