Christopher Maboloc
Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s approach to the problem concerning the West Philippine Sea was rooted on real politics. The Philippines is in no position to challenge China. The arbitral ruling in The Hague had no bearing whatsoever to the realistic outcome of the issue. The position that is taken by most political pundits in the capital is just but hardly enforceable. But the same lacks the wisdom of prudent judgment. After Xi Jinping mentioned that the Chinese navy should protect the interest of the world’s second largest economy, some analysts now say that they hope Xi is being rhetorical. The point of the matter is that President Duterte’s friendly approach to China was meant to protect national interest. Above all else, the most strategic way is to maintain the status quo. Our claim stays but we need not go far.
The provocative action on the part of either parties will not do good to the Filipino people. The statements issued by our national leaders about strengthening our territorial defense is the real rhetoric. The country is hardly able to provide assistance to the poorest among us in times of calamities. A big part of the population remains impoverished while some politicians are busy positioning themselves for 2025 and beyond. In fact, many are embroiled in the politics of our times, which is actually about retribution. The liberals appear to have the desire to resurrect their relevance and they are doing just that by suspending their criticism of the BBM government for now. While they assert the importance of defending the country, it should be discernable that we actually stand no chance against China in any real war.
If these pundits don’t really mean that conflict is possible, that is violent conflict, then what is the point of their strong stance which actually puts the country in peril, especially the powerless among us. The report that some civilians up North are being trained for the defense of the country against foreign aggression offers no comfort. Whatever the say, the practical aspect of the problem will be disadvantageous to the Philippines, even if they suggest that the US, NATO or Japan will come to our aid. The only moral position on the issue is to maintain the peace. The Philippines should learn from Ukraine, While NATO is saying that it is helping Ukraine, imagine the destruction it has suffered from the present war.
Samuel Huntington has written that the clash of civilization is a cultural war. But the determinant of world history is not that. If we examine the present state of affairs, the conflicts in the world today emanate from Great Power politics. The differences in the way people live is not the biggest problem facing human society. It is the madness of some leaders that has ruined the future for millions of people. The reality in the world is that of global hegemony. The unmoved mover in this story is the supreme military might of our enemy, if push comes to shove. This does not mean that we must not do anything. The proper approach is to maintain diplomatic channels and to talk things out with our ASEAN neighbors. The Philippines cannot solve this problem unilaterally.
Huntington thought that “spurred by modernization, global politics is being reconfigured along cultural lines.” This means that peoples and countries who live by the same moral codes find themselves united by a common goal or enemy. The concept of the nation state, in this way, is a question of the technology of power rather than an account of old conflicts or political ideologies. But there is a gap in Huntington’s thought. One big reason for the wars around the world today is the reality of powerful countries acting like overlords due to their hegemonic advantage. The glaring facts remain – millions of people are suffering, tens of thousands have died, including women and children. In this way, the right approach to the West Philippine Sea is that of caution. Our leaders should be mature enough to listen to the voice of ordinary people. For after all, it is the interest of public that they ought to protect. (Ryan Maboloc)