“What are the candidates’ plans on West Philippine Sea?”
Traditionally, presidential campaign issues are dominated by domestic problems such as peace and order, employment, education, and the economy. Foreign Affairs rarely played an important part– until now. This election year is one of the few instances where foreign affairs is a significant issue.
This is obviously because of the West Philippine Sea problem. Even China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi somehow waded into our elections when he recently urged that whoever wins this year’s presidential elections, the next administration should maintain President Duterte’s close and friendly relations policy with China.
That was an unusual thing to do on his part. In addition, he also said that in future negotiations with us, China will not use its immense power to bully but would try to find just and long-lasting solutions to the WPS issue.
These are positive words by China intended perhaps as a carrot but nonetheless should be taken seriously by us. It is possible that China is concerned that with a new administration, an abrupt turnaround in our country’s foreign policy directions might take place.
There is nothing wrong with maintaining friendly relations with that country. In fact, it is not only imperative but essential that we maintain cordial and friendly relations with China so long as the new administration puts the interest of the country first. The challenge is how to calibrate this relationship moving forward. Should the next government maintain lock, stock and barrel the same approach as President Duterte did in his six years as president or will there be some changes?
Among our five serious presidential candidates, it was Senator Ping Lacson who first presented a comprehensive plan of action with regard to the WPS issue. No other candidate has discussed this issue before as thoroughly as Senator Lacson considering its importance. This was taken up in the hugely successful GMA TV Presidential interviews by TV anchor Jessica Soho. When asked what the four candidates who attended would do about the WPS issue if elected, the four were unanimous in wanting to be more aggressive in asserting our rights and defending the territorial integrity of the country.
The minor difference is in the process. VP Leni Robredo wants the 2016 Hague Arbitral ruling as the anchor in forming alliances with other countries to push for our rights. Senator Lacson, as he has already stated in his past discussions on the subject, wants to strengthen our current military alliances so that the country will be in a better position in any negotiations with China. For Senator Manny Pacquiao, he wants more negotiations. Manila Mayor Isko Moreno on the other hand wants to station troops on the places that we are claiming.
It was unfortunate that former Senator Bong Bong Marcos who is the current frontrunner did not attend the TV presidential interview, depriving the public from being able to evaluate his stand on many of the issues raised by the TV anchor especially with regard to the WPS issue.
From what can be deduced from the answers of the four presidential candidates who attended, there will be some changes in foreign policy directions. Before the Duterte administration, there were signed agreements between the United States and the Aquino government which were all put on hold when President Duterte took office. Perhaps these agreements can now be greenlighted as part of the changes that might be made.
One of these agreements was the construction of facilities inside AFP military camps where military equipment can be prepositioned. If I remember correctly, seven areas were identified for development. The Balikatan joint military exercises which are badly needed by our troops can perhaps also now proceed in earnest. All these were suspended by President Duterte. The issue of the WPS has always been the baby of the Department of Foreign Affairs and, to a certain degree, of the Defense Department.
This time, however, even provincial governors are wading into the issue. We just read a couple of weeks ago the Governor of Cagayan Province objecting to the conduct of a joint live fire exercise by the PH-US military in his province for fear of displeasing China. The governor was fearful that the Chinese will hold back on planned Chinese investments in his province. This is the first time this has ever happened. Even the importation of galunggong struck a raw nerve among some fishermen. It never occurred to them that the country will be importing fish harvested from our own exclusive economic zone.
Hopefully, whoever becomes president will be able to come up with a workable solution to deal with this problem successfully. And whatever it will be, that it will be a decision agreed upon unanimously by all senior leaders of the government and not just by one person.