Spratly Island

A country is mainly composed of a government, population, sovereignty and a specific territory. The Spratly Island  which is located near Palawan, Philippines has long been in debate as to which country it belongs. It consists of 100 small islands or reefs. It is not a habitual region but more on a territorial marker. It was said the it has several oil and rich in fishing grounds. Countries such as China, Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia have all claimed this region. In my personal opinion, disregarding that I am a Filipino, the Spratly Island should belong to the Philippines and not China. This is because Spratly Island lies within 200 Mile Economic Zone according to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pg.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands

http://www.thephilippineisland.com/islands/spratly-islands-philippines.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands_dispute#The_Philippines

US-Iraq War: Green Zone

Green Zone, 2010, is a film about the US-Iraq war. It talks about the false information the US military was receiving disregards to the weapons of mass destruction. In my personal opinion, the approach of former President Bush Sr. on this war was more effective in gaining the support of the American people as compared to former President Bush Jr. who tightly controlled the information that was shown to the Americans. I think it was the right decision that President Obama pulled out the military forces from Iraq on October 2011. Since the war had already cost the United States an estimate of 3 trillion dollars which comes from the citizens’ money. After nearly nine years of war, finally, the government decided to stop it.

      I highly recommend the people who are interested about US-Iraq war to watch this movie. There are several realizations that can open our eyes to reality.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/21/us-iraq-usa-obama-idUSTRE79K4LR20111021

ASEAN: Asia's Perfect 10 Paradise

“One vision, One identity, One community”, this is ASEAN’s motto. Association of South East Asian Nations or popularly known as ASEAN is an organization that binds all southeast Asian countries to promote peace, cooperation and benefits from one another economically, culturally and socially. ASEAN countries often help one another’s countries’ citizens through benefits given by each country. There are several activities organized to provide assistance in different aspects and promotes interaction among the countries. There are 10 member states of ASEAN. These are the following:

1.    Brunei Darussalam

Brunei Darussalam is an oil rich sultanate that obtained independence in 1984. It offers tourists grand mosques, river journeys and virgin rainforests that cover 70% of country.

Jerudong Themepark

     Jame 'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque

2.   Cambodia

Cambodia is at the frontier of tourism. It has a rich culture dating back many centuries when the Angkor Civilitation was the region's most developed.

Angkor Tom

Royal Place/Silver Pagoda

Sihannoukville

3.   Indonesia

Indonesia is a vast and beautifully diverse country consisting of more than 17,000 islands, of which anly about 6,000 are inhabitated, stretching more than 5,000 kms between the Australia and Asia continental main island and dividing the Pacific and Indian Oceans on the Equator. Indonesia offers the blend of scenic beauty, flora and fun, culture and marine parks.

Island of Sumatra

Jakarta

4.   Lao PDR

Lao PDR is the only landlocked ASEAN nation as well as the least visited countries in the world. Being isolated for many years has meant that Lao PDR retains a remarkable serenity and timeless charm.

Laos people catching fish

5.   Malaysia

In the heart of Southeast Asia lies one of the world's most enchanting lands - Malaysia. A tropical paradise of immense charm, Malaysia is a veritable treasure trove of diverse cultures and hospitable people, exotic cuisine, fascinating festivals, quaint villages and modern skylines.

Taman Negara

Petrona's Twin Tower

6.   Myanmar

Myanmar, once called Burma, is one of ASEAN countries, sharing borders with Bangladesh, India, China, Laos and Thailand.  It has a 2832 km long coastline on the Indian Ocean and over 50% of its total land area covered with forest.

Alaungdaw Kapatha Park

       Bagan

7.   Philippines

The Philippines is a bejeweled archipelago with over 7,107 sun-drenched islands, beautiful beaches, towering volcanic peaks, varied flora and fauna, and magnificent landscapes. It is divided into three (3) geographical areas: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Banaue Rice Terraces

Mactan Island, Cebu

Gardens of Masalag Ecotourism Village

8.   Singapore

Unique is the word that best captures Singapore, a dynamic city rich in contrast and colour where you'll find a harmonious blend of culture, cuisine, arts and architecture.

Sentosa

Orchard Road

9.   Thailand

In its enduring traditions, Thailand embodies a quint-essential "Thainess' which indelibly colours the nation and gives the sense of an ancient land that is different. Yet, the Thais miraculously combine a sincere respect for the past with zest for the new and a joy in today's innovations.

Mu Ko Phi Phi (Krabi)

Reclining Buddha of Wat Pho, Bangkok

10. Viet Nam

While Viet Nam is known to many, it is only recently that it became accessible to tourist. The country covers a 2,000 kilometre long narrow strip along the South China Sea and includes riverine detals, cool upland mountains, untouched coastal stretches, thriving cities and the relaxed capital Hanoi.

      

 Hanoi

Cu Chi Tunnels

http://www.asean-tourism.com/aseancountries/vietnam.shtml

http://www.aseansec.org/18619.htm

Human Immunodeficiancy Virus (HIV)

The number of HIV cases in the Philippines is rapidly increasing. Despite the several seminars conducted around the country to make the people aware about the deadly virus, the number still continues to rise. 

What is HIV? Is it the same with AIDS? How does one know if he is affected by the virus? How can it be transmitted? Is there a cure?

First and foremost, people must be aware that HIV and AIDS are different. Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome is a disease you get when your immune system is damaged by specific means or virus. And one of the results of AIDS is HIV.

What are the sign and symptoms?

• rapid weight loss 
• dry cough 
• recurring fever or profuse night sweats 
• profound and unexplained fatigue 
• swollen lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck 
• diarrhea that lasts for more than a week 
• white spots or unusual blemishes on the tongue, in the mouth, or in the throat 
• pneumonia 
• red, brown, pink, or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids 
• memory loss, depression, and other neurological disorders

But take note, one may not know there he already acquired the disease and the only way to know is consult a doctor and take the HIV test.

There are several ways of transmitting the disease. But mainly, it is transmitted through body fluids in several specific ways. Usually, you can get this when you have sexual contact without condom or blood transfusion or sharing needles with person who has this disease. Sadly, those who are pregnant immediately transfer HIV to their infants. Moreover, breastfeeding is another way of transmitting it.

Sadly, there is still no cure of HIV. Although, there are already developed medicines to make the person healthier and make one’s life last longer. 

http://www.thebody.com/content/art2283.html

http://www.pamf.org/teen/sex/std/std/hivfacts.html

      

Red Cross

Red Cross

       Red Cross, an international organization, is basically an organization that helps people in times of crisis. In my opinion, it is one of the best organizations people have come up with. This is because they don’t look at someone’s race, religion and/or social status. They are a neutral party although yes, a cross can be found on their logo, it does not mean that they only support people who are Christians. I thought that it just needed to be mentioned since most people associate these two.

To find out more about this topic, you can visit the ff: websites!!!

http://www.redcross.org.ph/principles

http://www.icrc.org/eng/index.jsp

http://www.ifrc.org/