By Farah G. Decano

 

THE tension in the West Philippine Sea is escalating once again. Lately, China has repeatedly fired water cannons at a Philippine vessel that tried to replenish the resources of the BRP docked at the Ayungin Shoal.

The present reaction of the international community is very encouraging. Japan, Australia, Germany, France, South Korea, and the United States, recently expressed their strong concerns about Chinese behavior in this part of the Philippine’s economic zone.

During President Benigno S. Aquino’s time, the Philippines seemed like a little kid lost in unknown territories shouting and whining about Chinese’ aggression against Filipino fishermen and half-sturdy naval vessels.  While the executive department, through then Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte, warned that the continued incursions may trigger the operation of the country’s Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States, the latter’s initial reaction appeared uninterested.

According to a former Philippine Consul-General based in the United States, other countries went on a “wait and see” mode since they were not sure whether the Philippines was really serious in dealing with the issue.  The world community did not immediately trust that our country will stand up for its rights under the UNCLOS.  When the Philippines finally won the case it filed against China before the Arbitral Tribunal, the same official claimed that our country redeemed itself from negative global perceptions that we are a “buyable” nation.  “You see,” he started, “the dossier about the Filipinos is not flattering.”  The consular bureaucrat further claimed that this damaging perception dates back even to the time of the Treaty of Paris.

This ex-official confessed that when the Arbitral Tribunal handed down its ruling in favor of the Philippines, he felt so proud to be a Filipino again.  The last time was in 1986 when the EDSA bloodless revolution happened.  The world estimation of the Filipino became one who was courageous and beyond corruption.  The Consul-General expressed his extreme disappointment that President Rodrigo Duterte reversed the Philippines’ stance as regards China.

Duterte’s foreign relations style was unheard of.  He openly kowtowed to China and Russia, cursed the president of the United States and belittled the Filipino capability by openly acknowledging our lack of war weapons, airplanes, and vessels, if we go to war.  Who says we wanted to go to war?   Who says that international disagreements can be won only through armed conflict?  Nobody said that.  Apparently, only President Duterte did.

During the Duterte presidency, his vloggers and trolls supported his pronouncements and conducted a massive campaign almost brainwashing the Filipinos that there was no way to solve the China issue but through force.  They instilled in the minds of the naïve that our country will easily lose. Hence, tolerance, if not acceptance, was the policy as regards China.

We could have done so much to push Philippine interest since there was already an Arbitral Ruling.  Sadly, President Duterte wasted time and bowed to China.  The fact that the foreign policy of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is now less pro-China makes the other countries, who were previously reticent, bolder in speaking for the enforcement of the decision.  Some countries seek to travel along the navigable area of the West Philippine Sea and cite the ruling as basis.   It just might happen that other countries will win the conflict on our behalf.

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