PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte is among the world leaders who congratulated United States President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris after their projected win in the 2020 presidential election.
“On behalf of the Filipino nation, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte wishes to extend his warm congratulations to former Vice President Joseph ‘Joe’ Biden on his election as the new President of the United States of America,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.
Roque also assured that the Philippines will continue its commitment to enhancing its relations with the U.S.
“The Philippines and the United States have long-standing bilateral relations and we are committed to further enhancing the relations with the United States under the Biden administration,” he said.
“We look forward to working closely with the new administration of President-elect Biden anchored on mutual respect, mutual benefit, and shared commitment to democracy, freedom and the rule of law,” he added. “Congratulations and we wish him all the best.”
Biden on Saturday, Nov. 7 emerged victorious after securing the necessary 270 electoral votes to win in the elections.
California Sen. Harris, Biden’s running mate, meanwhile made history as the nation’s first Black and South Asian woman to be elected as vice president.
Shared ideals
Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo likewise congratulated Biden and Harris for winning the elections.
“My warmest congratulations to President-elect Joe Biden and VP-elect Kamala Harris!” she said in a tweet on Sunday.
“Your victory is an affirmation of the shared ideals on which the long friendship between our two nations stand: democracy, civil rights, faith, and inclusivity. I pray for your success!” she added.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, for his part, said the country is ready to work with the U.S. under the new administration.
“Our foreign policy is simple. Our foreign policy has been, friend to all, enemy to none… I think we have built strong diplomatic relations with the United States,” he said.
“We will look after our countrymen in the US, our countrymen who are working or studying there. We are concerned about their condition during the time of COVID. We will continue to work with the United States as we do with other countries,” he added.
Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo also reiterated that the ties between the Philippines and the U.S. will not see any major changes.
“Contrary to the doomsayers, the diplomatic landscape between the United States and the Philippines will not be radically altered by the election of a democrat President, given that a few democrat senators have at one time expressed opposition to — and castigated the Duterte administration — for its alleged human rights violations, brought about by the unrelenting peddling of disinformation of the critics and detractors,” he said.
“The foreign policy of PRRD of ‘friends to all and enemies to none’ remains. The special relations nurtured by the warm ties between the two countries that saw them in alliance in many battles will be in constant flame. All fields of endeavour will be harnessed for the mutual benefit and interest of the two allies,” Panelo added.
