WesWorld

Filipino Information, News, and Entertainment Radio
Tenth throuth Twelfth Months of the Year of our Lord Nineteen-Hundred and Twenty-Seven

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3 October
The first product of the Skoda-Davao armament works began test-firing today at the Busuanga Island artillery range. The 210mm naval rifle is scheduled to be installed on the cruiser Bugsuk during her rebuild next year, and is also planned as main armament for the Philippines' first "heavy cruisers", currently scheduled for construction in 1930.

Another Skoda-Davao project, the "intermediate" 180mm naval rifle, is intended to begin testing shortly before the end of the year.

15 October
The Presidental elections are still two years away, but Former Foreign Minister Juan Sebastian de Varga begain his campaign today in Quezon City.

He has founded a new party, the Filipino Peoples' League (FPL), and it has already attracted a surprisingly strong following.

Señor de Varga announced several key points in his campaign:

-Establishing a "no tolerance" policy torwards domestic disturbances. "We have seen the tragic results of extremists' anger in America, and that having raised the alarm was the only thing that kept Russia from sharing a similar fate. It is my intention to ensure that these actions never, ever occur in las Filipinas!"

-Maintaining close ties with the SATSUMA alliance partners. "Our partnership with India, Japan, Chosen, and Formosa has provided great benifits to all concerned. It is our manifest destiny to continue to show that the Asian peoples can stand firmly on the world's stage."

-Maintaining strong relations with the United States of America, and perhaps even improving them further. "It is of the utmost importance that we continue our special relationship with the Americans, who came to our aid when we were enslaved under the Iberian yoke. Perhaps even at some point it would be benificial, to them and to us, for them to join us and our Asian partners in a grand alliance?" Also mentioned as "important friends" were Germany, Italy, and Australia.

-The continued growth of the Marina de Filipinas. "Due to our geographic situation, our Army is not the most important military service. It is important that we stop any invaders before they can land on our shores. And the only way to do that is to have a navy capable of taking on any opponent who would covet our beautiful islands."

It was on this last point, however, that Señor de Varga took his most controversial stand:

"Three short years ago, our nation's leaders decided to sign on to the Cleito Naval Arms Limitation Treaty. We made this decision based on several factors; the main one of which was that we wished to show a commitment to preventing any further conflicts like that which wracked the globe in the last decade.

"However, in the three years since, we haven't seen this commitment among certain other nations. Most visibly, the Dutch have declared that they intend to reconstruct their battlecruisers, even if the upcoming Treaty revision talks next year fail to make these modifications legal.

"These soon-to-be illegal ships, I might add, are based in the Dutch East Indies.

"It is not my wish, your wish, or the wish of anyone with any brains to see another global conflagation. But neither do we wish to tie our hands in the face of European imperialism. We made a commitment in good faith, but there are times when one must choose between standing on a principle, and surviving."

28 October
Today the MdF's operations chief, Commodore Garcia was (re-)promoted to Admiral. It remains to be seen if his appetite will allow him to retain the rank for longer than he did previously.

7 November
Rumours are swirling about the health - or potential lack therof - of El Presidente. He has made very few public appearances for some time, and although there have been no official statements, it has been reported that the head of the Filipino Medical Service, Dr. John Watson, has made several visits to the Presidental Mansion....

14 November
After long and convoluted diplomatic negiotiations, the Filipino Government has reached an agreement with China's Chiang Kai-Shek government that will allow Filipino vessels access to Chinese territorial waters, south of Shantou, to combat warlord forces that have been supporting piracy in the South China Sea...

20 November
In a ceremony at the San Fernando shipyard, the Peruvian battleship Lima was handed over today. The ship, the first built by the Philippines for a foreign power, is similiar in many respects to the MdF's Dagupan-class coast defense battleships.

It should be noted that Vice-Presidente Piña attended in place of El Presidente, which will undoubtably lead to further questions regarding the health of Presidente Monastario.

23 November
Robbery at the Presidental Mansion!

There was a burglary at El Presidente's residence last night. Colonel Sebastian Moran of the Manila Constabulary refused to comment on the case, and there are no indications as to who perpetrated the crime, or what they were after...

24 November
[SIZE=4]El Presidente resigns![/SIZE]

In a stunning announcement, it was announced today that El Presidente, Enrique Monastario, has resigned due to health concerns.

Dr. Watson of the Filipino Medical Service declined to go into specific details, however he did concede that El Presidente had "what appears to be a serious case of consumption", and that the tropical climate of the Philippines was "not at all conducive to any sort of treatment. Southern California would be excellent."

This makes Vice-Presidente Licenciado Piña the Acting Presidente until a special election can be called...

4 December
A special election will be held next August to determine who will be the next Presidente de las Filipinas.

Already registered for the election are Acting-Presidente Licenciado Piña of the Filipino Liberty And Nationality party and former Foreign Minister Juan Sebastien de Varga of the new Filipino Peoples' League.

Additional qualified canidates may throw their hat in the ring at the National Courthouse in Manila...

11 December
It was announced today that the Marina de Filipinas has acquired rights to an Italian "scout carrier" design.

"While the Italians decided that the "Graculus"-class carrier design was surplus to their requirements, an updated version of the design could prove useful in the future," said Commander de la Croix of the MdF Design Office.

(ooc: 0.1 IP are transferred to Italy this quarter; if the design is selected to be used, 0.6 IP more will be transferred at a later date, prior to the start of construction)

18 December
Detonations shook the mountains south of Manila today, as blasting began on the Laguna de Bay Canal. The canal, when completed, will link Laguna de Bay with Manila Bay, and construction of a port at Santa Cruz will begin shortly.

24 December
It isn't going to be a very happy Christmas at the Busuanga Island artillery range. The first test of the Skoda-Davao 180mm, 53-caliber naval rifle yesterday failed dramatically when the gun barrel did likewise.

Tests of the 210mm/53 naval gun continue and are reported as being most satisfactory.

27 December
It is reported that the battleship San Pablo, while conducting an anti-piracy/anti-warlord patrol somewhere on the southeastern Chinese coast, was engaged by a shore battery manned by unknown forces.

An anonymous source stated that while the 'enemy' battery was "throwing some major-caliber shells", their accuracy was "simply atrocious", and the San Pablo "engaged and destroyed" the battery with her main armament.

It should be noted that two "pre-Dreadnought" battleships were built in Iberia some time ago for an "unknown customer" and then simply "dissipeared"; one was reportedly being operated by pirates - and sunk - several years ago; however there have never been any clues with regard to the other. Perhaps this "major caliber" shore battery was using guns removed from this ship?

An even more far-fetched conjecture that has been heard in Manila's waterfront taverns is that the guns came from one of the Japanese Kongo-class battlecruisers, which disappeared en masse while on a training sortie shortly after the War...

31 December
Confirmed today was the Marina de Filipinas Construction Schedule for 1928.

Scheduled to begin construction in the coming year are:
one "minelaying cruiser"
four destroyers
six 'fisheries security vessels'
two harbour tugboats
two tenders
and a polar exploration vessel

In addition, two "assault transports" will be constructed by our allies in Japan.

Somebody stole El Presidente's health? I'll have to react to that, I guess.

Sweet deal for Italy. Makes me regret that clause in SATSUMA.

Nicely done, over all. I like El Aquila's speech.

To which clause do you refer?

I suppose it will take time for the Peruvean battleship to arrive in the New World. (It seems the website I was using to calculate time and distance at a given speed (http://www.distances.com/ ) is not functioning properly at the moment.

Sweet deal for Italy? I've since dropped the entire concept, though I did come up with some better designs. I wanted to charge him more as well.

Don't you just love health problems? 9mm brain haemorrage anyone?

Quoted

To which clause do you refer?

I rather suspect it would be this one:

"Article 10
The Contracting Powers agree to mutually license all ship designs among all Contracting Powers."

:-)

Quoted

I suppose it will take time for the Peruvean battleship to arrive in the New World

Keep in mind that, although she's been "delivered", there will be three months of shakedown in Filipino waters before she sets out across the Pacific.

Quoted

I wanted to charge him more as well.

But Ah made ya an offa' that ya couldn't refuse. ^_^

Quoted

9mm brain haemorrage anyone?

At this time I can neither confirm nor deny the continued exsistance of the-now-ex-El Presidente. Although the lack of funeral arrangements may be telling.

Well, you do not need a funeral if you give a person a pair of concrete shoes.

Perhaps he can retire to California as suggested. I know there is some lovely property in Laguna Beach and if he tires of the view he can just wait until the next rain storm and his house will move to a brand new spot.

*Squeezing El Presidente in large chest marked "Destination: Laguna Beach, CA, United States"*
Uh... you were saying?? :-)

Actually, I had considered assassinating El Presidente...while presenting the Peruvians with their battleship, perhaps.

But I decided to leave that in my bag 'o tricks...and perhaps use it in the future, on another Presidente.

...then again, I might not. ^_^


As for a retirement home, I had Los Angeles in mind. :-)

Quoted

Also mentioned as "important friends" were Germany, Italy, and Australia

An officer in the RAN reportely said "It would be in the best interest of the Philippines to return PR Undamaged."


For a retirement home send him over to AZ, if he doesnt like the view, a dust storm will block it.

BTW that is the closest thing to a Natural Disaster in AZ

Quoted

"It would be in the best interest of the Philippines to return { Princess Royal } undamaged."

Response of Contre-Almirante Garcia:

"Princess Royal? What ship is this? We know no-tink of any ship named Princess Royal. We do have a battlecruiser that we have leased from the English, but that is Presidente Malvar. We have no Princess Royal."

;-)

Of course he was talking about Presidente Malvar only he was using her nickname

;-)

La Presidente Princesa Malvar

The Manila Envelope
17 October 1927

It is a WONDERFUL time for those of us who are "in the RIGHT" in Las Filipinas! Yes, "EL AQUILA", Señor Juan Sebastien de Varga has ANNOUNCED that he will be RUNNING for PRESIDENTE!

This is WONDERFUL news! For the FIRST time Las Filipinas will have a Presidente who actually CARES more about the FILIPINOS then about the perceptions of EUROPEAN IMPERIALISTS! A Presidente who will allow the Philippines to acquire the BIG STICK necessary to have RESPECT in today's world! Under EL AQUILA our BATTLESHIPS and BOMBERS will LAUGH at any enemy's pathetic ARMIES!

When the ELECTION comes around, remember ONE THING and ONE THING ONLY...

[size=3]VOTE for the FILIPINO PEOPLE'S LEAGUE and[/size]
[size=4]EL AQUILA!!!