The important task of formulating the Philippine foreign policy and adjusting it to conform with the changing times is better shared by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and his equally small-minded advisers to those who had been there and done that.
We refer to a group of retired diplomats, ambassadors and consuls who have dedicated their lives in the service of the country, although most of the time, abroad. They represented the Philippines and worked for the interest of Filipinos all over the world, and in their decades of experience in diplomacy, what they have to say about PHL foreign policy at this time should at least merit presidential attention.
Recently, this group of 11, then 13 ex-diplomats came out with a paper that urges the Marcos administration to emulate the tactics made by Indonesia and Vietnam in the conduct of its foreign policy, specifically about the South China Sea. It should be noted that both Indonesia and Vietnam have stakes in the SCS.
In summary, the former foreign service officers propose that Marcos must build a credible military deterrent while engaging Beijing in pragmatic diplomacy instead of relying too much on the United States. They wanted balance in our foreign policy.
We are in the same boat with Indonesia and Vietnam regarding the SCS because they, too, have claims of territorial and maritime rights there just like the Philippines. Yet Vietnam’s Navy still participates in joint naval exercises with China and other nations—something that is unthinkable for the Philippine Navy and nearly impossible for the Philippine Coast Guard whose leadership could not even restrain the highly intellectually obnoxious Jay Tarriela.
The two neighbors and co-members in ASEAN have successfully managed their relationship with China by employing a dual strategy: building strong, self-reliant military deterrents to forcefully resist encroachments, while simultaneously maintaining strict diplomatic neutrality and engaging China economically.
“An attitude that looks at the West Philippine Sea issue as a zero-sum game will not produce a result beneficial to Philippine interests,” the white paper stressed.
The former diplomats are composed of Raul Rabe, Clemencio Montesa, Victoria Bataclan, Jesus Yabes, Generoso Calonge, Jose Syjuco Jr., Lourdes Morales, Nelson Lavina, George Reyes, Lamberto Monsanto and Virgilio Reyes Jr. Two others just joined the group which continues to attract adherents.
They have fully endorsed the resumption of talks over Reed Bank’s oil and gas reserves exploration through a joint venture with China, where a Filipino company owns 60 percent of voting shares, while the Chinese firm holds 40 percent plus an additional 20 percent in non-voting preferred stock.
They are the real intelligent, thinking Filipinos who have the interest of the nation at heart.
#WeTakeAStand #OpinYon #OpinYonNews #ViewfromCalumpang