OMG, PDU30 will cut out USA!

By Ermin Garcia Jr.

 

NOT a few, including relatives in US, have asked us about our thoughts on the recent dramatic and unprecedented, ‘unpresidential’ statements of PDU30 while in China.

The questions were mostly apprehensions about possible consequences, if indeed, PHL cuts ties with USA all because PDU30 said so.

We ask: How dare he make the PHL break ties with USA, our old and reliable ally? Is he not aware of the consequences? Doesn’t he realize that our economy needs the US and not vice-versa? Why pick China and Russia over USA when their goods are poor in quality and substandard? Etc… etc..

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REMEMBER HEN. LUNA? Many of us have been easy to condemn PDU30 for threatening to take us out of our comfort zone.

Yet, we who watched ‘Heneral Luna’ the movie left the theaters feeling good and proud of the legacy of Antonio Luna, the nationalist hero. We had nothing but scorn for the characters that didn’t share Luna’s fight and patriotism, particularly those who insisted on accepting the terms of our early colonizers – the Spanish and the Americans.

In a sense, given by our knee jerk reactions to PDU30’s declarations, aren’t we being confronted with the same issues that Luna and the country faced then?  The only difference is two centuries ago we were colonized by countries that needed to expand their influence and resources, today we are colonized by our worldly needs in our comfort zones.

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CANNY POLITICO. I am not privy to PDU30’s mind and plans. Like most everyone, I feel vulnerable and helpless against the powers of geopolitics, impact of climate change, and one’s lifeline. Like most, nothing I do can change or influence what could be inevitable.

So for whatever it’s worth, here’s my sense from all that I can understand about what’s before us.

1. PDU30 is not the inexperienced political leader that most are beginning to

believe. He’s street-smart. He understands social and economic problems at the micro level. He was a prosecutor steeped in legal issues whether in local or national level. He knows his stuff and he knows his domestic and world history.

1. PDU30 was very transparent during the campaign to the point that he

encouraged voters not to vote for him if anyone disagreed with his thoughts and vision. Then he often said (like a broken record) that he’s “willing to stake my life, my honor and my presidency” when he does things for the country.“ Why? “Because I love my country!” Clichés? Not if you consider the fact that none of his predecessors since President Garcia mouthed anything close to his mantra.

1. PDU30 understands the nuances of local media and perhaps initially

underestimated the national and world media. But he learned quick enough to understand that statements he makes out of sheer bluster are merely fodder for daily consumption.

Note: Weren’t we shocked when he narrated his reaction to the Papal visit, to the

hostages who raped of the Australian woman, to the US state department’s and UN’s statement on “extra judicial killings,” to the comparison with Hitler and the Jews? In time, the statements were clarified and we were mollified. Why? Because it was simply all about the news of the day!

A canny politico that he is, PDU30 continues his usual bluster today because he knows it does not translate to permanent policies unless he issues an executive fiat, fully notarized and acknowledged by established government institutions.

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NOT POSSIBLE. Now comes PDU30’s totally unexpected and shocking declaration in front of the Chinese government, (and for the whole world to know) that he’s cutting PHL ties with the USA, militarily and economically. Whoa!

My reaction?  Read my item 3.  His declaration was nothing but a reiteration of his vision to the world that PHL is no longer beholden to any country, that PHL is free to choose its allies depending on what is offered as an opportunity for mutual benefit.

Will PHL be breaking ties with the USA tomorrow? Seriously doubt that. PDU30 knows too well he cannot abrogate any treaty without concurrence from Congress. China and USA know this as well. It was all for show. It’s about leveraging.  Note that China did not light fireworks in the sky over his statement. And USA shrugged it off with a terse statement – “We have not received any formal advice.” And guess who made a quick clarification this time? Finance Sec. Sonny Dominguez.

In a nutshell, even assuming PDU30 is raring to cut ties with the USA, Congress cannot allow it to happen because it is too much of an emotional issue. A more priority measure will be the amendment of the Constitution. Also, China really couldn’t care less if a treaty with the USA is abrogated because the new alliance with PHL is enough for its expansion agenda. And the USA? It’s not worried a bit because it knows it has shown a lot of goodwill over the decades.

All that can be expected from PDU30’s recent declaration would be a lot of meetings by our diplomats with their counterparts in China and USA (next, Russia?)  and little else. No alliances are broken, they are strengthened. For now, PDU30 deserves credit for the political and economic goodies he wrangled from China which otherwise could never been had if he sustained his predecessors’ view of geopolitics. 

My advice to friends: Take things in stride. Stop watching out for PDU30 like we watch Pacquiao every round or you will end up a nervous wreck by Christmas Day. 

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COUNT OUR BLESSINGS. Look around us. It’s time to count our blessings.

The week that passed could have been hell for us all if Pangasinan found itself directly in the path of Typhoons Karen and Lawin. Images of massive destruction suffered by our neighboring provinces should be enough to remind us that we’re lucky to have been spared.

If we were in their shoes, thousands would have been homeless today. We would be seeing long lines of evacuees queuing for food. Power interruption would be frequent as fallen posts need to be replaced. Many towns would be inaccessible because of damaged bridges and eroded roads. Farmlands will be flooded for weeks. Offices and banks would be closed. God knows how many would have died from drowning or being swept away in rampaging waters.

Close to home, we would have friends and relatives in distress. We would be desperate to charge our cellphones and laptops. Sure there would be a lot of prematurely harvested fish from flooded ponds but vegetables would be scarce and expensive. Books of students and pupils would be missing if not damaged, etc.

Those are just a few of the things and situations that could have been but which we are not suffering from today. Yet these thoughts escape us today.

Most of us simply go our merry ways, casually charging our phones and laptops, surfing the internet, posting and reviewing our Facebook accounts, shopping for our weekly family consumption, etc.  We take time to talk and debate about Duterte’s ‘scary’ statements, the latest about Barangay Ginebra’s exciting win, the latest gossip about TV idols – who’s who with whom, etc.

That we can do all these should give us pause to think that we owe these occasions to others that took the toll in our stead. We owe them our prayers, and our help with whatever we can share.

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