Philippine Foreign Policy

Concept & Changing Environment of FP:

1. The International System

2. States, Nations, & Nation-States

3. Evolution of FP

4. FP Debates: Realism vs. Idealism, Sovereignty vs. Unilateralism

Concept and Changing Environment of FP

Foreign policy is a system and body of applicable local and international laws, treaties, protocols, agreements, and other instruments that define and protect territorial integrity, national sovereignty, national interests, and the right to pursue national goals and objectives within the bounds of international law and practices.

The International System

200 plus countries today operate within the framework of the United Nations. Their foreign policies, as well as Philippine FP adopts multilateralism.

Multilateralism creates wider playing field, and involves reduction of economic and political boundaries among nations.

The Context of Phl Foreign Policy

• Pre-colonial Period

• Colonial Period

• Japanese Occupation

• Postwar Philippines

• Martial Law Years

• Post-Martial Law Years

• Today’s Philippines

Precolonial Period

Confucius (551-479 B.C.E.), influenced Chinese education, government, and attitudes toward correct personal behavior and individual's duty to the society. In his Analects, he taught a version of the golden rule: “What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others.”

Precolonial Period

India refers to her Vedas, some laws and customs that appeared 1500 B.C.E. until A.D. 1900S as her source of good governance. Japan with her Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters) A.D. 712, Nihongi (Chronicles of Japan) A.D. 720, and the Code of Samurai, A.D. 858, already detailed relations & cooperation among kingdoms and provinces.

Precolonial Period

Korea, after 313 A. D., was divided into 3 kingdoms: Silla, Paekche and Koguryu. Korea adopted Confucianism, Buddhism, and governance. Ambassadors were sent to China on trade and cultural matters.

Precolonial Period

Among our Southeast Asian neighbors like Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, trade and foreign relations were firmly established as of 9th century A. D., although there was no mention of a Philippine state yet because the islands were divided into several fiefdoms of Tondo, Maynila, Namayan, Cebu, Butuan, Maguindanao and Sulu.

Precolonial Period

Vietnam was divided into 3 kingdoms: Annam, Tonkin and Champa; Cambodia into Chenla and Funan; and Siam (Thailand) into

north and south.

Trade was the primary motivator of the rise and fall of Asian empires. Foreign policies of these empires necessitate a ruler-subject relationship.

Mixing Religion and Politics

Srivijaya and Majapahit empires of Indonesia used religions to enhance their dominance over Southeast Asia. Srivijaya with Theravada Buddhism, and Majapahit with its own version of Hinduism. They ruled the Moluccas and controlled the Spice Trade for centuries.

Ten Bornean Datus

Prof. W. Henry Scott disputed the Kalantiaw Code and dismissed the arrival of the ten Bornean datus as myth rather than truth. However, this doesn't diminish that the Philippines had brisk business with China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, India and some Arab countries.

Spanish Colonial Period

Mercantilism, the driving force for Spain, Portugal, Italy, France and Britain to conquer lands east and west of Europe, and brought the Spaniards to our shores.

Spanish Colonial

The rivalry between Portugal and Spain was so intense that in order to avoid war and

fragmentation of Catholics, Pope Alexander VI, divided the world into two: west of Azores

belongs to Spain and east to Portugal.

Spanish Colonial

Military power was the basis of courtesies among countries at this time. China

respected the Philippines because Spain was a world power. The Philippines had

consulates in HK, Singapore and Japan. Russia, Japan, U.S., France and Germany

had consulates in Manila.

American Colonial Period

On Dec. 10, 1898, Spain ceded the Philippines to the U.S. for $20M. The Americans thru Pres. William McKinley, granted Spaniards to engage in business in the Philippines with the same rights as the Americans within a ten-year period.

American Colonial

Jacob Schurmann, Pres. Of Cornell University, was appointed by Pres. McKinley to head a commission to implement conquest of the Philippines thru cooperation of Filipino intellectuals and elites.

American Colonial

Philippine foreign policy was primarily dictated upon by the Americans. Tariff on Philippine products was 25% to 45%. However, the revenue collected were siphoned back to Manila for developmental and infrastructure projects. Records show that Americans financed Philippine economy, education and other projects.

Health, Education, Economy

The Americans focused on 3 things: health, education and economic development to bring upon change to a country occupied for nearly 400 years by Spain.

The Japanese Occupation

War ravaged the islands, food shortages were common, sickness specifically TB and malaria spread throughout the archipelago. The Philippines was bankrupt economically, & morally and there were no relief in sight when the Americans surrendered and when Gen. MacArthur retreated to Australia via the famous submarine called Fisheye.

Postwar Philippines

Postwar Philippines

July 4, 1946- The Americans finally granted the Philippines her long sought after freedom. However, WWII brought immeasurable damage to Philippine economy.

Postwar Phl

New Times: New Realities

The Role of UN: Immediately after the war, in June 1945, 50 nations including the Phls signed the Charter of UN in San Francisco, USA

Postwar Phl

Two main goals of UN: PEACE & HUMAN DIGNITY

Four purposes of UN:

1. Preserve world peace and security;

2. Encourage nations to be just with each other;

3. Help nations cooperate in trying to solve their problems;

4. Serve as agency thru which nations can work toward these goals.

Postwar Phl

The World Bank or IBRD (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development)

IMF – International Monetary Fund

GATT- Generalized Agreement on Tariff and Trade

WTO – World Trade Organization

UNESCO – UN Economic & Social Council

Postwar Phl

International Court of Justice – created in 1945

International Criminal Court – organized Jul 1, 2002

UNPFII- United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

ILO- International Labor Organization

UNCBD – United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity

FAO – Food and Agriculture Org.

IAEA – International Atomic Energy Agency

Postwar PhlWHO – World Health Organization

WFP- World Food Program

UNHCR- UN High Commissioner for Refugees

ICAO – International Civil Aviation Org.

UNDP – UN Development Programs

IMO – International Maritime Org.

ITU – International Communication Union

UNIDO- UN Industrial Development Organization

UPU – Universal Postal Union

Postwar Phl.

WIPO- World Intellectual Property Organization

WMO - World Meteorological Organization

UNWTO – World Tourism Organization

Martial Law Years

On September 21, 1972, Pres. Ferdinand Marcos by virtue of Presidential Proclamation 1081, declared martial law throughout the Phils.

Soon the country was blanketed with censorship.

Foreign policies were formulated to advance Marcosian politics and economics.

Post Martial Law Years

EDSA Revolution 1 ushered in a new era in Philippine politics... People empowerment thru

NGOs, party list system, street parliamentarians shared power with Cory Aquino.

Foreign policies were formulated to satisfy the pro-democracy groupings, the elites and business

sectors allied with Cory.

Post Cory Years

Pres. Fidel V. Ramos primarily focused on foreign direct investments. The Philippines became a tiger economy during the early and midterm of Ramos. FP were enhanced to bring foreign

investments into the country and hasten economic development. However, in July 1997, together

with Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, HK, Taiwan, Philippine economy took a beating with the Asian

Crisis brought about by hot money, particularly from speculation of George Soros, prominent

Jewish investor.

Post Cory Years

Pres. Joseph Estrada did not last long as president. He was impeached. 2 years into office, Estrada's FPs were continuation of FVR's Fps. He relied mostly with his Secretary of Foreign Affairs,

Domingo Siazon, Jr. who previously worked with UN Industrial Development Org. as director. In July 1998, he hosted the ASEAN

Ministerial Meeting in Manila. He attended the APEC Summit at Kuala Lumpur in November 1998. The Philippine Senate ratified the VFA (Visiting Forces Agreement) on May 27, 1999, thereby

allowing US govt control over its military personnel including jurisdiction when criminal offenses are committed during military

exercises in the Philippines.

GMA- EDSA 2

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was expected to deliver her promise as she was ushered in as the new president when Estrada was booted out from

office in January 2000 in another bloodless coup. VFA continued to be enforced during her

administration. However, GMA committed a fatal mistake on retrieving Angelo de la Cruz,

kidnapped by Iraqis on Jul 7, 2004. This ushered in US anti-GMA policies.

FOREIGN POL

Foreign Policy & Diplomacy

1. Dimensions of the Relationship

• Common Grounds

• Competition

• Political

• Economic

• Military

Foreign Policy and Diplomacy

2. Geopolitical Applications

3. Dynamics of Multilateral Diplomacy in Pursuit of Foreign Policy

DOMESTIC & EXTERNAL FACTORS

• Domestic Environment:

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats

(SWOT ANALYSIS)

DOMESTIC & EXTERNAL FACTORS

Domestic Influences:

DOMESTIC & EXTERNAL FACTORS

• External Environment:

DOMESTIC & EXTERNAL FACTORS

• External Influences:

• SWOT ANALYSIS:

ASSESSMENT OF THE FOREIGN POLICY REGIME IN PHL

National Security Policies

Philippine membership and its subsequent presidency in the UNSC (Security Council) in 2004 and 2005 brought about unity and multilateralism to the core of UN activities. The challenge is not really to protect and maintain sovereignty in the strict traditional sense but to meet the challenge of interdependence.

HOW SHOULD THE PHL USE MULTILATERALISM AS A TOOL OF

DIPLOMACY?The Philippines is a developing country, not a G8

(world's 8 richest countries), therefore we cannot afford to be dogmatic about issues. The challenge is cooperation and interdependence not so much state sovereignty.

THE KALAYAAN OR SPRATLYS ISSUE

Republic Act 3046 as amended by RA 5446 & RA 9522, known as the Baselines Law which defines the baselines of the territorial seas of the Philippines is flawed as it excludes the Kalayaan Islands from Phl territory. The rationale of legislators for passing this version is that we have to be cautious about any aggressive move with respect to that area. This law must be redrafted to include Kalayaan within our baselines. It is not a question of acquisition. But a question of loss.

THE “REGIME OF ISLANDS” IS A HIGHLY DEBATABLE PROVISION OF UNCLOS(UN

Convention on the Law of the Seas)The whole archipelago is a “regime of islands” which

means that each island generates its own maritime territorial zone but is not an integrated unit. Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao are treated as separate islands. We are an archipelagic state now. Kalayaan is 230 nautical miles off Palawan, and we are closer than China which is 1000 nautical miles away. However, Philippine Senate shot its own feet by ratifying the UNCLOS which sets a limit for ECOZONE within 200 nautical miles

THE US-PHILIPPINES MUTUAL DEFENSE TREATY OF 1951

This treaty is one of the greatest values of American security treaties in peacetime and it clearly shows where American loyalties lie.

The distance between Beijing and the Spratlys is of no concern for the Chinese because China claims the whole South China Sea or 648,000 sq. miles of sea bordering eight countries.

ECONOMIC SECURITY POLICIES

1. Globalization/WTO-DDA(Doha Dev. Agenda)

2. APEC

3. ASEAN

4. JPEPA

5. EU

6. BSP & MB

7. NEDA

MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS (MDG) & NEDA'S MEDIUM TERM PHIL. DEVELOPMENT

PLANS (MTPDP)

“SUNSHINE AREAS” include:

1. BPO 7. Shipbuilding/crewing

2. Tourism 8. Accountancy

3. Health/Medical 9. Engineering

4. Wellness 10. SMEs

5. Hospital Care 11. Microfinance

6. Retirement Programs

POLICIES ON OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS