Secretary Teodoro takes aim at China
Analysis and Opinion
By Joe America
Secretary Teodoro took the Philippine transparency strategy in dealing with China’s aggressions to a whole new level when he called out Chinas military as propagandists and labeled China as untrustworthy at the recent Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. Most Filipinos have seen the video or know of his statements. Here’s a link if you’ve not seen the remarks.
This direct confrontation, not really hostile, just factual and passionate, represents a brand of diplomatic courage seldom seen among democratic leaders who seem generally afraid to speak honestly. I don’t know why that is.
Secretary Teodoro matched President Aquino’s arbitration win with direct-speak.
He has single-handedly given the Philippines credibility on the world stage. A man who will not be bullied speaking for a nation that is being bullied.
The Philippines will very likely again roll over to China if Sara Duterte becomes President. It isn’t a matter of State. It is a matter of protecting Duterte’s line to crony partners in China. Echos of Pharmally, and SinoVac.
Teodoro heads the Philippine military. He is well armed thanks to Philippine interests merging with those of the United States. He is representing the whole package when he speaks. He has the platform other ASEAN states do not have.
I hope he knows he needs to help shape the 2028 election if his words are not to ring hollow. As in wasted.
I hope President Marcos knows the same is true for him.
_________________________
Cover Photo from ABS-CBN News article “Philippines causing trouble? ‘Only China believes in what they are saying’ – Teodoro”
The Society of Honor by Joe America 
There is much to learn from a country under assault which threatens erasure of that country’s culture. We have seen Ukraine, which does not have a navy, defeat the Russian Black Sea Fleet with remote controlled sea drones of indigenous design. Earlier this week, Ukraine took out by some estimates over a third of the Russian Air Force’s strategic bombers with a Trojan Horse-style operation using FPV drones, a $7 billion hit reducing the Russian Air Force from the world’s 2nd largest strategic bomber force to the 3rd largest within hours.
https://www.twz.com/air/firm-evidence-of-russian-aircraft-losses-after-ukrainian-drone-strikes
“Speak softly and carry a large stick — you will go far,” Teddy Roosevelt once quipped, later adding “if you simply speak softly the other man will bully you. If you leave your stick at home you will find the other man did not. If you carry the stick only and forget to speak softly in nine cases out of ten, the other man will have a bigger stick.”
Western nations have military observers on the ground in Ukraine collecting data on new tactics for the Future War which is occurring right now. Taiwan is eagerly collaborating with Ukraine in areas of technology to modify Taiwan’s Porcupine defense doctrine for the looming PRC invasion threat.
Certainly there is a lesson here to learn from Ukraine on resourcefulness, grit, humility, and most of all, quiet resolve. The special forces drone raid against the Russian air bases apparently was 18 months in the planning. To me this approach seems more effective than some sentiments that engage in chest beating, loud boasting, or even claiming to have capability one does not have — ultimately revealing one self to have a small stick, or none at all.
Totally agree. Sec. Teodoro should visit Ukraine. Marcos and Zelenskyy met last year. Buy drones there. Get ideas.
https://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/u-manili-prezident-ukrayini-vpershe-zustrivsya-z-prezidentom-91329
In the mean time.
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/948060/teodoro-holds-bilateral-talks-with-japan-ukraine-netherlands/story/
Ah, terrific. Thanks for the update.
Highly encouraging. “A Ukrainian defense attaché will be assigned to Manila to develop bilateral defense ties, according to Kozenko.”
The Philippines should recall the illustrious light infantry pedigree of the PA and PMC (Philippine Scouts) and the courage of the Philippine Resistance. It is a pedigree worthy of honor and respect. One should remember his strengths instead of trying to cover up his insecurities.
Scout rangers is a PA unit. PMC is the Marines
Yes you’re right Karl. However I was referring to the Commonwealth to WWII illustrious pedigree of the PA inherited. With PMC, perhaps we can say that the amphibious light infantry element also descended through the PA and the Scouts before them (IIRC, the first PMC units were transferred from the PA by Quirino but under the command of a Navy LCDR whose name slips my mind.)
My point is that Filipinos have done great things of courage before, which should be a guiding stone to inspire the Philippines today in a new dangerous era, rather than the showmanship of unattainable “big toys” that some espouse for.
Sonny’s relatives were pre WW2 during and post WW2 officers.
paging Uncle @Sonny
I heard your page, Neph. Will try to gather pertinent info. Most if not all of the principals (primary sources) have passed on. An older cousin is still alive but living in PH. He is a retired PN ship capt. NB: So glad you’re carrying your dad’s torch so well.
Thanks of the note bene
Welcome, Neph.
On another connected subject: How can I track back to my post on the subject of ‘preparing the Commonwealth PA’ under Pres Quezon. (can’t remember whether it’s on TSOH or Irineo’s old blog). Thanks in advance.
https://web.archive.org/web/20160812102048/http://filipinogerman.blogsport.eu/the-commonwealth-army-part-i-beginnings/
@Sonny Unc do you have the energy to rewrite this for the TSOH?
The part 2 never materialized
Irineo, was there ever a part 2?
@Karl, re: rework Commonwealth PA article
Will do when/if I find my sources. Thanks.
This is very good.
BTW, glad you reactivated FB
I still read some Gibo haters
Yes, they don’t like that he was willing to be Sara’s VP, for one thing. I view it as a political expediency that fell flat, minor vs his current work.
I respect and trust your judgement
Joey: “Camp Pendleton and Oceanside are a short drive from here. I know quite a few opinionated retired E-3s.”
This is very accurate. it is called the Lance Corporal Underground.
it is called the E-4 Mafia in the Army. but the connotation for the Army (and other branches i guess), is more bureaucratic in nature. whereas “opinionated” or vociferous is more what defines the Lance Corporal Underground on top of the network espoused.
They serve as thorn to the leadership.
Now if one leaves the Marine Corps at this level, it stands to reason you’ll leave it with said behaviour and or mannerisms intact. essentially you’re leaving at this high point. in between experience and zero responsibilities.
I’ll connect this to the China vs. Philippines blog, because it’s about — as Joey stated before– ‘You go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time.’
But let me go further into this, cuz its about the quality of the troops vis a vis war. how terminal Lances are made is usually three ways: you ‘re in an MOS that’s full thus no means to get promoted, you screw up along the way, or you get demoted from higher ranks.
At heart of this reality is you have experience meaning at least 3 to 4 years in. which in Marine Corps time you can fit 2 to 3 deployments in that period. After your first deployment you pretty much know how things work.
Now couple that experience with no responsibilities and you have Marines full of opinions and energy. Which i would argue is healthy. I’m pretty sure Chinese troops don’t get to have opinions much less any semblance of autonomy.
So right now going to war if godforbids war is to happen, we will have the quality. CMC General Berger set out a new doctrine to focus more on drones and missiles, and created new formations to accommodate said weapons; new CMC Gen. Smith is more about training individual Marines and promoting the right ones.
Not since CMC Gen. Al Gray has there been a CMC so focused on the LCPL thus leveraging the energies contained in the Lance Corporal Underground. i sent that blog i wrote about CAP Marines in EABO Philippines to the CMC’s office and i got a thank you but nothing more.
Opinions are like aholes everybody ‘s got one, but not everybody shares them cuz of fear or shame or lack of confidence, eg. you don’t know what you’re talking about!!! i know more than you. LCPLs give them freely, that imho is a resource.
Now to China. there will be blood bath if war happens, cuz although we’ll have the quality, we won’t have the quantity. so it’ll be like WWII all over again, where we’ll need to build up then win. meaning a lot of Marines doing EABO will die. along with Filipinos.
or we’ll all just go straight for nukes, thus not necessitating war at all. boom everyone dies!
All this China stuff revolves around one dude. Opinion: Qian Xuesen (Chinese: 钱学森; December 11, 1911 – October 31, 2009)
According to Anne Jacobsen’s book titled the Phenomenon, this dude was booted out back to China from the US, after having worked in the Manhattan project, Project paperclip and the founding of JPL/NASA.
So when he got to China, he helped Chairman Mao first stand up its rocket program, then its nuke programs, but weirdly his third act was to stand up China’s psionic program.
If you watch Cappy Army on youtube he’s got a video on China building some sort of underground city outside of Beijing, but it s just recently been built, like they just came up with the idea after having learnt something big. but the interpretation of this built up is that they are going to war with Taiwan.
But I think its more about Xuesen’s 3rd psionic program, and i would love to delve into this possibility more. Because the Philippines can play a bigger role here. <<<<< (see what I did there, Joe?!!)
Let me try to decipher this post. I always loved driving through Pendleton going to places south, zoos, tequila, whatever, and once saw tanks rumbling down the dirt trails, the beautiful Pacific as backdrop. The nuclear facility at San Onofre was similarly manly and impressive.
1. E-3s, or Lance Corporals, are a pain in the ass and, upon leaving service as such, remain so as they are at the top of their game but have no skin in it.
2. Current Marine leadership is leveraging drones and E-3s.
3. War with China will be bloody because China is getting ready and the US is not. They have rockets.
4. Xuesen’s 3rd psionic program is worth knowing about.
Just clarification on number 3 , Joe, its quality vs. quantity. We have quality in troops as evidenced by vociferous nature of its lower enlisted ranks, evidence of passion, they will be lethal. no doubt. but against China’s numbers, theres just no chance. and they’ve done war games upon war games on this, they all end up in a Wake island situation wherein they get overrun.
Ah, important clarification.
“Vocal critic retired Lt. Gen. Paul Van Riper, former commander of Marine Corps Combat Development Command, argues that the move to littoral regiments requires too many tradeoffs and sacrifices combined arms maneuverability.
Van Riper questions whether Marine littoral regiment units will be able to get into place before conflict begins and whether they’ll be able to hide from an adversary’s detection if they do.
“The (stand in force) concept assumes the Chinese will not be aware of their locations prior to a war starting, which is a stretch with the electronic and physical signatures these units will emit,” Van Riper said.”
https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2024/05/13/in-chinas-backyard-the-new-marine-regiments-changing-the-fight/
=====
I like Gen. Van Riper’s critiques, above is one of ’em.
That makes sense, for sure. Here’s an idea. Become our military expert, but for Philippine units. Gain an understanding of who the top generals are, what they are engaged in, and sharpshoot their strategies and decisions. Focus on top generals in AFP, PNP, and Coast Guard. For example, the recently appointed top general in PNP is the official who served the ICC arrest warrant on Duterte. Don’t get waylaid by Sara political bias but use the Constitutional mandates as your guidepost. Who runs AFP? They any good? What gear are they buying, ships, guns, missiles. Does it make sense as an integrated strategy or are they just winging it. I’d ask Karl to do this but he has too many acquaintances in the ranks. Coast Guard is growing. Are they properly directed in leadership and gear?
oooohhh… that’s a good assignment, Joe. maybe karl can point me to some open source names or programs offline (gmail) and i’ll do the heavy lifting from there? and connect the dots.
was always wondering why this dude had to go to DC if he was just testing gear.
(p.s.— am already watching Chief Torre on Heyderian’s podcast. they’re like besties, am pretty sure that’s not a good look.)
Start with wiki
Have begun my research on Chief Torre. this 911 in 3 minutes stuff seems complex. over here 911 works cuz land lines still prevalent. location gets recorded via land line, police still show up even if theres a hang up (assumption is that’s theres emergency). 911 via cell phone gets handled by the state (i think under CHP here) which means you gotta explain where you are or if in motion. then finding your location. cuz over here with GPS or map (familiarity of streets) you can find out cross streets. cross streets will be difficult in the Philippines i think. especially Manila. we’ll see , looks good on paper though.
Well, I’d prefer you not pepper us with details that are one-off to the main story which is leadership, strategy, and progress under the strategy and leadership. Or place the details with other points that give a more comprehensive picture. I tend to think that all decisions have a context that gives them a correctness to the decision-maker.
It looks like the high value arrests is where we’ll understand Chief Torre, Joe. I saw how he handled that whole St. Lukes to Veterans hospitals transfer re VP Sara live ,
and then caught that DU30 arrest in news.
he’s really smart. check mate, and then he’s nice about it and gives them all the time in the world to collect themselves and save face. very calculating.
That’s an excellent quick brief and confirms my quick early view that it is a “courageous and right-minded” appointment by President Marcos who, with it, has cut between himself and Duterte at a constitutional, patriotic, line. These kinds of things put me at odds with those damaged by Marcos Senior who cannot see the good decisions made by the son, and couch them in manipulative terms rather than saying, “y’know, that’s a really good appointment.” Like Teodoro was, in my observation.
I do indeed watch Cappy’s videos from time to time. I was being sarcastic about terminal lances though. I’ve met some humble lance corporals over the years, but I can’t say that the others really knew the meaning of humility.
I’d rather not get into conspiracy theories. Conspiracy theories have zero value.
I’ve never met a humble senior and or terminal LCpl (especially with at least 1 deployment). If he’s (or she’s) being quiet, it just means they’re conserving energy, Joey. the culture just breeds it into you , which is a good thing.
don’t be too quick to judge re conspiracy theories, Joey. this is related to the above. remember: rockets; nukes; psionics. Matthew Brown is a whistleblower. also relevant to China v. USA (Philippines). and Catholicism, cuz that’s angel stuff he’s hinting at there.
That is a long-winded, arrogant ad hominem that seems to propose that there are alien craft encircling the globe without being so kind as to detail their means of propulsion or to introduce us to the operators. Complete brain-rotting and cruel nonsense, vis a vis knowledge, at the core. Kindly don’t fill TSOH discussion space with pictures that are really loopy and nonsensical to we simple readers.
Put another way, use your words.
And make them relevant to the Philippines.
You got me at “angels” lol.
Matthew Brown is a kook.
The oft cited Chempo, or Chemrock, went down this path, bringing in ideas attached to sources that were patently kooky. I worry about the mental state of those who find the titillation of controversy, flying in in the face of knowledge, to be so “real”. Half the US is detached from reality, by my count. Can LCX pull himself out of the rabbit hole, I wonder.
A common condition of too many men approaching middle age when they forget the actual accomplishments they achieved in life, instead choosing to stew in resentment of unfulfilled youthful idealism. The only cure is rebuilding neglected relationships broken by fraying reality. But that is a hard thing to do.
Indeed. Well, sanity is a variable, so there are no rules to be imposed. But if we look at outcomes, clearly thinking is broadly damaged. I’ve only recently started identifying all the manipulative ideas coming across the internet couched as honest works. Well, maybe it is God punishing me for having been a marketing exec that these deceits arrive like a huge swarm of African killer bees. Which reminds me, whatever happened to the swarms that were coming into the US from the south?
Resentment is easily radicalized — the sufferer may not even know they are affected by aside from “a gut feeling.” But resentment, being a base emotion, is has an ambivalence that may be harnessed towards either the good or the bad. A torrential resentment may cause wonton societal destruction when that resentment overflows, or hard effort can be expended to channelize resentment into more positive outcomes.
In some ways the common crisis the West/Western-adjacent world is facing is that liberals frozen by hesitation have forgotten how to channel people’s resentment into change, while progressives have been infected by mindless rage from the far left inhibiting their natural voice for progress. In the absence of guidance from viable leaders and left to their own devices a resentful people may turn to conspiratorial fantasy, invariably falling back on humanity’s authoritarian base predilections. Without trust in the a shared truth, society cannot function.
Re killer bees: By the mid-1990s Africanized bees had hybridized with feral and domestic European bees, becoming more gentle. The coastal wetlands are a few minutes walk from my house and many feral hives are within wetlands reserve. One annoying trait of the hybridized bees is they split hives and swarm much more often. A few months ago I ripped out the stucco on the side of my house and nuked a big hive that had somehow gotten in between the wall space. I wore a standard bee suit and did fine despite their attempts to sting me en masse. Now we have an issue with Asian Murder Hornets, as big as a .50 cal round with a sting that has been described feeling like being stabbed with a glowing hot knife, which came on shipping containers from China.
A) Brilliant description of progressive/liberal woes. B) Holy shit!
isnt it grand! recently china’s two scientists have been caught trying to bring bioweapon to estados unidos, apparently two types of very deadly fungi to infect and hopefully kill america’s agricultural plants, bringing estados unidos closer to the brink of starvation. trump should include china on his list of prohibited countries whose citizens are banned from entering estados unidos.
In today’s disinformation climate where responsible journalism in corporate news has given way to sensationalism, I think it’s important to broaden the picture of what else might be the cause of certain “news.” Trump has a history of seeding headlines to give so-called journalists something shiny to chase when he is under threat. When this “killer fungus” was publicized, Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” was under heavy attack even by MAGA. So Trump who has a feral sense of media savvy redirected.
https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/experts-doubt-fbis-claim-that-crop-fungus-smuggled-by-chinese-students-is-threat-2025-06-06/
This reminds me of a note I saw in my earlier reads today, I don’t recall where, that said two important things. The problem in democracies is global. The problem is a failure to adapt democracy to new information flows. My view: Trump thrives because he intuitively soars on the titillations and neediness of the poorly informed, or people who are poor at processing dirty data. Cruelty has become mainstream. It’s like people need it to feel whole. Scary.
I attended the anti-ICE protest in LA today, which went off the rails due to federal escalation. Now the CA NG has been activated against Newsom and LA. Fun times to be an Angeleno. Will be protesting again tomorrow. Feels like the boiling point is fast approaching.
Terrific. Wish I were there.
I’m keeping me fingers crossed. trump kasi might declare martial law on city of angels, now fast appearing to be like the city of devils.
Just got back from sentro LA protesting. The media is not reporting the true story on the ground, which is the protests are mostly peaceful. However the federal government were trying to manufacture provocations by randomly shooting rubber bullets at people quite far away. The national guard were professional and stood passively on guard. Trump can’t order martial law legally.
I saw some stuff on social media about a hotline for armed service members who did not want to violate the Constitution and was amazed at comments saying that what Trump is doing was not what their oath was about.
The contrast to Filipinos who often seem to believe in nothing not even the Bible verses they often quote or the Constitution is jarring. And I don’t believe it is due to half-understood English such as “forthwith”, iykyk, it is just about being full of BS.
I truly believe that US military members whether active, guard or reserve, are honorable people. After all, they volunteered into serving the country and community.
My worry is that hotheaded lower rank enlisted, who may not yet absorb fully the service ethos of obeisance to the Constitution, may make a huge mistake. There is a reason why most military servicemen do not continue on after the rank of E-3 (the last “automatic” promotion before serious requirements are expected). Also, Joe was probably the only one who understood my sarcasm regarding the E-3 comment 🙂
I am quite concerned about the commissioned and non-comissioned officers. Unlike the enlisted, who take an oath to Constitution AND to obey the orders of the president, officers only take an oath to the Constitution. This is why one of Trump’s first moves was to gut the JAG (military lawyers and military judges) who are the final say within a unit on what is or is not a lawful order. There has been many discussions by retired officers (and active duty officers) about their fear of being put into a position where they will be the final line of defense of the American Republic if the courts fail and federalization starts to break down. I do not envy their position and the heavy weight of duty to the Constitution on their shoulders. If unlawfully used military spiraled out of control, it would be up to the officers (commissioned and non-commissioned) and the sergeants in each unit to put a stop to things on an individual basis — risking being sacked and court martialed if not done in unison across the bulk of units.
On corporate media it might seem like the US is burning down right now and that Trump has all the power. The reality is the city of Los Angeles, which is *twice* the size of the entire Metro Manila, was largely peaceful yesterday and today. One can pass through 95%+ of the city without even knowing there was a protest happening as it was in a small part of Downtown. Of course people in “blue” states and “blue” congressional districts are going to protest, but shockingly there are protests in supermajority White districts all over the country that Trump won by large margins 3 times in a row. The corporate media just doesn’t show those videos and those stories as it doesn’t drive controversy and make them money. It has been observed that Trump controls a MAGA core of about 33% of voters, but this also means that the other 15-16% of the voters he needed to win are not true believers. When even some MAGA voters are starting to question Trump, it would seem the non-hardcore Trump voters who voted on “economics” questioned well before that. Trump has also lost 96% of all cases against his abuse of power since he took office in January 2025.
https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/trump-lower-court-streak-legal-losses/
The corporate media are the ones helping Trump spread lies because it brings them profits. It was another reason why the corporate media constantly played negative hits on Biden (who did not give them clickbait headlines to make money off of) while suppressing Trump’s many corrupt dealings to keep “media access” so they can make money off of the scandalous theatrics of Trump. A lot of veteran reporters have been fired as American media moved rightward in the last 10 years — Jim Acosta and Don Lemon are the two major ones of note. Thankfully new media is rising fast, and finally giving attention to the real news, while also starting to combat the proliferation of fake news on conspiracy channels which echo off of each other by speaking directly to citizens.
I will take your word for it Joey. The forrest fires before, I got the shock and awe news and you were there to report that it is bad but not that bad I am not saying you downplayed it, but that was how I felt until sitting back and thinking
One must remember that Trump, while being an imbecile, was quite media savvy back when he was young. That’s how he got people to believe that he was a billionaire when he wasn’t (he wasn’t solidly a billionaire until he engaged in corruption the first time around). Now that he’s older and has signs of cognitive decline, he is still media savvy in a feral manner. It shows because the corporate “cable news” is wrapped around his finger and chase his shiny objects. The cable news channels (CNN, MSNBC) have become more right wing even though they wrap themselves in a liberal cloak. Fox News has always been a propaganda outlet. The three national broadcast news services (ABC, CBS, NBC) used to set the national truth and are now weakened by trying to chase the cable news channels.
So yes, while the LA fires were terrible, wildfires occur in the hills and mountains, sometimes jumping into the bedside communities adjacent to mountains and canyons. It’s a fact of life in the US Southwest that every citizen of Southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico are aware of. Also true that firefighters focused on saving lives, which is their primary job, rather than saving property, something that was used by Trump to attack Biden. Cable news obliged in spreading propaganda for profit to undermine Biden. Actually the worst of the fires happened after Trump took office, and while I can see the plumes of smoke rising from the mountains on my drive to work on the 405 Freeway, suddenly no news channels were covering the wildfires anymore after Trump took office. Even now, the news channels prefer to attack Biden, who is no longer president, rather than scrutinize Trump.
The US red states love to dunk on blue states. Their biggest boogeyman is California, yet California’s taxes provide welfare and aid to the red states which are very poor due to mismanagement by their leaders. Those hardcore believers believe lies that California is a “shithole communist” state even despite the fact that California is the 4th largest economy in the world (so we are doing capitalism correctly, it seems). And of course, the world loves to dunk on the US.
Actually, it’s quite terrible. The Western democracies are set up under a system of cascading trust that depends on leaders being more or less truthful, that news media will report accurate news without bias, and that schools will teach students in K-12 and college how to analyze information objectively. That entire system has been broken down by social media and we are living in a peer to peer world where the town crazy man who used to be regulated to yelling at random strangers at a public park is now able to build a massive following on YouTube and Twitter. Then multiple those crazy people by the millions, adding in the ability for them to collaborate their insane beliefs. The world has not adjusted, and I think most educated people hope things will just go back to how things were. It’s going to take all of us working together to move back towards truth and honesty.
China’s extensive network of underground facilities, such as the Beijing Underground City and Project 131, reflects a broader global trend where nations have developed subterranean complexes for military command, continuity of government, and civil defense. These facilities, often shrouded in secrecy, are designed to withstand various threats, including nuclear attacks, and ensure the resilience of national operations during crises. —🏯 China’s Underground Installations
1. Beijing Underground City (Dìxià Chéng)Purpose: Constructed in the 1970s amid Sino-Soviet tensions, this vast network spans approximately 85 square kilometers beneath Beijing.Features: Designed to shelter up to 300,000 people, it includes living quarters, hospitals, schools, and even theaters.Current Status: While parts were opened to tourists in the early 2000s, much of the complex remains closed or repurposed.
2. Project 131Location: Xianning, Hubei Province.History: Initiated in 1969 as a military command headquarters in case of nuclear war.Structure: Comprises tunnels with meeting rooms, communication centers, and offices for top commanders.Outcome: Never completed or used; now serves as a tourist attraction .
3. Beijing Military CityDevelopment: A massive military command center under construction outside Beijing, covering 1,500 acres.Design: Includes deep underground bunkers intended to protect military leaders during conflicts, including nuclear war.Significance: Aims to be ten times larger than the Pentagon, reflecting China’s efforts to enhance its milit
ary capabilities
.—🌍 Global Counterparts
🇷🇺 Russia
1. Kosvinsky KamenLocation: Ural Mountains.Function: Houses a command post bunker designed to resist earth-penetrating weapons.Role: Believed to be part of Russia’s nuclear command and control system .
2. Metro-2Description: An alleged secret underground metro system in Moscow connecting key government and military facilities.Purpose: Intended for emergency evacuation and secure transportation of officials .🇺🇸 United States
1. Cheyenne Mountain ComplexLocation: Colorado Springs, Colorado.Established: 1960s during the Cold War.Features: Built under 2,500 feet of granite, designed to withstand nuclear and electromagnetic attacks.Current Use: Functions as a backup command center for NORAD and other military operations .
2. Raven Rock Mountain Complex (Site R)Location: Pennsylvania.Purpose: Serves as an alternative command center for the Pentagon in case of a national emergency.Capabilities: Equipped with extensive tunnels, blast doors, and communication systems
.3. Mount Weather Emergency Operations CenterLocation: Virginia.Function: Acts as a FEMA facility for emergency management and continuity of government operations .—🧭 Comparative OverviewFacility Country Primary Purpose Notable FeaturesBeijing Underground City China Civil defense during Cold War Extensive network beneath BeijingProject 131 China Military command in nuclear scenarios Tunnels with command officesBeijing Military City China Modern military command center Massive scale, deep underground bunkersKosvinsky Kamen Russia Nuclear command post Resistant to earth-penetrating weaponsMetro-2 Russia Emergency evacuation and transport Alleged secret metro systemCheyenne Mountain Complex USA NORAD operations and backup command Built under granite, EMP-resistantRaven Rock Mountain Complex USA Alternative Pentagon command center Extensive tunnels and communication systemsMount Weather Operations Center USA FEMA emergency management Continuity of government facility—These underground facilities underscore the strategic importance nations place on ensuring command continuity and civilian protection during potential crises. While some, like China’s Project 131, have transitioned to historical sites, others remain active components of national defense infrastructures. If you’re interested in exploring more about these facilities or their roles in contemporary security strategies, feel free to ask!
For PH
I heard of Taiwan evacuation plans for OFWs and perhaps most of the places there are pinoys, but evacuate to here must also have some grand plan.
We do not have project 131. Hoping I am wrong But we cannot even build a subway in a city or a METRO BECAUSE OF TROS. and ROWs
methink, defense sec teodoro has contingency plan using our military air and seacrafts for evac purposes. the problems is are our military personnel aboard those crafts be able to go out without being fired upon by china? we have back up though, the american 7th fleet currently is cruising the pacific, but will that be enough? south korea and japan will most probly be involved, their own people in taiwan also need evacuating. it is going to be massive operation, but if china does a blitzkrieg operation, isolate taiwan and secure its border beforehand, no outside forces can get in. we would have to rely on private planes and privately owned maritime vessels for they are the most likely able to get in and out of taiwan without much ado since they carry no government armed personnel and will not be militarily challenged.
we gave been successful in bringing home our ofws from war zones like in afghanistan and libya, here is no reason why we cannot accomplish the same feat in taiwan.
Yes there are evacuation plans but if there is war they must not just return to tent cities and public schools like any other natural disaster.
Weapons acquisition like missile defenses to.be borrowed from the US and purchased like Brahmos.
Kamikaze drones aws uavs. All on the plan.
We suck at continous implementation because of ningas cogon paralysing trait
I don’t believe the American allies in Asia are as afraid of the PRC as the NATO allies are of Russia. There is a 2,000 historical awareness of China’s propensity towards aggression and imperialism which might not be that obvious at face to a Western observer.
So The Philippines won’t have that problem of standing on her own. I’d much rather the Philippines focuses on upgrading her light infantry and mobility capabilities. Mobile fires that can be quickly moved will mesh cleanly with the former. Ukrainian innovations have much to learn from, which is why democratic nations are eagerly taking notes. As for heavier capabilities like heavy airlift or sealift, that’s what allies are for. The PRC does not have any reliable allies and do not have the capability to do a large amphibious assault.
What I find interesting is that, as the Philippines does more of the “standing alone”, the more respect and support she gains from other nations. The Marcos Government took the choice to use the US military as a part of a multi-dimensional outreach to other nations. The origin may have been Marcos trying to gain a better reputation, or investments, but the outcome has been that the Philippines is certainly more broadly respected and supported than previously. Even Aquino operated substantially alone. And we can certainly point to China as the impetus for the rise of Philippine influence.
Good gracious. You have synergized me into another blog article! lol
I think respect and support comes naturally to those who are willing to stand up for themselves. If that is Marcos Jr.’s legacy to the Philippines then it will be a good gift that starts to repair some of the damage from his father and mother.
in case of war, there is underground bunker in malakanyang. for civilians like me, we can always take shelter in underground carparks and in subterranean basements of public building, first come,1st served. people in mindanaw are in better position to shelter and hide underground for there are apparently tunnels already dug in, as the military found out during the marawi seige sa panahon ni digong, some of those tunnels are even in the mosques.
I’m going to start tunneling into the Biliran mountains uphill from my place and come out deep in some largely forgotten coconut forest. Problem is the dirt. I might have to start with a side tunnel to the river.
tunnels like in gaza, haha.
Exactly.
If a war between Taguig and Makati errupts, the Taguig people will go to a former makati refuge.
https://corregidor.proboards.com/thread/1305/tunnels-fort-2?page=3
eek, too claustrophobic! gets flooded when it rain and when there is high tide. I would need a snorkel and maybe an aqua lung.
pity the former taguig people, they are no longer residents of makati and may lose the privilege of being afforded the makati refuge. they should instead lusob to the cayetano residences, they may have basements there able to accommodate all residents of taguig.
Dictatorships are efficient. The laws of democracies turn into rats nests of inefficiency not unlike the telephone wires holding Manila together.
It turned spaghetti
The downside of a dictatorship’s efficiency carrying out the leader’s orders is that there is a dependency on the dictator always being correct. Once the dictator starts making bad decisions, the bad situation snowballs. No one is willing to contradict the leader. I’ll take an imperfect democracy that can be renewed through reform over an authoritarian system which always ends up becoming constraining.
Excellent point, thanks.
dictatorship, democracy, doesnot rally matter when people are feed up, there is resentment and there is opportunity for reset. leaders can be brought down, sooner or later. some are hanged in town squares, others sent to exile, others got bullet between the eyes. syria’s assad is hiding ignominiously in russia, idi amin gone into oblivion. our very own wannabe dictator marcos sr was also sent packing.
as well, there is an alleged emerging dictator in indonesia, democratically elected but leaning now to putin.
The rebels and revolutionaries. The heroes and the heels.
Authocracy or democracy there must be respect to authority and to citizens. This is also related to our screening dialogue.
I’ve taken the hard decision to ban LCX from commenting further as his tangential obsessions and argumentative bent do not contribute to the editorial direction of the blog. Rather, they distract and interfere.
This is kind of sad. LCpl may be my age, but he reminds me of my BIL who is 15 years my senior. The BIL started out as an informed and curious person who ran a successful business. As the years went by and the unresolved resentments in his life built up, he started being open to “simple answers” and “simple fixes,” which were provided by conspiracy theories. He is estranged from his wife, his children. My personal friendship with him was estranged for over 12 years, despite him and I knowing each other for nearly 4 decades. Yes, I know from psychologists and therapists that the best thing that can be done for those who have fallen this deep is patient engagement, but that’s a hard thing to do.
Age is a challenge, and life’s struggles, of which inertia or loss of the old grounding posts is a force we must deal with. I tend not to get concerned about people’s goings or comings here, as we each has a life to live. The thing that astounds me is how older people simply lose all flexibility as their own mental cave takes over. Every block here has been the same, an absolute inability of aging people to stick with very simple editorial guidelines in favor of personal eccentricies and passions. I throw my hands up. The topic is the Philippines. The manner is civil. How hard is that?
For some, evidently too hard, so they self-select themselves to go away.
It just feels a bit sad in a way since at first there were no problems between LCpl and I, even if we disagreed. The turning point was probably when he tried to create a fight between me and KB that did not exist as a proxy for his own feelings. I agree with KB on almost everything, though it is natural to have some respectful disagreements here and there.
Oh, it’s strictly me with editorial burdens that I wish to be relieved of. I know what the blog was and can be, and there is no need for me to be pushing boulders uphill every day.
Sysiphus.
Yes, exactly.
We tried lawfare with China we won the battle but even with choosing your battles and winning some of them there is a war going on. Warfare is no longer conventional we have more assymetric warfares to come. Square pegs in round holes and vice versa.
The Chinese are amongst us. Some are crime syndicates, some are soldiers, some are tourists and some are immigrants.
Pogos, kidnapping, spying….cold wars.
Old and new.
That’s true. Well, Chinese are regular people, motivated by the same things we are, money, patriotism, opportunity, fun, and lol sex. But there are more of them, so we should get used to their presence and figure out how to coexist. It’s no problem for me. But I do know there are Chinese racists as there are white ones so I’m wary. And somewhat introverted.
And there are Pinoy racists.
I have experienced anti-Chinese racism from Filipinos when I was in the Philippines, which usually flips 180 into deference once they find out I’m American. Weird.
Racism is fake news we carry around in our ignorant minds which are programmed for survival. And thus we operate like MAGAs. By we I mean most humans.
The best way to have more understanding and respect for different groups is to have more interaction. It’s also true that for you and I after interacting with respect and equality towards Filipinos who may have acted subservient at first, they can see that they too can be an equal to someone they thought would not give them the time of day.
Spot on.
we have reason to hate the chinese, they are arrogant, dirty and throw their rubbish anywhere and expect locals to clean after them, they also spit and expectorate everywhere like they dont know anything about hygiene. and they are also super stingy. want things for next to nothing, like fine dining then complain about the price of good food.
even the russians are starting to dislike the chinese tourists for nearly the same reason we filipinos feel about the chinese. russians can hardly make chinese tourists part with their yuan. chinese often go on group tours paid in advance with most yuan going back to china. and they rarely buy russian mementos. though they buy gadgets to sell back home apparently, to recoup their expenses.
Well I can say that I observed Filipinos having those same bad habits, maybe even worse, so it’s not a matter of someone’s ethnicity to have such bad habits. I was referring to me being treated with anti-Chinese sentiment as in anti-Chinoy sentiment though, as I think it’d be rare for most Filipinos to outright be discriminatory against a Mainlander just like they would adopt a deferential attitude towards a Japanese or Korean visitor.
Oh, indeed.
the chinese mainlanders are maybe among us, but they are screened. those found to be of bad characters and involved in criminal activities are jailed and then deported. maybe it is better to just deport them, jailing them cost money and our jails are already overcrowded. I can say the same with other nationalities: koreans, japanese, africans, americans, russians, etc, they are also deported if caught doing criminal activities.
foreigners who come in peace are welcomed specially if they bring in dollars , have money to support themselves and wont be financial burden to philippines government.
Yeah just a few months ago during the pogo issue ID thefts were rampant and false docs sold to the Chinese.
Maybe their windscreen has a big hole where lots of flies and mosquitoes can enter.
A story for a movie for the silver screen.
those windscreen holes are only going to get bigger, specially now that tourism sec frasco has echoed digong’s free visa for tourists and foreign investors to come, visit and invest in ‘love the philippines’. people started saying foreign criminals are already enjoying visa free stays and then disappearing into the populace. visa free aside, we really should tighten screening of people who come here for whatever purpose.
Locals know everything. What they don’t have is a place to go with information about new crooks in town that will keep their names out of it. PNP needs fewer stormtroopers and more undercover agents. I think they’re getting better at it.
there is trouble brewing in the silver screen with senator robin padilla trying to pass a law banning just about anything shown in the silver screen without strident classifications.
filipino movie makers yata want free hand to make movies as they see fit (movie director darryl yap take note, his contradictory film the rapists of pepsi paloma could not shown, sotto finds the film summat reprehensible) that what filipinos see in the privacy of their own private homes is their own business and should not be subject to classifications. that art should not be classified or restricted.
somehow methink senator padilla is probly in cahoot with senator elect sotto. since deep fakes are already causing trouble, people ought to be protected from viewing what is morally repugnant like maybe the presumption of truth that can be morally repugnant.
so, maybe, if senator padilla’s bill become law, the movie the rapists of pepsi paloma is going to be mothballed and can never be shown to both public and private viewers.
Not saying that film piracy and bootleging is correct, but pag pinigilan ang mga pasaway at ang mga tama na maprinsipyo at may pinaglalaban makalusot pa din.
I promised myself to limit my comments on Sotto because he runs after bloggers which my online aquaintance cocoy Dayao got in trouble. Another is Val Sotto lives in the same small community as I do andhe and his children are also aquaintances.
Having said that, what is said about him must not be ignored of course
I am a nobody with so many aquaintances.
More often that not some of my comments here gets the attention from places I never expected or some expected but pasaway like in the Trillanes article were LCX said many things and I tried to go down the rabbit hole and play matrix with him.
Some military and defense comments also reached the concern of some retired officers. What do I do?tell them I have freedom of speech?
Dance lightly across the battlefield, avoiding mines, ducking bazooka shells. Use lots of asterisks, caveats, and clarifiers. My favorites are “I’m guessing” and “it seems to me” and the rather boring “apparently”. Avoid being definitive. Be wiggly. That seems to be the safest approach. heh heh
Another very good and wise advice! I should heed
same here, I will be less of a heckler. I am already called charlatan, other times a village idiot. and sometimes I got a lucky pass as no one takes me seriously.
It is because of loopy Sotto that all my blogs start with “Analysis and Opinion” so that even the dimwitted such as he and Poe will know it is not “news” but is constitutionally protected opinion.
I doubt he’ll get his bill passed.
there is not much resistance to padilla’s bill. worded so incongruously and so abstractly, it’s hard to get to the bottom line specially for misty eyed people who cannot land an abstract. I did too, unable to land the abstract of it, but the cyber gods alerted me and if I am happy with it, to go with the flow. I dissented on 2nd thought. once we give away our right to decide what to watch, that’s it. gone.
I read items related to Aging, Respect, Relationships from the posts of Joey, Joeam and Karl.
As a Senior at 87, here is an acronym I use in my daily living I want to share with you folks and others in TSOH.
NEWSER — yes, there is such a word; it is informal for news conference. I give meaning to the letters as follows.
By the way NEWSER, while helping us Seniors on our physical health, also keeps at bay rapid cognitive decline. All of us oldies will have cognitive decline but hopefully not as rapids as to lead to dementia.
Have a nice day folks!
THE VIRTUE OF BEING IN OR ABOUT THE CENTER
In a graduation speech, Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose son died after being taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, said at Yeshiva University that
“the salty, tasty extreme is comforting, it’s fun, and sometimes it even feels righteous,” but that staying in the center “is what keeps us all agile and questioning, seeking and thinking.”
You outlived my dad NH and that is very good. Popoy also showed up once but quickly vanished.
Karl, I was going to answer your question in the other blog, I am answering it here: I am still here in Ontario, Canada. My wife and I got Permanent Residency status a year after we came, I am still a Philippine citizen and still have my little townhouse in Merville, Paranaque.
I wish to express my condolence to you and your family on the passing of your Dad. My dear wife of 56 years passed away late last year; she was 85.
P.S. I will not vanish from TSOH. I will drop a line from time to time.
Condolences too. So sorry to hear about your wife. Please drop by more often.
Ah my, condolences, NH. Thank you for the update.
Condolences.
Good to know that my snowman theory about you was wrong though.
Thanks, fellows.
Excellent standards. Equanimity is a goal, the centering or neutrality of emotional being, avoiding the extremes that you mention in your other post. As it is emotions, what we humans are skilled at with our poetry and warmaking, it can only be a goal. But it is a good one. Takes practice.