| Photo by Mohammed Ibrahim on Unsplash
I’m currently in New York for the 79th UN General Assembly high-level meetings, where I will be joined by the Philippine delegation headed by our Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo, DFA Undersecretary Teresa Lazaro, and government officials, including Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman and several others.
In the many years that I have been attending the UNGA, I have not seen how important and consequential the gathering of world leaders, policymakers, and experts is today in New York with severe discussions for global challenges, the likes of which the world has not seen since the turn of the century. Ukraine, the Middle East, the Indo-Pacific region, and climate change are serious challenges today.
Outgoing US President Joe Biden spelled out the situation in his UN speech: “…we are at another inflection point in world history where the choices we make today will determine our future for decades to come.”
He spoke about aggression, extremism, chaos, and cynicism – “the forces that pull our countries apart and the world apart” – even as he encouraged those present that “our task, our test is to make sure that the forces holding us together are stronger than those that are pulling us apart, that the principles of partnership that we came here each year to uphold can withstand the challenges, that the center holds once again.”
The path ahead looks turbulent with the war in Ukraine in its third year, the escalating conflict in the Middle East, and the potential flashpoint in our neck of the woods in the South China Sea.
It would not be an overstatement to say that, indeed, we are living in challenging times, with the Philippines right at the center of the proverbial storm because of the ongoing provocation, harassment, aggression, and dangerous, reckless behavior displayed by China Coast Guard and militia vessels that have earned international condemnation.
President Marcos set the stage for the attention we are currently getting from so many world leaders. That is why there have been so many requests for meetings with Secretary Manalo, who delivered the Philippine statement about addressing global challenges and our position that issues “should be resolved within the framework of peace and cooperation enshrined in the UN Charter.”
President Marcos decided to skip the UN General Assembly this year but hopes to attend the next high-level UN meeting next year. The Philippines is gunning for election to the 2027 UN Security Council.
“There may be dark clouds hanging over us today, but there is also a silver lining: many opportunities are coming our way. We must simply seize the moment before it seizes us.”
In his speech, President Biden emphasized the need to “build a stronger, more effective, and more inclusive United Nations. The UN needs to adapt to bring in new voices and new perspectives. That’s why we support reforming and expanding the membership of the UN Security Council.”
As I said during my interview with Regina Lay, Shawn Yao, and Gretchen Ho for “The Big Story” on One News, we want to be able to talk to as many countries as possible during the side meetings regarding the issue of maritime security and safety, which of course includes the situation in the South China Sea. Many countries at the UN have expressed full support for the Philippines, and many have encouraged our efforts to resolve the contentious issues diplomatically. However, what is significant is that more and more countries are joining the call for China to respect the PCA arbitral award, the rule of law, and, more importantly, the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.
The issue of maritime security encompasses the entire Indo-Pacific region, and these waters are supposed to be free from harassment. No one country should be allowed to dominate the area, considering that trillions of dollars in trade pass through these waters every year. Obviously, freedom of navigation should not be the concern of the Philippines alone but the entire community of nations.
During the One News interview, I was asked about the QUAD meeting and what we stand to gain regarding their support for our part of the region. While there was no specific mention of the Philippines, the fact that they mentioned the South China Sea clearly shows that the QUAD’s concern includes the Philippines, especially in light of the recent incidents in Sabina Shoal involving the China Coast Guard.
Of course, the upcoming US presidential election in November will also be very consequential for the Philippines, mainly due to its global impact and implications for the geopolitical, security, and economic landscape, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.
I’m confident, however, that we have bipartisan support from the US Congress. Fortunately, I served as Ambassador in Washington during President Trump’s term, allowing me to meet most of his key national security advisers. They have all indicated that their Indo-Pacific policies will likely remain the same.
Our bipartisan friends in the US Congress continue to express concern about the continuous Chinese aggression. They all expressed support and indicated they were ready to do what needed to be done to help us secure our territorial waters. I always tell them that modernizing our armed forces is our top priority, together with more economic cooperation and investments from our friends and allies so that, ultimately, we can be a genuine mutual defense partner.
Dark clouds may hang over us today, but there is also a silver lining: many opportunities are coming our way. We must simply seize the moment before it seizes us.
Email: babeseyeview@gmail.com
