Scarborough shoal, the ship hazard that is hazardous to peace and an ocean landmark magnet to war and greed. It is also a reef that enhances the rift between two nations; the gigantic bully China and the midget weakling Philippines. China claimed that the shoal is theirs since time immemorial, while The Philippines claimed that it's within their territory and a part of their sovereignty according to the law of the sea.
If we would consider and let the distance and common sense decide, the Philippines is the rightful owner of that 150 square meter triangle-shaped shallow water since the reef is situated 230 kilometers away from Palawig Zambales (Philippines) and 1,200 kilometers away from China. But greed is blinding and power corrupts; and for those who are inflicted with lust, distance is only distance, and common sense is not common. People covered with lust are demons who will transgress any law and rights of anyone especially of those who are afraid and cannot defend themselves. On the other hand, there are those who because of their pride would go for broke and fight till the end. Both ways are wrong, life is precious; and if one would sacrifice lives, it must be at the right time and with perfect reason.
Filipinos are very much familiar with the word scarborough. Scarborough Shoal got its name from the ship Scarborough that sunk in that reef and brought the mates of the ill-fated ship into the ocean bed. On the other hand, the 3/4 timed and one of the most well loved American folk songs of the Filipinos, Scarborough Fair by Simon and Garfunkel, is composed of two counteracting melodies and lyrics, which coincidentally deals with family, friendship, home love, memories, soldiers, power, war, and death.
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| Gregorio Del Pilar |
When life is hard, dying is easy; and it becomes easier if it is for loved ones, for country, and for God. My tears are a flowing river when I heard the gallant stand of lone Philippine ship, Gregorio Del Pilar, standing afloat his liquid ground against the three ships of China while guarding the controversial reef. But sometime that is what living is all about; those who swore to protect are ready to die, and to make a mark the pens of history are inked with blood.
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| Chinese surveillance ships off Scarborough Shoal, |
Some so-called Filipinos ridicule the obvious weakness and incapability of their country against a superpower like China. forgetting the fact that the greatest weakness is in the mind and will, which obviously is what they have. Readiness to die is a virtue which everyone respects, and cowardice like courage is contagious. Moreover, according to a great warrior, "only those who are ready to die are fit to live". There was a war when he said those words and of course not all of those who are ready to die are fit to live and vice versa, and in time of peace those who are not ready to die are not necessarily not fit to live.
War is insane and like anyone else, I am afraid and I abhor war; but there is peace after war, like there is life after death. This article is not to encourage war, for just the thought of it could make my body quiver. But sometimes "when I am afraid, I am petrified"; and I can be like a rat with nowhere to run that would jumped into the chasing cat just to make scratch mark. Moreover, I believe that death is better than a life having someone constantly finger-lightly hitting your balls.
Scarborough shoal, the ship hazard that is hazardous to peace and an ocean landmark magnet to war and greed. It is also a reef that enhances the rift between two nations; the gigantic bully China and the midget weakling Philippines. China claimed that the shoal is theirs since time immemorial, while The Philippines claimed that it's within their territory and a part of their sovereignty according to the law of the sea.
