By Francis Anthony T. Valentin,
Special Features Writer

THE WEST PHILIPPINE Sea, or South China Sea, is a major trade route, a source of potentially massive oil resources and a home to abundant marine life. It is also the site of the ongoing multiple island and maritime disputes involving China, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The latter four are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

ASK TAXI DRIVERS and they will unload a litany of complaints on how Uber or Grab (or both) have been competing unfairly, no thanks to a government that has supposedly abandoned their lot.

By Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr.

ON OCCASION, a fraternity gets big enough such that its members begin to establish cliques of their own, causing disunity in the organization. This, in turn, prompts the officers to initiate a “rumble” with another fraternity. As a result, cliques are set aside and the frat moves as one in protecting their brods or beating up members of the other fraternity. This same logic may apply to China.

By Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr.

CAPITAL AND INVESTMENTS are like water — they go where they are welcome and accommodated. Small water tributaries merge with others to become a big river, a lake, or drain into the seas. In the same way, capital congregates in areas where they are protected and allowed entry and exit with the minimum restrictions and prohibitions.