Major Concerns of Philippine Foreign Policy

Last Monday we discussed about the major concerns of Philippine Foreign policy which includes: regional arrangement, multilateral organizations, Territorial rights, direct foreign investments and our country’s tourism. First on the list was the regional arrangement and multilateral organizations wherein the Philippines must promote its national interest in regional arrangements and multilateral organization through DEVELOPMENT DIPLOMACY which focuses also in Trade, Investment and Technology transfer. Diplomatic initiative will be pursued through active involvement and participation in negotiations in the multilateral trading to promote country’s interest in agriculture, rules of origin, non-tariff barriers, infrastructure projects and intellectual property matters. The country will continue to support peacekeeping operations of the UN in war torn areas such as Kosovo, East Timor, Liberia, Haiti and Sudan. The government shall also continue to actively participate the regional as well as the international cooperation exercises that seek to echo its concern for the rights of the child, women and in general , human rights as well as to address transnational crimes. It shall pursue the strengthening of the legislation and legal frameworks as well as the structures of the institutions involved in the right against domestic and transnational crimes.

Next on the list is about the Territorial rights. One bright idea I have learned is that Mindanao is surrounded by their 112 barangays on its borders which is enough to from an independent state. On the other hand, a Philippines territorial right mainly focuses on the issue of South China Sea which is been claimed by several countries such as Philippines, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan which have conflicting ideas over the sea and some part of it. The Philippines policy towards the South China Sea adheres to the 2002 ASEAN-China declaration conduct in the South China Sea whereby parties agreed to settle disputes by a peaceful and friendly manner and so Philippines and China agreed to transform the South China Sea from a region of conflict to cooperation wherein these countries will share on sea research. The Armed Forces of the Philippines shall ensure the national sovereignty and territorial integrity and also meet the challenges of the international terrorism and other threats to national security and should also exert efforts to address the root causes of terrorism.

In direct foreign investment and tourism, Infrastructures and export oriented enterprises must also be promoted which involves infrastructures, health care, technology, mining, electronics, automotive, while Europe along with US, China, Japan and ASEAN will be sources of Direct foreign investments, technology transfer and trade through Development Diplomacy. However, the country’s Tourist spots shall be enhancing as tourism hubs.