A NEW dawn awaits as the United States is perceived to undergo dramatic changes in its political, economic and social arenas under Donald Trump’s presidency. The coming change is also expected to impact not just its people, but America’s relationship with other nations, including with the Philippines.
Under the rapprochement between the U.S. and the Philippines initiated by former Presidents Barack Obama and Benigno Aquino III, economic partnerships and remittances have generated billions of dollars in revenue.
The last few months saw this relationship turn sour when Pres. Rodrigo Duterte berated the U.S. for continuously criticizing his governance over “concerns around rule of law and civil liberties” in his administration.
In December last year, Washington has removed the Philippines from the roster of eligible countries for development assistance under the United States’ Millennium Challenge Corp. (MCC) fund. The country received a total of $434 million in MCC funding from 2010 to 2016.
Irked by the criticisms on his brutal war against illegal drugs and criminality in the country, Duterte warned that he would review all military agreements with the Americans and scrap joint drills that, he claimed, were only beneficial to Americans.
Upon the inauguration of Trump as the 45th U.S. president on Friday, Jan. 20, Filipino officials recognized the turnover of power to improve Manila-Washington relations.
“We view transitions as opportunities to further relations. The U.S. and the Philippines are treaty allies and we are ready to work on bolstering this alliance on the basis of sovereign equality and mutual respect,” declared Patrick Chuasoto, chargé d’affaires ad interim of the Philippine embassy, in a statement.
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said that the Philippines and the U.S. can have a “placid and mutually beneficial relationship” as longtime allies.
“Our diplomatic ties need to reflect our long-standing relationship but under terms and conditions that protect our people’s interests,” Abella said.
In early December, Duterte made a congratulatory phone call to Trump, where both leaders said that they are looking forward to seeing each other at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit this year.
Duterte assured that after their seven-minute conversation, he felt a rapport with his American counterpart and that bilateral ties were intact.
May this renewed partnership not reverse the concessions made by their predecessors. May it facilitate more dynamic and stable domestic economies, both addressing the needs of both their people. May it bring more bring political, economic, and strategic benefits to both Filipinos and Americans. (AJPress)
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