In the Philippines, some dream of the U.S. military glory days as nationalist feelings fade

Subic Bay, Philippines – Twenty years almost to the day after the Philippine government kicked out all American military forces from the country, one of the many manifestations of U.S. President Barack Obama’s celebrated pivot to Asia could be seen over the weekend in the presence of a giant U.S. Navy submarine tender at this former U.S. Navy base about 100 kilometres west of Manila.
Now that China is vigorously pursuing its claim to almost all of the South China Sea, the USS Emory Land and other American warships are calling regularly again in the Philippines. And the nationalist feelings that triggered the American military’s departure from this archipelago have largely been forgotten.
“We cannot fight China. America can. That’s why we need them,” was how 47-year-old Joe Garcia Jr., who sells souvenirs to U.S. sailors on the harbourfront, saw the situation. “The islands China says belong to them are much closer to us. That is why we like President Obama so much. He has recognized our problem and is trying to help us.”
Such sentiments are quite different than the ones expressed in the years before the U.S. pullout. Protests, some of them ugly, were an almost daily feature for years outside the U.S. embassy in Manila. I attended one of the last events at Subic Bay in 1992. Security was incredibly tight for a day that had as its centrepiece the spectacular, unexpected breach of U.S. Navy nuclear sub in the middle of the bay.
Although Filipino and regional fears of China are perhaps premature and somewhat exaggerated, there is something to them. The Chinese military has been on an unprecedented spending spree for years. The first fruits of that binge are now becoming evident. Beijing is to publicly unveil its first attack drone – the Wing Loong – at an air show in China on Tuesday. With its grey war paint, bulbous nose and underwing pods for surface-to-ground missiles, the unmanned Chinese aircraft looks a lot like the Reaper and its smaller brother, the Predator, which the United States has used to revolutionize air warfare in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen.
The Chinese will reportedly be showing off a mockup of their fifth generation stealth fighter, the J-31, at the same airshow. It looks like a bigger copy of the U.S. F-35 jet that Canada and many of its allies have bought or are considering buying. Both the Wing Loong and the J-31 will have an attack radius that easily puts the Philippines within their range.
Beijing further upped the stakes in the South China Sea last week by launching its first homebuilt deepwater drilling rig. Those activities, as well as the initial sea trials last month of China’s first aircraft carrier, are part of Beijing’s pursuit of an ambitious strategy that seems designed to control the western end of the Pacific Ocean.
Obama has responded to this and China’s dramatic economic boom by announcing plans to have 60 per cent of the U.S. fleet based in the Pacific, an increase of 10 per cent. To achieve that goal, a carrier battle group and several dozen other ships are being shifted from the Atlantic, naval and air bases are being beefed up in Guam, a rotating Marine Corps infantry battalion is being established in northern Australia and a naval logistics base is already operating in Singapore.
Canada is a Pacific nation, too, as Prime Minister Stephen Harper has recently become fond of reminding his countrymen. But his government’s only interest so far is in increasing trade with China. There has been no talk whatsoever of even a modest version of Obama’s military pivot towards Asia to guard Canada’s growing interests there. Unlike the U.S., which is raising its regional military posture while pushing for greater trade, the Royal Canadian Navy maintains a strong Atlantic focus, the Canadian army continues to have more troops in eastern and central Canada than in the West, and the Royal Canadian Air Force uses a base in Ontario as its global hub.
China has objected to Obama’s Asian pivot, which some regard as part of a larger policy to try to contain China, but it has received a warm welcome at Subic Bay, where there are dreams of the glory days when the U.S. military provided tens of thousands of jobs here and at a nearby airfield that had been used by the U.S. Air Force.
Gerry Calubhay, who creates personalized wall plaques for Americans sailors, wants more than port visits by warships. He and the other vendors clustered near where the Emory Land was docked want the U.S. military to fully reopen what for decades were its two largest bases overseas.
Subic Bay, Philippines – Gerry Calubhay, who creates personalized wall plaques for Americans sailors, wants more than port visits by warships such as the USS Emory Land as part of President Barack Obama’s military pivot to Asia. Photo credit: Postmedia photo by Matthew Fisher taken on November 9, 2012
“Their presence protects us and is good for business,” Calubhay said as he chiseled away at a plaque for one of the Emory Land’s officers. “We suffered a lot when the Americans left. It would be God’s gift if they came back here. We’ve heard some more ships are coming next week.”
http://www.canada.com/Philippines+some+dream+military+glory+days+nationalist+feelings+fade/7535959/story.html

Philippines wine supplier known for its line of fine vintage wines, Yats Wine Cellars was established in 2000 to address the requirement of a growing population of wine enthusiasts in the Philippines. The wine shops of Yats Wine Cellars cater to the discerning client who requires these qualities in their wines: (1) excellent value, (2) large selection of labels and vintages to choose from and (3) wines properly aged for full enjoyment. This wine shop is generally regarded by wine lovers to be the best place to buy wine in Manila.

Many wine producers from all over the world approach Yats Wine Cellars to represent and import their wines in the Philippines. Wine producers in Italy, Spain, South Africa, France, Chile, Argentina, USA and France regard Yats Wine Cellars as the best wine supplier in the Philippines.

Yats Wine Cellars started off in Clark Freeport, Pampanga, an easy 90-minute drive along the North Expressway from Metro Manila. Category one wines can be found in the cellars of the fine-dining YATS Restaurant and Wine Lounge situated inside Clark’s Mimosa Leisure Estate, just before the Casino. Yats operates the largest wine shop in Philippines called the Clark Wine Center – an independent two-storey building located on the main road of Clark Freeport. Shopping in any one of the wine stores of Yats Wine Cellars is always an exciting and rewarding experience. Wine shops and wine stores can be found in Quezon City, Ortigas, Eastwood, Makati, Fort, Alabang, Metro Manila, Philippines.

This year Yats Wine Cellars have put together a few interesting packages containing wines that you don’t find in wine shops and super-markets in Manila. This alone makes the gift an interesting one to receive. Furthermore, the wines are not only enjoyable, they are interesting and worthy of bringing to dinner with friends and family.

The ability of fine wine to improve with age separates it from the rest of the field. Beers (except for bottle-conditioned Vintage Beers), Whiskey and Brandy for example stabilize once they are bottled and do not improve anymore. Wine has this uncanny ability, instinct even, to develop character and complexity inside the bottle.

Useful tips on how and where to buy wine in Philippines, Manila, Makati, Ortigas, Alabang, Pampanga, Subic, Angeles City and Clark Freeport are offered by this wine supplier in the Philippines for the convenience of wine lovers and wine shoppers.

Fine red wine, white wine and sparkling wines are all available in this highly recommended wine shop in Pampanga and Metro Manila. Their wine shop in Clark Pampanga is also famous for its offering of fine vintage ports from famous producers like Graham, Dow, Quinta do Noval, Taylor, Nieeport and Barros.

Yats Wine Cellars Philippines
3003C East Tower, Philippines Stock Exchange Center (Tektite)
Exchange Road, Ortigas Center, Metro Manila, Philippines
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Kristine

http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

For inquiries and orders, Click here to for inquiries and orders

For wine lovers in Hong Kong, Macau and China:

Yats International HK Sales Office,
Room 1302, 13/F., The Centre Mark
287-299 Queen’s Road Central Sheung Wan,
Hong Kong SAR

Tel: (852) 2788-0738 ask for Miss Eva Leung

Wine@Yats-International.com

Buy wine baskets in Philippines as gifts to friends and business associates
Those looking for good wine gifts to send to friends and loved ones in the Philippines can now order special wine baskets from Yats Wine Cellars. Delivery can be arranged with a courier service to practically everywhere in the Philippines. Wine baskets cost php3000 up. What makes Yats Wine Cellars’ wine gift baskets so special is that the wines are not seen anywhere else in Manila. This makes the gift special and exclusive.
Manila wine and food lovers looking for things to do in Pampanga and Manila can consider attending one of these wine events. The best way to learn more about wine in the Philippines is to attend public wine tasting events that have no sponsors. These wine tasting events held by Yats are non-commercial. Yats Wine Cellars does not promote a specific winery, producer or a brand. These wine tastings and wine dinners held in Manila and Pampanga are all designed to let wine lovers explore more interesting aspects of wine

If Philippines is part of an upcoming travel and holiday plan, wine lovers might want to visit Clark Freeport Zone just 70 minutes from Manila. This bustling new city that is slated to replace Manila as the new capital of the Philippines has the largest wine shop called Clark Wine Center. For more information, log on to

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

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Yats Leisure Philippines

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com

For information about working, living, doing business or finding a job in the Philippines, log on to http://www.yilp.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

If you are traveling to Pampanga, Subic, Angeles City, Clark Freeport, Philippines, you can get assistance to hotel and resort booking by logging on to
http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com

http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Buy wine in Fort Global City, Metro Manila, Philippines at good wine shops and boutique wine stores that offer good selection of good vintage wines at all price points. Wine lovers in Philippines can find good wines from France in wine shops in Manila and Pampanga. Among the good selections of French red wines from Burgundy are Domaine de La Romanee Conti or DRC, Chambertin, Pommard, Clos de Vougeot, Domaine Leroy, Bonnes Mares, La Tache, Vosne Romanee, Echeazeaux, Romanee St. Vivant, Volnay, Morey St. Denis, Nuits St. Georges. This makes it easy and convenient for wine lovers to buy wine in Manila. If you are thinking of buying wines to give as gift in the Philippines, then contact Yats Wine Cellars now because they offer special vintage wines suitable as gift at all price points. Since most of these wines are not available in Manila, these wine gifts are excellent choices for corporate gifts as well as wine gifts for personal and social purposes.

Buy wine in Fort Global City, Metro Manila, Philippines at good wine shops and boutique wine stores that offer good selection of good vintage wines at all price points.
Wine lovers in Philippines can find good wines from France in wine shops in Manila and Pampanga. Among the good selections of French red wines from Burgundy are Domaine de La Romanee Conti or DRC, Chambertin, Pommard, Clos de Vougeot, Domaine Leroy, Bonnes Mares, La Tache, Vosne Romanee, Echeazeaux, Romanee St. Vivant, Volnay, Morey St. Denis, Nuits St. Georges. This makes it easy and convenient for wine lovers to buy wine in Manila. They are also great wines to include in wine gift baskets for delivery in the Philippines. Manila wine and food lovers looking for things to do in Pampanga and Manila can consider attending one of these wine events. The best way to learn more about wine in the Philippines is to attend public wine tasting events that have no sponsors. These wine tasting events held by Yats are non-commercial. Yats Wine Cellars does not promote a specific winery, producer or a brand. These wine tastings and wine dinners held in Manila and Pampanga are all designed to let wine lovers explore more interesting aspects of wine.