A leader must have a keen sense of diplomacy, most especially in the global sphere. For a developing country such as the Philippines, the question is always with which economic superpower will we be sticking by. At this point, it is either the US or China. For the past weeks leading to this weekend’s bilateral meeting between our President Bongbong Marcos Jr. and US President Joe Biden, it is obvious which side we are veering close to.
The six-year term of former President Rodrigo Duterte saw an unprecedented pivot towards China. This was strongly felt in our region, our shores, and the economy. China’s presence was overwhelming in our cities, with POGO offices cropping up left and right, driving up the price of real estate. The societal cost was huge, with crimes being committed against undocumented individuals. Prostitution dens and corruption of immigration officers became prevalent for a time. These came to a halt, unwillingly, when the pandemic hit, but came creeping back towards the end of the last administration.
Nearing the end of year one of the Marcos Jr. administration, the China element has seemingly stabilized for now, with the increasing momentum of the US presence and influence on the comeback. The tension between US and China was heightened by the Americans’ closeness with Taiwan, despite the One China Policy. International media pinpointed the Philippines as the island paradise caught in the middle of the frenzy, without stating that our country has always been in a complicated relationship with China.
This entire month of April can be characterized as the most momentous period between Philippines-US relations in recent times. To recap, China’s aggressive stance in the disputed islands never wandered and showed no signs of weakening. We have lost track of the countless instances of bullying by China of our poor fishermen who are defenseless despite being in our internal waters.
This was followed by the finalization and implementation of the Balikatan war exercise, this time with four new areas, three of which are in Region I, the bailiwick of the Marcos clan, and the area nearest to Taiwan and China. The latest exercise, witnessed by President Marcos Jr., saw the Americans blow up an abandoned ship, mimicking the consequences to the hard-headed Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea should tensions rise.
The untimely death of Ambassador Albert Del Rosario, former Foreign Secretary and the heralded hero of the arbitral ruling in favor of the Philippines involving the disputed islands, reminded the Filipino people of the strong basis for our rightful claim over these territories. I was able to attend the wake that was attended by throngs of people and pay my respects to Ambassador del Rosario. We join the prayers for our true patriot who dedicated his life to the service of the Filipino people in the best way he could. I am sure the government will do its best to honor his life’s work.
And so this brings us to the meeting between President Marcos Jr. and President Biden in a few days. This would be their second meeting, the first being on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly half a year ago. Marcos Jr. has earned the right to a longer and more focused discussion with the leader of the free world, who is also facing unprecedented challenges in the global sphere. It appears that Marcos Jr. is playing his cards well.
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