DESPITE the international flak he has been getting, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said President Rodrigo Duterte has successfully and clearly put across the world that the Philippines will no longer be “subservient” to any foreign country and will solve its problems internally and within its means.
“It is just right to not anymore be subservient to other countries like the United States. It is up to them to grant us aid or not. It is not right to impose a condition on us in exchange for their aid,” Alvarez told House reporters.
In a news conference, Alvarez said he saw no problem with Duterte apologizing to other countries he had offended but it also showed the President was not immune from making mistakes.
“At least he has the courage and humility to admit his mistakes and apologize,” Alvarez said.
Alvarez explained the President has his hands full considering the major and compelling issues that confront the country such as the need to address the peace and order problem, criminality, campaign against illegal drugs and poverty.
“We have to remember that the President is fighting a lot of fronts. There is that campaign against illegal drugs, he has to address the rebellion both from the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army and the Moro National Liberation Front and Moro Islamic Liberation Front. His job is not easy,” the Speaker said.
These internal issues, he said, were being faced by the President head on without the help of other countries.
“Diplomacy is a matter of style for a leader. The President is insisting he was not elected by the people to be a diplomat. He did not run to become a diplomat. He ran for President and won. So previous presidents had their own style and the incumbent has his own. Let’s respect that,” he said.
Alvarez said he approved of the way the President was pursuing the administration’s independent foreign policy.
“Why is it good? Because he is showing the world that he is fighting for the country’s sovereignty whereas before, we were subservient to the wishes of Western countries, most especially the United States and Europe. For the first time, we have a President who pursues the national interest and this is new to all of us,” Alvarez said.
Alvarez said the President’s primary concern was to address the internal problem, particularly poverty and drugs problems.
“The country’s main problems are poverty, criminality and illegal drugs. These are major problems. No one else will help us with solving these problems but us. It has to be us that should work together in solving these,” Alvarez said.