PHILIPPINE FOREIGN POLICY:
IN PURSUIT OF A JUST AND ENDURING PEACE
H.E. ALBERT F. DEL ROSARIO
Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines
Philippine Conference
Washington DC, 26 September 2012
Dr. John Hamre, President of the CSIS
Our good friends Asst Secretary Kurt Campbell and Asst Secretary Mark Lippert,
Secretary Cesar Purisima,
Secretary Lilia de Lima,
Ambassador Joey Cuisia,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Let
me begin by expressing my warmest thanks to the CSIS and the US
Philippines Society for jointly organizing this inaugural Philippine
Conference. We believe that your initiative signals that American
attention is once again moving out east, towards the Western Pacific
and the maritime margins of eastern Asia.
The
geo-strategists would present this as part of the new U.S. strategic
pivot to Asia. Business leaders would argue that such a shift is
logical, given the increasing geo-economic weight of East Asia. We,
however, prefer to see this as America's coming home. The United States
has been a Pacific power with vital interests in Asia for more than a
century. And we, in the Philippines, certainly welcome this rediscovery
of your Eastern connections.
May
we also say that America's renewed regard for the Asia-Pacific is met
by a rising Philippines. Under the visionary and determined leadership
of H.E. President Benigno S, Aquino, III, the Philippines has embarked
on a new era of reform and reinvigoration that touches all fields.
President
Aquino has inaugurated a national strategy of competitiveness and
inclusive growth, enshrined in his Social Contract with the Filipino
People. His efforts are already earning dividends. The Aquino
Administration is fighting corruption. It is cleaning out the
government. Good governance is now the main organizing principle. More
people than ever before are included in economic development through
directed social support intervention measures and intensified job
generation. At this juncture, let me just emphasize that good
governance and transparency are being translated into good economics.
And the Philippines' economic numbers will speak for themselves, as our
government economic managers I am sure will tell you.
Early
fruits are ready for harvest. The country remains stable in
macroeconomic terms. Business confidence in the Philippines is rising.
The horizon for investment is bright.
This
is reflected in our foreign relations, where the Philippines follows a
policy of reaching out to all who seek partnership with us in all
fields.
We
pursue a confident policy of openness, engagement and partnership in a
world of deep economic uncertainty, an unclear security environment and
intense globalization. We aim to meet this world in terms of three
action areas: safeguarding our national security; enhancing national
development through economic diplomacy; and protecting the rights and
welfare of every Filipino overseas.
In
order to attain these goals, with respect to our immediate regions in
Southeast Asia, East Asia and the Western Pacific, we believe that
dialogue and cooperation to maintain broad and enduring stability is
essential for the continued pursuit of growth and development. Without
such stability, our individual and collective endeavors to improve the
lives of our people may be severely compromised.
The
Philippines, therefore, is active in efforts to erect the political,
security and economic architecture for the emerging world of the 21st
Century. Towards this end, the Philippines has been continuously active
in ASEAN, in ASEAN's dialogue relationships, in the ARF, and in EAS. In
2015, the Philippine will host the 2015 APEC Summit.
As
regards, regional security, the Philippines has been supportive of
confidence-building and even preventive diplomacy within the context of
the ARF. We joined with our ASEAN partners in crafting the Code of
Conduct in the South China Sea, which China agreed to subsequently
join. We have utilized ASEAN's dialogue relationships to deepen
engagement and mutually beneficial linkages in many non-security areas
that enhance the general atmosphere of regional amity and cooperation.
Clearly,
however, these prudential measures have not been sufficient. The
tensions generated in and near the West Philippine Sea (WPS) are stark
reminders of the work that still has to be done by many of us.
There
is a wise saying that good fences make good neighbors. Drawing this to
heart, the Philippines has been taking steps to build a minimum
credible defense posture sufficient to defend the nation's boundaries
and sovereignty at sea. Our posture is and will remain entirely
defensive in this regard.
Our
foreign policy is also focused on the promotion and attainment of
economic security through the mobilization of external resources for
economic advancement and social development. Our economic diplomacy
program firmly supports President Aquino's goal of poverty alleviation
and the creation of employment through good governance.
Development
and poverty alleviation are our most urgent nation-building priorities
today. Foreign policy has to incorporate this. When we were appointed
as Secretary of Foreign Affairs, we immediately directed a renewed
economic diplomacy drive to increase exports, raise investment, expand
tourism, upgrade technology and create more jobs at home.
We are re-tooling the Philippine Foreign Service to be the overseas arm of our economic diplomacy drive. In the 21st
Century, the business of diplomacy must include business promotion in
the public interest. We have also made sure that officers of the
Department of Foreign Affairs have the right tools for this economic
diplomacy effort. We have entered into a formal partnership with the
Asian Institute of Management to ensure proper training for our
Ambassadors, Career Ministers and even the Honorary Consuls Generals.
Believing that systematic inputs will ultimately result in positive
outputs, we have set input targets and are closely monitoring the
performance of our Posts.
Migration
is another major front that must engage Philippine foreign policy. The
Philippines is one of the largest source nations of migrants in the
world today. Some 9 million Filipinos, around 10 percent of our total
population, live or work overseas. They make tremendous contributions
to the well-being and economic health not only of the Philippines but
more so of their host countries. For this reason, the Philippines'
basic strategy is to cooperate with host nations and with international
organizations so that shared responsibilities to care for all migrants
are respected and fulfilled.
We
have often told the story of how, within hours of being sworn in as
Secretary of Foreign Affairs, we were off to Libya on the first of
several trips to repatriate our people affected by the Arab Spring. In
a break with the tradition that the Foreign Secretary first visits the
countries were we have the closest relations, my first official travel
was to where our countrymen were in the greatest danger.
Since
then, we have repatriated over 11,000 Filipinos from many countries
including Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Syria, Japan and New Zealand, either due
to civil strife or natural disasters. While many countries have closed
their Embassies in Damascus because of the deteriorating situation in
Syria, we have increased our presence there primarily to extend
protection to our workers and facilitate their repatriation.
But
in our quest for just and enduring peace, we must consider certain
specific commitments that reinforce our efforts and give further
substance to our results. Let me now discuss some of these.
First, is the Philippine commitment to principle. The
Philippine constitution states clearly that "the State shall pursue an
independent foreign policy." Some have taken this to mean an
arms-length approach to interaction with the external sphere and an
inward-looking development strategy
Yet
there is for me no inherent contradiction between our regional and
global integration thrusts and the faithful implementation of an
independent foreign policy. Our national interest is best served by
being in and not apart from this world, by sitting at the conclaves of
nations drafting global rules rather than standing outside.
Thus
we encourage the increased contacts, communication and trade, and
interaction among our people. We are part of the emerging community
that is ASEAN, a long standing ally of the US, and close partners of
our neighbors in the region. In multilateral fora, we stand with our
partners in the Group of 77 and in the Non-Aligned Movement. But as we
nurture our traditional alliances and forge new partnerships, we
continue to pursue a path that is uniquely ours.
As
the first democracy in all of Asia, the Philippines has deeply rooted
democratic values, and the protection and promotion of these values are
evident in our relations with other nations. In the conduct of our
diplomacy, we stand for the observance of the rule of law, and for the
preservation of democracy and its institutions.
As
a Charter Member of the United Nations, the Philippines vigorously
promoted all decolonization efforts and staunchly stood with the rest
of the Global South to champion the cause of development.
In
the region, we sought to make ASEAN a stronger entity by promoting its
centrality in our shared security concerns. More importantly, we were
a major advocate in establishing the ASEAN Charter, with a vision of
making ASEAN a rules-based organization capable of strengthening norms
and rules of good behavior, for the region and the Asia-Pacific as a
whole.
Second, is the Philippine commitment to peace.
Our Constitution enshrines the renunciation of war as an instrument of
national policy, and we have been active contributors to the cause of
peace. Hundreds of men and women from our Armed Forces and National
Police have served in UN mission areas since the first Filipino
peacekeepers were deployed 50 years ago in the Congo. There are
presently 922 military and police personnel serving as military
observers, staff officers, police officers and members of formed
contingents in Cote d'Ivoire, Darfur, the Golan Heights, Haiti,
Kashmir, Liberia, South Sudan and Timor-Leste.
Our
work in the area of non proliferation is another evidence of our
country's dedication to the cause of peace. We are among the original
ASEAN members behind the SEANWFZ [shawn fez], and we have
been unceasing in our efforts to get the P-5 onboard this regional
initiative. As Chair of the 2010 NPT Review Conference, we succeeded in
rallying the parties behind a landmark outcome document, specifically a
64-point Action Plan, which spells out concrete steps to be taken
towards disarmament.
Third, is the Philippine commitment to the People.
As we mentioned earlier, the presence of millions of Filipinos all over
the world has enriched the fabric of our diplomacy. Earlier this year,
the Philippines deposited in Geneva its instruments of ratification for
the Maritime Labor Convention and the Decent Work for Domestic Workers.
Our ratification will bring these two key international instruments
that protect millions of migrants into force and effect next year.
The
Philippines is an original member of the UN Human Rights Council and
has acceded to eight of the major international human rights treaties.
Last month, the Philippines' second Universal Periodic Review (UPR)
report was adopted by consensus in the Human Rights Council. This
manifest the world's good regard for human rights in the Philippines,
and inspires us to seek more improvements from ourselves and for our
region and the world in cooperation with our partners.
Yet
beyond looking after the welfare of our own people, we are equally
zealous in the promotion of human rights, human security and human
dignity.
In
ASEAN, the Philippines has led many key people-centered initiatives. We
have been at the forefront in the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission
on Human Rights, the ASEAN Commission for the Promotion and Protection
of the Rights of Women and Children, the draft ASEAN Convention on
Trafficking in Persons and an envisaged ASEAN Declaration on Human
Rights.
We
have also made it our priority to send a judge to the International
Criminal Court, a token of our ardent desire to actively participate in
ending impunity, and ensuring that perpetrators of the most serious
crimes against humanity are brought to justice.
Fourth, the Philippine commitment to progress. Traditional
Philippine diplomacy came out of the Cold War with all that it
implies. Since then, Philippine foreign policy has evolved to include
not just new partnerships, but also new avenues for engagement and
cooperation. The emergence of new transnational issues, such as
disaster risk reduction, pandemics, drugs and human trafficking have
compelled us to reach out to our neighbors and collaborate in
addressing these common threats.
As
part of our progressive and forward looking policy, we have also
pioneered innovative interchanges for greater international
understanding, such as in interreligious and intercultural dialogue.
We have these dialogues within the United Nations and at the regional
level.
These
principles also drive the revitalization of our relations with the US.
Sixty one years after we codified our alliance under the Mutual Defense
Treaty, the United States remains our only treaty ally and one of only
two strategic allies. The U.S. is our largest source of official
development assistance in terms of grants, our second largest trading
partner, our second largest in terms of inward tourism, and our third
largest source of direct investments. The US is also home to the
largest population of Filipinos living outside our country.
In
the context of the present regional challenges, our good friend Ernie
Bower has described US and Philippine interests as "having converged to
create an alignment of interests that has reinvigorated the alliance."[1]
We
may at times disagree, indeed, as do all allies or even members of the
same family. Yet at all times, though we do disagree, we stay together
on the fundamental questions because of our shared history and values
that continue to animate our respective national visions of who we are
and where we should go as peoples. Ours are democratic, open and
liberal societies. We have traditions of free speech, inclusiveness
and egalitarianism that set us apart from so many others. This is the
cement of an alliance that can endure many crises.
Of
course, we have friendships with other countries that have their own
special characteristics. We have long-standing ties with China, and
extensive historical people-to-people links. The President's family for
example, traces their roots to an ancestor from Fujian province in
China. China is our third largest trading partner, and investments
from both sides remain robust.
Undoubtedly,
we are at a very challenging period in our relations, but as we have
said before, the issue in the West Philippine Sea does not constitute
the sum total of our relations with China. While we are working to
strengthen other areas of the bilateral relations, we will not hesitate
to speak out to protect our legitimate national interests.
In
ASEAN, we have also successfully managed bilateral differences using
these principles and we remain on track towards the goal of building an
ASEAN Community in 2015.
The
events that transpired in Cambodia during the Ministerial Meetings in
July were described by some as a success for those who want to break
ASEAN solidarity. We would like to view these events as tests to ASEAN
unity, and believe that by intensifying dialogue, we can learn from
these experiences and come out stronger. After all, as President Aquino
said in remarks he delivered to the diplomatic corps in the Philippines
earlier this year, in a world where the challenges of today may compel
nations to look inwards, there is need for the community of nations to
work together in amity and in peace.[2]
Nonetheless,
the West Philippine Sea remains focus of concern for the Philippines,
for the region and for international community. The WPS is naturally a
core national interest of the Philippines. As we have maintained many
times before, a rules-based approach is the only legitimate and viable
way to address the WPS issue.
To
implement a rules-based approach, the Philippines has formulated a
comprehensive foreign policy approach which is composed of three
tracks: the political, the diplomatic and the legal.
For
the political track, our objective is to transform the area into a Zone
of Peace, Freedom, Friendship and Cooperation (ZoPFF/C). We want to
establish an actionable framework to define, clarify, and segregate, in
accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS), the disputed and non-disputed areas of the West Philippine
Sea. This would pave the way for feasible cooperation between ASEAN
and China in the medium-term.
For
the diplomatic track, we continue to keep channels of discussions with
China open. Last month, we travelled to Beijing where we had the
occasion to meet with my counterpart, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.
This shows that high-level contact is being maintained.
For the legal track, we continue to study and evaluate the possible availment of the dispute settlement mechanisms under UNCLOS.
Given
the many interests involved, furthermore, the Philippines maintains the
utility of submitting maritime disputes in the region, including the
WPS, to multilateral discussions in appropriate fora, in accordance
with international law, specifically UNCLOS. These parameters have the
full support of many countries including the United States, Australia,
Japan, the European Union, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, and our
various ASEAN neighbors.
Finally,
because the region's maritime disputes can have global implications, we
also feel it is important for the broader public to understand what is
happening. Public discussions, such as what we are having today, are
important for this purpose.
But
let me make it clear: our foreign policy does not seek to isolate one
country, nor even force the resolution of a dispute. Our core interest
lies in being able to contribute to ensuring that the global security
and economic system is based firmly on the rule of law. We are firmly
committed to helping build an international system that will be just
and fair to all states, regardless of economic size or power.
We
have no doubt that this perspective has broad support in the United
States. As a naval power, a maritime nation and a global business
center, the United States has a vested interest in the long-term peace
and stability of the region.
We
welcome recent US statements on the South China Sea. America's counsel
is always valued, especially if it helps calm the situation, just as
America's presence is important to maintain the regional balance.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Let
us not be prisoners of the old history of conflict in our region. With
clear vision and firm resolve, we can imbibe the spirit of a new age of
dialogue and cooperation to contain and resolve our differences. The
countries of the region and the United States all have the same
interest in our region's continued growth and prosperity, which must be
protected from uncertainties and instability.
In
that noble endeavor, we are happy to note that the Philippines and the
United States can build on their long-standing record of friendship and
make new contributions for the common interest of peace and security
for all in our region.
Thank you very much.
[1]
Ernest Bower and Prashanth Parameswaran, "President Aquino's US Visit
will Cap Revitalization of Alliance", CSIS Critical Questions, 4 June
2012
[2] President Bengino S. Aquino, remarks at the Vin D'honneur, 12 June 2012
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