Its been the centerpiece of the Duterte Administration
with respect to its foreign relations to be friends with everyone and enemy to
none, which in essence the true “independent foreign policy” as enshrined in
the 1987 Constitution.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is credited for
making the diplomatic ties with China warm again a direct contrast then with
the previous administration headed by former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino
III.
Scarborough shoal and the rest of the area in the
West Philippine Sea which was a traditional fishing ground by the country has
been opened up again without being openly harassed by Chinese Coast Guard
vessels.
 |
| DFA Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., during the Asia Society forum (screengrabbed from youtube) |
But along side the warmer relations with China is
the robust and very pro-active bilateral relations between Japan and the
Philippines, which has been doubt as the ‘Golden age of relations between both
countries.”
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary
Teodoro Locsin Jr., told the audience in the United Nations Sustainable
Development Summit, speaking before the Asia Society that the Philippines has
benefited more from Japan than China despite closer ties with the latter.
He was asked by former Australian Prime Minister
Kevin Rudd about the Philippines-China relations, he said, “Yes, we sign up to
this and that agreement but they hardly materialize."
“They hardly materialize and if you would compare
to Japanese investments and official assistance—[it's] nothing,” Locsin said of
the Philippines' agreements with China.
Locsin explains that the Japanese government was “pouring
it in” with assistance. He made this remark during a discussion with Asia Society
in New Yok City, Rudd is the policy institute president of the said Society.
“If there is
such a thing as a rising China, there’s apparently a phenomenon… of a rising
Japan and we’re feeling that,” he said.
“Not only
that but military assistance. We get what…10 [military] ships?”
Government Data from the National Economic and
Development Authority (NEDA) shows that Japan’s total official development
assistance (ODA) as of March 19 was at $8.26 billion, which is 46 percent of
the total ODA that the Philippines has received.
China is in eight place in terms of ODA fund source
of the Philippines, Japan tops the list followed by World Bank, Asian
Development Bank (ADB), the United States, Korea, Australia, and the United
Nations.
China’s total ODA to the Philippines is at $364
million or only 2 percent of total ODA.
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