PAANO nga ba inilugar ng pamahalaan ang Pilipinas sa usaping ito? Paano nga ba isinulong ng Marcos administration ang interes ng Pilipinas sa usaping geopolitical?
“With respect to our place in the community of nations, the Philippines shall continue to be a friend to all, an enemy to none,” pahayag ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.
Sa kaniyang unang State of the Nation Address (SONA), ito ang paninindigan ni Pangulong Marcos bilang direksiyon ng kaniyang foreign policy. Ito rin ang naging haligi ng polisiya noong nakaraang administrasyon ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
Umpisa pa lang ng kaniyang panunungkulan ay tahasan nang dumistansiya si dating Pangulong Duterte sa Amerika at mas naging malapit ito sa China.
Hindi na ipinagpilitan pa ng dating Pangulo ang 2016 Arbitral Ruling laban sa China, bagkus ay mas pinalakas ang pagkakaroon ng bilateral talks dito.
Ngunit ayon sa isang analyst, naging taliwas ang direksyon ni Pangulong Marcos sa kaniyang foreign policy.
“As far as I am concerned—that’s the difference I am explaining about,” ayon kay Prof. Anna Malindog-Uy, Geopolitical Analyst.
“I will not preside over any process that will abandon even one square inch of territory of the Republic of the Philippines to any foreign power,” dagdag ni Pangulong Marcos.
Naging standing ovation ang unang SONA ni Pangulong Marcos nang kaniyang binigyang-diin na hindi niya hahayaang makuha ng mga dayuhan ang anumang bahagi ng teritoryo ng Pilipinas.
Ang usapin ding ito ang sumambulat sa kaniyang administrasyon na kinakailangan ng malinaw na direksiyon at matapang na desisyon.
Pero sa gitna ng lumalalang tensiyon sa pagitan ng US at China, ang naging pakikitungo ni Pangulong Marcos ay hindi umano naging balanse dahil habang kinakanlong ng bansa ang mga base militar ng Estados Unidos ay mas lalo namang lumalaki ang hindi pagkakaunawaan ng bansa sa China.
“When asked which side are you on, I said I don’t work for Beijing, I don’t work for Washington D.C. I work for the Philippines. So I’m on the side of the Philippines and that really translates into a very simple statement of foreign policy which is that I promote the national interest,” pahayag ni Pangulong Marcos.
Sa unang taon ni Pangulong Marcos, isa agad ang Amerika sa kaniyang binisita kung saan nakipagkita ang Pangulo kay US President Joe Biden. Ito na ang unang pagkakataon matapos ang lampas isang dekadang hindi pagpunta ng Pangulo ng Pilipinas sa Amerika.
Sa nasabing pagbisita, muling pinagtibay ng dalawang lider ang relasyon ng Pilipinas at Amerika.
“You told me that — that a strong alliance has to continue, quote — I’m using your phrase — “to evolve as we face the challenges of this new century.” And we are facing new challenges. And I can’t think of any better partner to have than you,” saad ni Pres. Joe Biden, United States of America.
Nangako rin ang Amerika ng suporta sa Pilipinas sa usapin ng South China Sea at sa patuloy na modernisasyon ng Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas.
“And the United States also reminds [sic] ironclad in our — remains ironclad in our commitment to the defense of the Philippines, including the South China Sea, and we’re going to continue to support the Philippines’ military modernization goals,” dagdag ni Pres. Biden.
“We are your partners. We are your allies. We are your friends and in that fashion, we have always considered the United States our partner, our ally, and our friend,” ani Pangulong Marcos.
Sunud-sunod din ang naging pagbisita ng Top US Officials sa Pilipinas kabilang na sina Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Defense Chief Lloyd Austin.
Samantala, kasunod nito ay pumunta rin sa bansa noong Marso si United States Undersecretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland at nakipagkita sa security officials ng bansa.
Matatandaan na si Nuland ay iniuugnay rin sa isyu ng Russia-Ukraine crisis dahil na rin sa lantarang pangingialam nito sa ginanap na Maidan Revolution sa Ukraine noong 2014.
Isinagawa rin sa unang taon ng Marcos Administration ang pinakamalaking joint military exercises sa pagitan ng Amerika at Pilipinas o ang tinawag na Balikatan Exercise 2023. Nasa halos 5,400 tropa ng bansa at 12,200 US military personnel ang nakilahok sa military exercise na ito.
Nananatili ang Pilipinas bilang bansa sa Indo-Pacific Region na may pinakamalaking US military assistance, batay sa datos ng White House. At isa sa mga kontrobersiya na hinaharap din ng Marcos Administration ay ang pagpapalawak ng sakop ng Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sa bansa.
Mula sa unang limang EDCA sites noong 2014, nadagdagan ito ng apat na matatagpuan sa Naval Base Camilo Osias sa Sta. Ana, Cagayan; Lal-lo Airport sa Lal-lo, Cagayan; Camp Melchor Dela Cruz sa Gamu, Isabela; at Balabac Island sa Palawan.
Para sa isang analyst, ito’y nagpapakita lang na pumoposiyon na ang Amerika sa Asya dahil na rin sa isyu ng China-Taiwan conflict.
“Maliban pa ito sa tensiyong girian ng mga bansa sa South China Sea. Well ang relevance niyan sa Pilipinas mayroon tayong 150,000 Filipinos workers in Taiwan, whatever happens there cargo natin yang 150,000 na yan at ikalawa dahil kasama tayo sa theater of war na pine-prepare ng bansang Amerika laban sa China and that we are part of the theater of war that U.S. prepares for China it’s not a secret, it’s openly discussed in the United States and we are just fooling ourselves that we are not part of it,”
“Ang paglaganap ng EDCA ay hindi nagresulta sa kanyang expected na result which is a calmer south china sea, it did’nt become calm at nakita natin na report ng ibang media sinasabi nila mas dumami angg “bullying” ng CHina so ibig sabihin e hindi nagiging epektibo ang polisiya na isinusulong ngayon ng pamahalaan, hindi lamang China ang nagmi-militarize ang Vietnam rin may napapabalitang ibe-beef up nila ang kanilang militarization,” pahayag ng isang analyst.
Pahayag naman ng tagapagsalita ng Ministry of Foreign Affairs ng China, ang hakbang na ito ng Estados Unidos ay nagpapakita ng kanilang intensiyon.
“Regarding the newly added use of military bases by the U.S. in the Philippines, China has repeatedly stated its position. As a Chinese saying goes, facts speak louder than words. The sites of the bases in the Philippines that the U.S. military has newly gained access to already have laid bare the U.S. intention,” wika ni Wang Wenbin, Spokesman, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Tugon naman ni Pangulong Marcos, walang dapat ikabahala ang mamamayang Pilipino sa karagdagang EDCA sites.
“Ang pinagpilian natin ay ang pinakanakikita nating madalas ay nagiging…,napipinsala sa mga bagyo, sa mga kung-ano-anong disaster. Ngayon, ang reaksyon ng China ay hindi naman siguro kataka-taka dahil nag-aalala, pero hindi naman, hindi naman gagamitin, hindi tayo papayag, ang Pilipinas, hindi tayo papayag na gamitin ang mga bases natin para sa kahit anong offensive na action. Ito ay para lamang tulungan ang Pilipinas kapag nangangailangan ng tulong ang Pilipinas, dagdag ni Pangulong Marcos.
Kinuwestiyon naman ito ng kaniyang kapatid na si Sen. Imee Marcos sa isang Senate hearing, kung saan sinagot naman ito ng dating OIC ng Defense Department.
“Hindi naman sa naniningil kami kundi nagtataka lang po kami—–base for logistic hub,” ayon kay Sen. Imee Marcos, Republic of the Philippines.
“As we have said earlier, the EDCA sites that we have including–in training and also for contingencies,” ani Carlito Galvez, Jr., Former Defense Secretary.
Naniniwala naman si dating Pangulong Duterte na kaya ng Pilipinas na magkaroon ng magandang relasyon sa lahat ng bansa ngunit ang presensiya ng military bases ng ibang dayuhan ay magiging pabigat.
“You can have relations with all countries, without really having too, wala kang bagahe. You can express everything and tell them every story that you dictate. And establish good relations with all of China, America. Kasi dito yung America, tayo tinitingnan talaga as a sorry to say, kasi lackey of America because of the presence of so many troops. Any foreign military men in somebody else’s country is not good and it is always a burden,” ani Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
Ibinahagi rin ng dating Pangulo ang kaniyang nakikitang problema sa pagdaragdag ng EDCA sites sa Pilipinas.
“Alam mo bakit buffer zone ang Pilipinas? So, Amerika kailangan talaga nila pigilan ang China from advancing to the Pacific. The only way that they can enter into the Pacific, makita mo sa mapa dito sa Taiwan Straight between Taiwan and the Philippines nandiyan sa dulo on the tip of the country there’s a narrow channel there or you can go to the Malaccas but malayo masyado, you have to go down almost hanggang Australia na iyan tapos iikot ka paakyat ka dito sa Pacific Ocean,” dagdag ni Pangulong Marcos.
“Ngayon kung magka giyera fight muna tayo dito bago ka makalusot before you can even entertaining the idea of conquering the Marianas [Island] and Guam, patayan muna tayo dito sa Pilipinas. So, ang problema ngayon is they have ask mini military bases. Kagaya ng Clark noon same thing, ‘pag military base armas talaga iyan, missiles iyan, aniya.
Ayon naman kay Atty. Harry Roque, dating tagapagsalita ng Palasyo, dapat magkaroon ng tratado ang Pilipinas sa Amerika sa pagkakaroon ng EDCA.
“Now, ang unang-una naming sinasabi eh kinakailangan nagkaroon ng tratado kasi itong EDCA na ‘to kapag binigyan natin sila ng access sa ating base militar ay walang time frame pupwedeng isang araw, pupwedeing limang taon, pupwedeng sampung taon at mula noong 2016 na lumabas ang desisyon nang kasong ito hanggang ngayon hindi naman sila umalis dun sa mga lugar kung saan binigyan natin sila ng access,” ani Atty. Harry Roque, International Law Expert.
Ngunit tugon naman ng Armed Forces of the Philippines at National Security Council, ito’y paghahanda na rin ng Pilipinas sakaling mapilitan ang bansa na dumepensa sa pinag-aagawang West Philippine Sea.
“We have to be responsive to the current security threat. That’ why we’re coming up with contingency plans to make sure that we are ready to defend,” wika ni Gen. Andres Centino, AFP Chief of Staff.
“We want to clarify– kung sakaling magka-problema marunong na tayo,” ayon kay Jonathan Malaya, Assistant director, NSC.
“If we agree, we will cooperate and we will work together. And if we differ, let us talk some more until we develop a consensus. After all, that is the Filipino way,” dagdag ni Pangulong Marcos.
Samantala, pagdating sa isyu ng pinag-aagawang teritoryo, ipinagpatuloy ng Pangulo ang nasimulan ng nakaraang administrasyon at muling nakipag-ugnayan sa China sa kabila ng pagpapatibay nito ng relasyon sa Amerika.
Sa katunayan, sa pagsisimula pa lamang ng taon ay bumisita din si Pangulong Marcos sa China at nakipagkita kay Pres. Xi Jinping.
“This is your first visit to China as president of the Philippines. It is also your first official visit to a country outside the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). You are also the first foreign leader that China has received this year. Forty-eight years ago, your father, together with the older generation of Chinese leaders, made the historic decision to establish diplomatic ties between China and the Philippines by understanding the international situation and responding to the call of the times. You personally participated in and witnessed some of the most important interactions. Many Chinese people can still recall that historic story today. This friendship is very precious,” ayon kay Pres. Xi Jinping, People’s Republic of China.
Ang China ang pinakamalaking trading partner ng Pilipinas at naging katuwang ng Pilipinas sa maraming proyekto tulad ng infrastructure at economic cooperation.
“China and the Philippines are natural partners for the geographical proximity, close kinship, and complementary advantages. In recent years, under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China and the Philippines have deepened the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the “Build, Build, Build” and “Build Better More” Programs of the Philippines. Around 40 government-to-government cooperation projects have been completed or are in progress, including Binondo-Intramuros Bridge, Davao-Samal Bridge and Chico River Pump Irrigation Project, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples. China remains the Philippines’ largest trading partner, largest source of imports, largest export destination and third largest source of foreign investment under agreements, which has effectively promoted the post-pandemic economic recovery and prosperity of the two countries,” pahayag ng Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines on US Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland Discrediting China-Philippines Economic and Trade Cooperation.
Bagamat ang Estados Unidos ang nakikitang kaalyado ng Pilipinas sa usaping ng military power, napakahalaga rin ng relasyon ng Pilipinas at China sa ekonomiya lalo na’t isa ito sa mga prayoridad ng bansa sa pagbangon mula sa COVID-19 pandemic.
Naging maingay rin ang usapin ng umano’y panggigipit ng China sa West Philippine Sea. Kasunod nito’y may ilang nanawagan na muling idulog sa International Court ang isyung ito. Pero ayon sa isang International Relations Expert, sa simula pa lamang ay walang basehan ang arbitral ruling na ito dahil hindi naman ito isyu ng territorial integrity.
“Ang desisyon na inaakyat lamang sa United Nations at ang mga desisyon lamang na iniaakyat sa UN Charter ayon sa mga desisyon na inilatag ng International Court of Justice at halimbawa may isang bansa na hindi nagco-comply sa desisyon ng Court of Justice, iaakyat mo siya sa UN Security Council upang ang UN Security Council ay magkaroon ng aksyon. Ang South China Sea arbitration ay hindi desisyon ng International Court of Justice so wala tayo doon sa proseso ng UN Charter, pwede bang iakyat ito ng Pilipinas sa UN General assembly, well you can always try you know it’s the UN. It’s open for whatever cause you want it to hear but will it be successful, well sad to say it will not for the following reasons, 1 what is the issue, is the issue the issue we are selling to the Filipinos, sa simula’t sapul pa ibinebenta natin sa ating mga kababayan na an issue ay issue ng ating territorial integrity dahil feeling natin ang tinatawag nating WPS ay parte ng ating teritory at ang China nanjan therefore bina-violate ang ating territorial integrity, this is patently a lie so until the Filipino people will wake up that this is a lie do you think these politicians will continue to fool them over and over and over again? therefore, the Filipinos it’s up for them to answer why is this not a matter of territorial integrity because the territory of the Philippines and sa 12 nautical mile from our archipelagic baseline, we signed that baseline law to the United Nations when it was passed, after it was passed and our territory ends 12 nautical miles from our baseline, wala sa 12 nautical miles and baseline iyang pinag-aawayan natin so if this is not a question of territorial integrity where are we gonna base our resolution on,” pahayag ni Prof. Ana Malindog-uy.
Biniyang-diin naman ni Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian na normal lamang sa magkakatabing bansa na magkaroon ng hindi pagkakaunawaan at ang mahalaga ay kung paano nireresolba ang mga hindi pagkakaunawaan na ito upang mas maging malalim pa ang relasyon ng mga ito.
“As I always say as neighbors it is normal—-we need to handle it in a proper manner,” wika ni H.E. Huang Xilian Ambassador of China to the Philippines
“Well imminent means paparating but there is a high probable likelihood that the Unites States is planning a war against China and they have been planning about this since last year and the were planning this comment, they have been open about it they have been war gaming about this since last year and they were giving years when this will commence 25, 26, 27 so I think we would have a better view of things to come in January 2024 after the elections in Taiwan Republic of China so that month and year is very critical so whoever wins there, whichever party it’s either the Kumintang or the Democratic DDP will determine whether tensions in our region will continue to escalate or if it will deescalate,” dagdag ni Malindog-Uy.
Batay sa pinakabagong survey ng Pulse Asia na pinangunahan ni Atty. Harry Roque, 78 porsiyento ng respondents ang nagpahayag na dapat ay magkaroon ng konstitusyonal na probisyon sa pagtanggi sa giyera at pagsunod sa pagkakaroon ng kapayapaan bilang national policy.
Lumalabas din na 54 na porsiyento ng respondents mula sa Luzon at 47 porsiyento mula sa Class D ang nagsasabing hindi dapat pumanig sa anumang bansa ang Pilipinas kung magkakaroon ng digmaan sa pagitan ng U.S. at China.
Samantala, kasunod ng pagbisita ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte sa China at pakikipagkita kay President Xi, sinabi ni Pangulong Marcos na bukas ito sa pagkakaroon ng bagong linya ng komunikasyon sa Tsina upang muling ayusin ang ugnayan ng dalawang bansa.
“I welcome any new lines of communication—-tell us what happened during their conversation,” ani Pangulong Marcos.
Isang taon pa lamang ang lumipas nang umupo si Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. at maraming Pilipino ang umaasa na sa pagpapatuloy ng administrasyon nito ay papanig lamang ito sa interes na makabubuti sa Pilipinas at iyon ay ang kapayapaang maihahandog nito hindi lamang ngayon kundi maging sa susunod na henerasyon.
“We will be a good neighbor — always looking for ways to collaborate and cooperate with the end goal of mutually beneficial outcomes.”
“But let me be clear. We are very jealous of all that is Filipino.”
“The Philippines has always been open and welcoming to all our foreign friends and visitors. That is our world view, and that is our culture.”
“If we agree, we will cooperate and we will work together. And if we differ, let us talk some more until we develop a consensus.”
“But we will not waver. We will stand firm in our independent foreign policy, with the national interest as our primordial guide.”
“We commit to maintaining good relations with the rest of the world.”
“As a matter of fact, it is my sincere belief that the need for strong bonds and collaboration among nations emerges in the direst of times, such as in a pandemic.”
“The partnerships and alliances that we make with all will provide the stability that all nations will need as we emerge into this new global economy.”
“The Philippines will continue to promote stronger and multi-faceted relationships with all our partners around the world,” pahayag ni Pangulong Marcos.
“You can have alliances, several alliances, sometimes there are conflicting alliances but he did have those alliances to protect his country.”
“We cannot be a bowing ally of America all the time, we have to think of our own national interest as they think of their own national interest. Most of the time they sacrifice our national interest to serve their national interest. “
“There is no such thing as an independent foreign policy. You think of your country’s national interest in relation to each country of the world.”
“We are trading with China as we are trading with America.”
“We have an alliance with America and our geography says we have to deal with China because were here. They are only about 1,464 miles away from us,” pahayag ni Sec Juan Ponce Enrile.
“And the United States will not cut-off completely from the Philippines, because they have so many investments in the country that there profiting from there hot money .. from in the Philippines to, dividends from our stock market and then leave the country, when they all have already feel their hunger for profit, it is not the Philippines that is dependent on the United States.”
“I think some extent, it is United States dependent on the Philippines and it is the United States that is dependent on the Philippines to continue its relevance in the geo politics region, otherwise already being immediately irrelevant,” ayon kay Prof. Herman Laurel, Historian/Geopolitical Analyst.
“Noong panahon ni Pres. Duterte He knows his history and he’s willing to sacrifice his political capital in order to pursue what he believes is right for this country,” ayon kay Sass Rogando Sasot, International Relations Expert.
