The Crisis in Zamboanga, and how Big Data could have helped save lives...

Watching the news these days is increasingly depressing.  Sometimes, I just want to turn the TV off and forget about reality.  But it seems reality always finds a way to wake you up.  So now I find myself writing this blog entry in the hope that my thoughts can somehow form something constructive to ease my frustration with current events.  I'm talking about what's happenning in Zamboanga (for those of you who rarely read the news).  The news is very sobering for me, we already have enough problems with territorial disputes.  Now this?



To my mind, the crisis in Zamboanga is a result of critical information not getting to the right people in a timely manner.  There have been statements from military and government sources (who prefer to remain anonymous) alleging that this was not a failure of getting intelligence, but of the government underestimating the importance of the information gathered.  This looks like the start of a never-ending finger-pointing circus to me.  But nevertheless, I still believe all of this could have been averted somehow.



If we are to accept that intelligence data was gathered beforehand, then why was it "underestimated"? Could this mean that there was a seeming lack of supporting data to give emphasis to the gravity of the situation at hand?  Was cricitical information relayed too late?  Or was this a lack of putting bits and pieces together from various and disparate intelligence sources?  Does the government and military have the resources to sift through all the information they are receiving and make sense of it all?  Do they even have the means to share vital information with each other in real-time so they can collaborate and act on it quickly and decisively?



We have the Government, the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and even the National Intelligence Coordination Agency (NICA) supposedly our version of the CIA, and who knows what other agency involved in intelligence-gathering and counter-intelligence.  I have strong doubts as to their ability to effectively share key bits of information that may prove to be critical in helping the top brass make informed decisions.  If they only had the means to quickly analyze all the data coming in from their sources and quickly provide insightful reports to those who have to make the big decisions, then maybe, just maybe, the crisis in Zamboanga might not even be in the news right now.  All because the right information got to the right people at the right time.  And who knows, lives might have been saved in the process...



Obviously, there is so much that Big Data can do for the government and military of this country.  But are the decision makers they even aware of it?  I certainly hope proponents of Big Data have already reached out to them to help them realize what they may be sorely lacking all this time...

Losing Faith in your Country

I recently read an article focusing on the sad state of affairs regarding our territorial sovereignty:

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/61320/losing-ground--how-ph-has-handled-sabah-west-philippine-sea-disputes-over-the-years

I was disheartened to read one comment from a reader saying he is so ashamed for being a Filipino because of the inaction of many of our leaders and the rampant corruption in our government.  To those of you who feel the same way and feel there is no hope left for our country, and even wish they could change their nationality and even the very fabric of their being, I only have this to say:

I'm sorry you feel ashamed for being a Filipino.  I can't blame you either.  There's a LOT that needs to be done to put the Philippines back on the right track. Personally, I still have hope for the future of this country.  I want my children to grow up proud of their country and try to teach them that we have to do what is right in order to have a better future. Every chance I get, I show them the shortcomings of our country, leaders and fellow countrymen, but I also try to teach them what we need to do to become better.  I know that what is right is not always the easy thing to do, but we need to have faith that things can get better if we do our part, no matter how small it is.  Even when things are looking bad, I tell my children DO NOT LOSE HOPE and ALWAYS DO WHAT IS RIGHT.  Because I believe that personal integrity, hard work and hope for a better future can help us get to where we want to be.

I really think that recent events are now forcing our leaders to move in the right direction (the PDAF and other govt scandals, people become more aware and vigilant against crime and corruption, China showing its true intentions, the push for the FOI bill, AFP modernization, our president actually taking a firm stand on defending our sovereignty). We are already very late in the game when it comes to having a credible self defense capability, that is painfully obvious, but I see that there appears to be a genuine desire from some of our leaders to actually do the RIGHT THING. Honestly, I wish there was some way I could contribute to our country aside from paying taxes and following the rule of law. I have even sent emails to the office of the president expressing my views (I can only hope it actually reaches the president, but I wont bet on it since I am not a gambling man).  Anyway, I think I am too old to be a soldier and probably no good at fighting anyway :)  but I think I can still help somehow with my technical skills and knowledge if given the right opportunity.  I just hope I am not alone in thinking like this...

Finally, I always tell my children: "Walang magmamahal sa Pilipinas kung hindi tayong mga Pilipino."

An Open Lettter to the President of the Philippines

Dear Mr. President,

 

Greetings!  I know you are a very busy man so I will try to be brief and direct to the point. 

The situation with China over the disputed territories is getting out of hand.  China is now brazenly building more and more structures in the Spratlys and there's nothing we can do about it!  Like myself, more and more Filipinos are becoming aware of this issue and are enraged by what the Chinese are doing there.

In my humble opinion, wouldn't using the PDAF be the most efficient and quickest way to modernize the AFP especially our Navy?  I know there are many pressing issues on your mind right now but I honestly think that protecting the sovereignty of our country should be your top priority. I know we have to deal carefully with China on this issue since we simply cannot match them ship for ship. But the handling of this issue by the DFA is simply infuriating!  There appears to be no self-respect left whenever the DFA makes any announcement regarding this issue. This is simply disheartening!

I implore you to significantly increase the budget of the DND for modernization.  If I am not mistaken, we not only have the PDAF, but also Malampaya to turn to for funding. If we can show China that they cannot bully us easily and at the same time, broadcast to the world that we are simply defending what is legally and rightfully ours and not being the agressor, this will go a long way to boosting the morale not just of the Philippine military, but of the entire nation! This will also show the International community that we are not a nation of weaklings, and that we are serious about protecting our national interests. This will also help our economy because I believe that more nations will see our country as finally becoming progressive and self-reliant.

Just think of how much jobs your administration can create by investing in navy shipbuilding and maybe even local weapons development!  Didn't we use to have a missile development program?  Didn't we also have a fighter plane development program as well?  Whatever happened to them?  If you can revive these programs, and maybe even get support from the private sector for R&D, I am confident we can become another Asian powerhouse!  Imagine if you can tap the best minds from our top colleges and universities and get them to work on projects for the DND, we might even be able to create a home-grown military drone aircraft! Who knows what else we can come up with?  Ultimately, securing our place in the Spratlys will not only be a boon for our poor fishermen over there, but also pave the way for our country to finally tap into the vast oil reserves supposedly existing there!  Imagine the kind of bright future this country can have if we only had the will to take that first, hard step forward! 

I personally believe we can be a small country that is capable of standing alone in a sea of hostility (just like Israel).  Having allies is always good. But we cannot pin all our hopes on them.  They have their own interests that we may or may not be aware of.  China owns a huge chunk of the US debt and I am very sure you are all too aware of what is happenning between these two superpowers on an economic level.  China is slowly buying out the US bit by bit!  Sadly, when all is said and done, we have no one to turn to except ourselves.  You can see this happenning all over the world.

It is painfully obvious that time is not on our side, so please find a way to show your countrymen that your promise of AFP modernization and attaining a minimum credible defense posture does not stop with the purchase of second hand ships and a dozen fighter jets. 

Before I proceed any further, I want to be clear, I am against the actions of the Chinese government.  I bear no ill will towards the citizens who probably are being fed lies and propaganda by their government regarding this issue.  Some might take me for a war monger. On the contrary, I would like to think of myself as a patriot who fully supports your efforts for a better Philippines.  And I can honestly say that I am not alone!  God Bless!


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Disclaimer:

These are my personal views and opinions and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.