Understanding Nation Building (Part 11)

On International Relations

We continue our analysis of Blueprints for a Viable Philippines. We aim to give an understanding of our Foreign Relations and how best to translate it.

This is how blueprints sees it:

The Situation: Our country’s external relations have not served our long-term national development goals. Effective external policies can play a vital role in promoting the country’s economic, political, security, and socio-cultural interests. They can open up markets for Philippine products and services and help create an environment of peace and security conducive to human development.

BLUEPRINT Analysis: The present political leadership has not manifested a reliable understanding of the complex global changes that affect the national community. It has failed to identify the country’s fundamental interests and to strategize those interests in the complex global setting. Lacking in longterm vision and direction, the Philippines has been at the receiving end of strategies alien to the interests of the national community. Issues requiring urgent review are the following: (1) the definition of Philippine territory which poses security and environmental problems for the country; (2) economic migration and the broader phenomenon of globalization which have a powerful impact on the economy; and (3) Philippine participation in the US-led global war on terrorism policy, which poses important problems for national security and RP-US relations.

BLUEPRINT Recommendations: The Philippine government will prioritize effective governance over its territory and people by developing the capability to defend and maintain control over its territory. The Department of National Defense (DND) shall define its policies, plans, and programs in a conscious bid to free itself from the singular influence of any foreign country. The push toward regionalism, especially within ASEAN, and the ASEAN Plus 3 countries — China, Japan, and South Korea — will be pursued. Regionalism will strengthen Philippine leverage in economic and security negotiations. The Philippines shall develop closer ties with South countries and engage in more South-South cooperative ventures and initiatives. It will also deepen its participation in global initiatives on the environment, women, population, HIV-AIDS, and social development.

Big Mango:

The world is a vastly different one from five years ago. The dynamic forces that are shaping our World Order is being driven by changes unparalleled in all of history and I'm not talking about Terrorism but the shrinking of National Borders by the Internet, by the flexibility to travel, by the ability of men, women and children to be instantaneously be available despite being separated by Oceans and Time Zones. Yet as these things are happening on the ground--- the age old challenges of Governments and Countries exist--- getting along in a Global Village.

Let us first talk about the Ordinary challenges of the world: Trade/Commercial Relations, Diplomacy and Spying (on friends and allies as well as enemies)--- these are the daily business of Embassies throughout the world. They happen everyday, all the time. That said, another function of Embassies throughout the world is as a safety net people look to when they're in trouble.

Blueprints does give a good understanding of the present situation--- that we have not completely taken advantage of the commercial interests abroad though our network of contacts are excellent. In a way we have not been able to execute much abroad in terms of broad commercial assistance beyond of course our successful plays in various Financial Markets. Part of the reason perhaps is our inability to provide adequate industries here, to take advantage of those assets.

While it is disagreeable that we are mere recipients of “alien strategies”--- we have come to accept them simply because it is in someone's interest to do so. Perhaps if they identified these “alien strategies” it can best be understood.

That said, the Philippines is not lacking in Diplomatic Muscle. For example, what good is the ability to place assets in place at the United Nations Security Council if we can't make anything out of that? While such ability is a clear example of our Country's capability to play a wide diplomatic role, such capability is clearly wasted because some elements here are not in place.

In its analysis, one of the “issues requiring urgent review” blueprints says is “the definition of Philippine territory which poses security and environmental problems for the country”. While this is not such “an urget” problem--- the fact of the matter is that our Territory is clearly defined in our Charter. The Philippine Consitution clearly states the extent of our national territory. What perhaps Blueprints wishes to address is our inability to exercise our claims on that territory. Perhaps they are thinking of certain international problems on islands being claimed by the Philippines which are likewise being claimed by other nations.

Our National Territory is so vast that we need to clearly address it. One Role is to expand the capability of our Coast Guard, Navy and Marine Corps. It is such a vast ocean that guarding it is a problem. We seriously need to expand the ships under our command--- ships that have muscle to back them. We need to provide submarines to study our oceans as much as to provide additional security. We need a rapid deployment force that can seriously address breaches in our national territory and the Marine Corps--- a private army for the Navy can do this.

But the Philippines has to seriously address this need. We need to expand our Military Capability. What good are words and power in Diplomacy if they can not be backed up by muscle? The world after all has not changed all that much, at least in that regard.

Another issue that has been raised by Blueprints is “economic migration and the broader phenomenon of globalization which have a powerful impact on the economy”. Perhaps they do not have a clear understanding of these forces. Come to think of it, no one really does have a clear understanding of it.

Perhaps what they are saying about “economic migration” is the fact that our people are flying in doves out of the country and into more lands of opportunity. People are doing this all over the world. Talent goes where the money is.

With regard to globalization, the fact of the matter is that--- national borders are disappearing as fast as the Internet is growing. Thats the catalyst in all of this (as much as the ability to travel and to communicate with one another no matter where one is in the world) and it is such an amazing phenomena that touches everything we humans do. Its not limited to commerce and trade--- it extends to music, to information, to healthcare, to politics and to every facet of existence. In a nutshell the idea that we are one big Global Village isn't far fetched and that the human race is understanding that our perceived differences, we many not be all that different is such an unprecedented and unparalleled thing.

That said, our people has this inferiority complex thats this so huge, we can not even begin to step out of our own shadow. The only way to correct this is we begin to interact with our fellow global villagers in a more engaging way--- as equals in the world stage. We must accept the fact that human nature is evident in all we meet irregardless of their race or nationality. An Indian national is equally likely to be a good or bad person as much as a Korean or an American or a Filipino. We can not hold out for universal acceptance--- there will always be those who will look down on the Filipino (because of the jobs they see us doing, as domestic help or as lowly workmen) but it is how we carry ourselves, how we respect ourselves thats important.

Another issue Blueprints is looking into is: “Philippine participation in the US-led global war on terrorism policy, which poses important problems for national security and RP-US relations.”

International Relations is just like any other relationship, we help our friends. We can not turn our back on the friendship this country has had with the United States for over 50 years. We shed blood together in War countless of times and though it is hard for many of our people to understand this kind of honor, it is something we must do.

On one hand, Terrorism is an act of violence. Where is the honor in killing innocent civilians for the sheer hell of cursing a country for their well to do life? Where is the honor in fighting when people in your own backyard is suffering and instead of putting money into bombs, why can't they come out with ways to help those kids grow up to be better persons.

Does our country stand with People--- with madmen who destroy lives? People with families with lives that have no quarrel with them? Is it their fault that they want to party in a beach? Is it their fault that they have money to party on a beach in Bali? And when Terrorists bomb resorts, who will lose jobs and businesses, aren't they Muslims as well?

When terrorists bomb buses, it is not officials who suffer, its the ordinary man in the street who take the blunt of it. When terrorists crash airplanes on buildings--- they wreck lives. Terrorists are fanatics and their way is not justice and Blueprint is clearly wrong in that we shouldn't stand up to that kind of way of life.

Yet clearly, there are ways in which we fight terror without tightening up security, without firing a bullet or imprisoning anyone. We can not do anything about those other countries--- Indonesia, Iraq, Afghanistan, others have that covered but we can fight terror by uplifting those lives in the far flung villages our country--- in Mindanao.

In the last twenty years, we have given autonomy to many provinces in Mindanao--- short of independence, mind you. Yet their leaders themselves have squandered this opportunity. And we see others who are still fighting it out, with grievances and agendas of their own. On one hand, not all of those provinces in Mindanao decided on autonomy and they are better today because of it.

What reforms can we do for Mindanao? The better answer is get them educated to elect better leaders. Find men and women who are willing to build lives, rather than destroy it. Find men and women who are willing to do something for their people and work for it. After all should our country become a Federal one, they will need to govern themselves and a lot rides on leadership.

Looking at the recommendation of Blueprints: “The Philippine government will prioritize effective governance over its territory and people by developing the capability to defend and maintain control over its territory. The Department of National Defense (DND) shall define its policies, plans, and programs in a conscious bid to free itself from the singular influence of any foreign country.” Well, we really do need beef up our Military so that they can better address external threats but we are not a “subjugated people” as to need to “free itself from the singular influence of any foreign country”. And to be so isolationist as to not be “influenced” by anyone is a road that must not be taken because to be isolated means, no business, no free flow of ideas, no friends and makes for a dumb Filipino.

Then blueprints goes on to say we must: “push toward regionalism, especially within ASEAN, and the ASEAN Plus 3 countries — China, Japan, and South Korea — will be pursued. Regionalism will strengthen Philippine leverage in economic and security negotiations. The Philippines shall develop closer ties with South countries and engage in more South-South cooperative ventures and initiatives. It will also deepen its participation in global initiatives on the environment, women, population, HIV-AIDS, and social development.”

Perhaps they forget that we are already active participants in ASEAN and our ties with China, Japan and South Korea have never been stronger and are improving (but at the rate the UP Law Center is going, our Chinese friends may be gone tomorrow).

For example, Japanese, South Korean trade is very active in the Philippines. They give money, but in exchange their products/services must be used in those projects. The Chinese NorthRail Project is also an excellent example of Trade Agreements the Philippine government is pursuing to the benefit of the people, much to the mindless, shortsightedness of some people.

We might also like to pursue greater military cooperation in terms of building military infrastructure from Chinese, Japanese, Israeli, Russian sources and those things wouldn't be so bad would it?

The Philippines is very committed already to initiatives on environment, on AIDS, on women and great issues in the International Stage. We have WHO based in Manila for that. We are the current chair of the Security Council, we are an active member of the United Nations.

The Philippines' International Relationship is a work in progress. Much work needs to be done sure but once again, the Blueprint for a Viable Philippines is sorely lacking in its understanding of the key issues that a Nation needs today, such shame really.