ROTC must be revived!

Our presentation on Straight from the Sky is a special presentation that we did at the 18th Grand Wine Experience at the Grand Ballroom of Marriott Hotel in Resorts World on Nov.16.

 Let me inform our televiewers that this is not the usual Straight from the Sky interview, but a series of interviews from our friends that I met during the Grand Wine Experience. Of course, the longest interview was reserved for our dear friend, Consul Robert “Bobby” Joseph, who started the Grand Wine Experience 18 years ago. This is actually as old as Straight from the Sky which we also celebrated 18th year this year.

Mind you not even Manila media took video footages of this great event, which in my book is one of the greatest ASEAN food and wine event. I had a good interview with Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines his Excellency Koji Haneda, and Enzo Scillianni who opened the Plantation Bay in Mactan; He is now with Microtel near Mall of Asia. I also interviewed Department of Tourism-7

Director Shalimar Hofer Tamano whom I met at the 17th Grand Wine Experience a year ago and he did not know that a month later he would be assigned in

Region-7. I also interviewed Nhorrie F. Wang, Retail Operations of Ralphs Wines, to talk about Wines & Spirits.  Lastly, I interviewed Dee Dee Ledonio of Coltrans, Inc. one of the cargo forwarders that brought in all the wines and shipped them to customers.

So watch this Straight from the Sky special show on the 18th Grand Wine Experience on SkyCable’s channel 53 at 8 PM with replays on Wednesday and Saturday same time and channel. We also have replays on MyTV’s channel 30 at 9 PM Monday and at 7 AM and 9 PM on Wednesday and Friday.

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I would like to inform our readers that former Danao City Mayor Ramon Durano Jr. passed away yesterday due to complications. He was 83. He was mayor of Danao City twice from 1972 to1986 and from 2010 to 2013. A member of the Beta Sigma and the eldest son of the famous Ramon Mercado “Papa Amon” Durano Sr. whose mother was Beatriz Duterte Durano.

My family’s condolences to the Durano Family notably to Boboy and Leni. May I request the pious readers to please pray for the repose of his soul.

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At long last, Pres. Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte renewed his call for the revival of a mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. (ROTC) and has urged Congress to enact a law or he will just issue an executive order to re-quire it for students. Pres. Duterte made the call in a speech during the 35th founding anniversary of the Army Reserve Command (ARESCOM) at Camp General Mariano Riego de Dios last Thursday. ROTC training used to be mandatory for college students but Duterte wants it for Grade 11 and 12 to instill patriotism among the youth. I have supported the President in this call for the return of the ROTC and we should do it sooner or later!

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Here’s a letter emailed to me. “Sir, I read your article on the death of President Kennedy and your recollection of the story. I am a 76-year American living for the next four months on Mactan Island with my Filipino wife of 42-years. I was a 20-year old Air Force soldier stationed in Eastern Washington, State. I was helping move our personnel office from one building to another when a Sgt. Ran in and said that he just hear on the radio that the President had been shot. It took about 30 mins for the Base to go on a lock down.

The B-52 Bombers started to warm up on the tarmac, they were already loaded with their bombs and our missile siloes opened up. A dozen new troops, got our winter gear, and I got our M-1 rifles and were seated in a row waiting to see if we would be put around the Base perimeter. I was really too young to re-alize how serious a situation we were in until it was proven that another country had not killed our President. My Base was the 462nd Strategic Aero Space Wing, Moses Lake, Washington. Bombers and Missiles all over the mountain range. Thanks Dennis Kjolso (pronounced Kelso).”

 Thank you, Kelso, for writing me this letter, this is the first time I realized that America was always ready when JFK was killed. Thanks for this information.

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For email responses to this article, write to [email protected]. His columns can be accessed through www.philstar.com.