How Pinoys Unite as Recorded by Guinness!

Amidst the the tensions, add more the many disasters be it man-made or natural and still there's poverty everywhere... it's refreshing to learn that we can be united.  It's not hopeless after all. It can be done.  And we already did it!  Even Guinness has a record of it!

 

 The largest human rainbow consisted of 30,365 participants, organized by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines at the Qurino Grandstand, Rizal Park, Manila, Philippines on 18 September 2004.

 

The largest march against illegal drugs, the 'Grand BIDA March' included 332,963 people and was organised py PAGCOR (Philippines), in Manila, Philippines, on 21 March 2009.

A barcode system and an on site registration method were used to count the participants. The organisers estimate a total non official number of 600,000 people.

The most participants in a racing event was 116,086 at the Run for the Pasig River in Manila, Philippines, on 10 October 2010. The event consisted of three races: 3 km (1.86 mi), 5 km (3.11 mi), and 10 km (6.21 mi) runs all occuring simultaneously on different routes through the city before converging at the end of each circuit.

The most Mentos and soda fountains was 2,865 and was achieved in an event organized by Perfetti Van Melle (Philippines) at the SM Mall of Asia Complex, in Manila, Philippines, on 17 October 2010.

The record attempt took place in an open-air area within Manila’s biggest shopping mall, SM Mall of Asia. 300 tables were placed in the area in total, with 10 Coca Cola Zero bottles and 10 Mentos on each.

The largest carpentry lesson involved 525 people in an event organised by Nestle Philippines Inc. (Philippines) at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila, Philippines, on 28 January 2011.

The lesson taught students how to construct their own tables and over 100 were built during the event.

The largest pipe drum ensemble involved 1,874 participants and was achieved by Maynilad Water Services Inc. (Philippines) at the SMX Convention Center in Manila, Philippines, on 31 January 2011.

The record was attempted by employees of Maynilad Water Services Inc. in a team building initiative. The 1,874 members of the ensemble played Queen's 'We Will Rock You', playing for 5 minutes and 19 seconds in total. The ensemble played the song using a piece of water pipe and plastic paddle each.

The largest human cross was achieved by 13,266 participants at an event organised by the University of Santo Tomas (Philippines) in Manila, Philippines, on 9 March 2011.

The cross was in two colours, black and white.

 

•     The most people involved in a dental health check (Ours is 4,128 beating India Dental’s 3,377)
•     The most blood pressure readings taken in 8 hours (Ours is 8,026 beating Kuwait Heart Foundation’s 7,203)
•     The most blood glucose level tests in 8 hours (Ours is 5,217 beating NovoNordisk Education Foundation’s (India) 3,573)

This was done in only 8 hours and was achieved by Iglesia Ni Cristo, at Parola Tondo, Manila on 7 July 2012.

"I have truly not seen anything like this not just as a representative of Guinness world record, but in my life. I’ve never seen an organization so dedicated to helping other people free of charge all day". – Tarika Vara, Guinness world record’s official adjudicator.

Still proud to be Pinoy! 

 

Cyber Harckers Joins the Sabah Conflict

As the tension in Sabah continues, a Philippine website and several Malaysian's was hacked with the messages sympathizing with their own.

The territorial dispute over Sabah gained international attention following a standoff in the peninsula by followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III that resulted in a bloody shootout between Filipinos and Malaysian security forces last Friday.

Malaysia adopted an all-out stance against the Filipinos, while President Aquino called on Kiram's followers in Sabah to surrender unconditionally.

But Kiram's followers have rejected the call, saying they chose "honor over life."

On Sunday morning, the online store of Philippine telco Globe Telecom had been defaced by hackers claiming to be from "MALAYSIA Cyb3r 4rmy". "Do not invade our country or you will suffer the consequences," the group warned in the defacement. The site was restored two hours later.

 

In apparent retailiation, pro-Philippines hackers defaced several Malaysian Web sites. The hackers also warned Malaysia saying:

"Stop attacking our cyberspace! Or else will will attack your cyberworld"

"Philippines | #OpReclaim."

"Greetings Malaysia and Malaysian Govt. Time has come to reclaim what is truly ours,"

"Also, don't dare to hack our websites, OR ELSE WE WILL CONTINUE ATTACKING YOUR CYBER WORLD!"

Hacker group "Anonymous #Philippine Cyber Army" also listed the hacked Malaysian Web sites including some online marketplace:

•     www.smksapg.edu.my
•     www.jitsin-ind.edu.my
•     www.diyseo.com.my/Database
•     www.acm-motorsport.com.my
•     www.vivahomes.my
•     www.jitsin-ind.edu.my
•     www.apchand.com.my
•     www.fcp.com.my
•     www.happymovers.com.my
•     www.megatech2u.com
•     www.zhangvillage.com
•     www.jsce.com.my/AdminHeader.asp
•     www.1264u.com
•     www.jatiberingin.com.my
•     www.pergolahotel.com.my
•     www.pointofsales.my

However, they also called for hackers of both countries to stop saying  "The petty cyberwar will gain us nothing but wrong impressions from ordinary people," the statement read. "Let us help both The Philippines and Malaysia unite, not find a reason to fight."

How Can Sabah Conflict Be Solved?

There are already 21 death including the latest 7 Malaysian policemen and two Sulu men according to the latest news update.  I just hope that nothing follows, a problem that shouldn't be treated that way.

Is it hard for the Philippines and Malaysia to sit down and talk to with the Sulu Sultan and his men and settle this?  Can't they to talk officially without the loss of lives?  Twenty-one lives is twenty-one lives.

The leader of the group is the brother of Jamalul Kiram III,  a of Sultan of Sulu.  It is a title that goes back to before the Philippines was an American colony, or a Spanish colony.

In 1658, the Sultan of Brunei gave Sabah to the Sultan of Sulu - either as a dowry or because troops from Sulu had helped him quell a rebellion.  They were the two main sultanates in the region at the time.

More than 350 years later, the sultan's heirs have come to remind Malaysians that they still consider Sabah to be part of Sulu and, by extension, part of the Philippines.

"Sabah is our home," they said simply when asked why they had come.

 But history is not that simple and of course Malaysia has no intention of giving up Sabah to this little band of Filipinos. The problem of their disagreement lies in a contract made in 1878, between the Sultanate of Sulu and the British North Borneo Company.

Under this contract known as pajak, the company could occupy Sabah in perpetuity as long as it paid a regular sum of money.  Even today, Malaysia pays about 5,000 Malaysian ringgit (£1,000, $1,500) a year to the Sultanate of Sulu.  But the British and, after that an independent Malaysia, interpreted pajak to mean sale, while the Sulu Sultanate has always maintained it means lease.

"In my opinion, this is more consistent with a lease rather than a sale, because you can't have a purchase price which is not fixed and which is payable until kingdom come," said Harry Roque, a law professor at the University of the Philippines.

But does the drama should be treated as what had happened? This will be a wound that will last agaist the two nations. Malaysian government for their impatience and lack of capability to solve the issue. And the Philippines who pay less attention to the Sultanate of Sulu and his clans.

We got ourselves great history in that part of our nation.  Decades and centuries may go past, but this family remembers its history as clear as if it were yesterday.

And I also think that no peace deal, no change of presidency, not even the insurmountable odds posed by the Malaysian security forces, are going to make them forget that Sabah used to belong to Sulu - and in their minds, still does.

AFP

Inquirer

What is the Sabah standoff all about?

It has been a long time since the Sabah claim has been openly discussed in the media or, even less, officially taken up by any administration.  The young generation of Filipinos, who are unaware of the historic claim of the heirs of the Sultan of Sulu, may thus be forgiven if they perceive the group of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III as no different from those syndicates who now and then invade expensive real estate in Metro Manila waving fictitious royal titles.  But, this particular claim is by no means founded on fantasy.

North Borneo was acquired by the Sultanate of Sulu sometime in the 17th century as a gift from the Sultan of Brunei, in appreciation for the former’s help in successfully quelling a local rebellion against the latter’s rule. In 1878, the Sultanate of Sulu agreed to lease the property to a British company.  Malaysia argues that in 1885, Spain renounced all claims of sovereignty over the whole of Borneo, in exchange for British recognition of Spanish sovereignty over the entire Sulu archipelago.  Its lawyers contend, moreover, that the Sultanate of Sulu ended in 1936 following the death of the last Sultan. 

Yet, since its formation in 1963, the Malaysian state has thought it proper to hand over every year to the lawyers of the descendants of the Sultan of Sulu a check for 5,300 Malaysian ringgit (about P70,000 at the current exchange rate).  Before that, except for the period between 1936 and 1950, the payment was made by the British North Borneo Co., in accordance with the terms of a lease agreement between the British company and the heirs of the Sultan.  Today, Malaysia calls the token payment “cession,” meaning payment made in exchange for the ceding of property rights.  The Sultan’s descendants, however, continue to refer to it as “rent,” for obvious reasons. Regardless, the amount is ridiculous.  The territory in question covers approximately 30,000 square miles.

The Sultan’s heirs have a pending petition with the United Nations for the return of Sabah to the family.  This may be a way of compelling Malaysia to pay a substantially higher rent, or an offer to quit all claims in exchange for a huge payment.  But, it is also possible that Malaysia intends to stop paying altogether in order to put to rest any doubt about Malaysian sovereignty over Sabah. Unfortunately, the UN has not acted on the petition.

The “invasion” led by the brother of the current Sultan is clearly an attempt to shove the issue into the faces of the two governments, neither of which relishes being dictated upon by the heirs of an archaic sultanate. Still, both governments, Philippines and Malaysia, must realize that they have an interest in ending this standoff without firing a single shot. A messy end to this impasse could stoke ethnic resentments and needlessly inflame nationalist sentiments.

(w/credit- R. David)

It has been a long time since the Sabah claim has been openly discussed in the media or, even less, officially taken up by any administration.  Yet, no Philippine president has dared to categorically renounce the country’s claim to this territory. The young generation of Filipinos, who are unaware of the historic claim of the heirs of the Sultan of Sulu, may thus be forgiven if they perceive the group of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III as no different from those syndicates who now and then invade expensive real estate in Metro Manila waving fictitious royal titles.  But, this particular claim is by no means founded on fantasy.
North Borneo was acquired by the Sultanate of Sulu sometime in the 17th century as a gift from the Sultan of Brunei, in appreciation for the former’s help in successfully quelling a local rebellion against the latter’s rule. In 1878, the Sultanate of Sulu agreed to lease the property to a British company.  Malaysia argues that in 1885, Spain renounced all claims of sovereignty over the whole of Borneo, in exchange for British recognition of Spanish sovereignty over the entire Sulu archipelago.  Its lawyers contend, moreover, that the Sultanate of Sulu ended in 1936 following the death of the last Sultan.
Yet, since its formation in 1963, the Malaysian state has thought it proper to hand over every year to the lawyers of the descendants of the Sultan of Sulu a check for 5,300 Malaysian ringgit (about P70,000 at the current exchange rate).  Before that, except for the period between 1936 and 1950, the payment was made by the British North Borneo Co., in accordance with the terms of a lease agreement between the British company and the heirs of the Sultan.  Today, Malaysia calls the token payment “cession,” meaning payment made in exchange for the ceding of property rights.  The Sultan’s descendants, however, continue to refer to it as “rent,” for obvious reasons. Regardless, the amount is ridiculous.  The territory in question covers approximately 30,000 square miles.
The Sultan’s heirs have a pending petition with the United Nations for the return of Sabah to the family.  This may be a way of compelling Malaysia to pay a substantially higher rent, or an offer to quit all claims in exchange for a huge payment.  But, it is also possible that Malaysia intends to stop paying altogether in order to put to rest any doubt about Malaysian sovereignty over Sabah. Unfortunately, the UN has not acted on the petition.
The “invasion” led by the brother of the current Sultan is clearly an attempt to shove the issue into the faces of the two governments, neither of which relishes being dictated upon by the heirs of an archaic sultanate. Still, both governments must realize that they have an interest in ending this standoff without firing a single shot. A messy end to this impasse could stoke ethnic resentments and needlessly inflame nationalist sentiments.
- See more at: http://opinion.inquirer.net/47323/the-sabah-standoff#sthash.1fCBV607.dpuf