Philippine foreign policy is rooted in the country's core democratic
values.
These are enshrined in the basic
law of the land to reflect our understanding of our place in the global order.
The Philippines is a friend to all countries and enemy to none. The country
does not seek disputes but it will always protect its interests through
peaceful means that follow international law and based on rules that promote
the equal rights of all nation-states.
The Bases of the Philippine National Interest
It is our values and principles
as a people that define our national interest.
Our Constitution is replete with
principles that we must observe in the conduct of our foreign policy. We are
required to pursue an independent foreign policy which protects our national
sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as promotes the national interest
and our right to self-determination. We have as a nation renounced war as an
instrument of national policy. We have adopted generally accepted principles of
international law as part of the law of the land and we adhere to the policy of
peace, equality, justice, freedom, cooperation, and amity with all nations.
Our historical evolution as a
nation-state has shaped us as a people. Ours is a history full of lessons that
bore into us a deep appreciation and love of democracy and freedom. From our
various liberations from our colonial masters to the first EDSA revolution, we
have time and again proven our commitment to democracy, human rights, human
security and human dignity. Our development as a nation is a testament to our
struggles. That is why we as a people have been open and outward-looking, that
is, we have always and everywhere identified with people who believe that the
international order should be a just one . This order should be based on rules
that are fair and protective of the shared interests of humanity.
Philippine Core Values in Our Foreign Policy
The regional and global security
and economic environment have been in a continuing state of flux. Only through
a reaffirmation of these basic ideals and values will the Philippines be
confident in its continuing quest for security in a world that increasingly
needs stability. As the world also moves towards an economic order that
promotes openness, equity and shared wealth, our democratic values will allow
us to take a leading role in ensuring shared prosperity for all countries. We
have to be consistent in the application of our core values by ensuring that
they are securely embedded in the three pillars of our foreign policy:
protecting our national security, enhancing our economic security, and
protecting the rights and welfare of all Filipinos overseas.
The Philippines' foreign policy
is a reflection of the country's domestic policy. More importantly, our foreign
policy is firmly anchored on the principles of democracy, human rights, good
governance, and the rule of law. In doing so, the well-being of the Filipino
people and society is protected, allowing us to strengthen the foundation of
social stability and to enhance the legitimacy of the state.
Commitment to Our Democratic Principles
In this context, the Philippines
continues to pursue a foreign policy that is not the product of narrow
calculations of national interest nor responsive only to exigent domestic
political pressures. A foreign policy based only in satisfying politically
expedient concerns weakens our international standing and makes us lose our
moral compass.
It is the Filipinos' collective
heritage to defend and uphold these universal values that we have
institutionalized in our laws and policies. Let us not forget that we started
people power in 1986 which precipitated a wave of democratization that
challenged authoritarian regimes in other parts of the world. Our actions as a
people have consistently affirmed that right is might.
In view of our shared democratic
values, the Philippines has always aligned itself with countries that espouse
democracy and freedom.
We have therefore committed our
country to various international norms and rules. In the region, we were among
the founders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) whose mission
was to promote a more peaceful, stable, and free Southeast Asia. We have sought
to make ASEAN a stronger entity by promoting its centrality in our shared
security concerns. Thus the challenges to the security of an ASEAN member-state
should become the collective concern of all member-states as well.
The changing nature of the
challenges to the international order necessitates an affirmation of the
importance of international cooperation. We have to build on our cooperative
endeavors to be able to address challenges to our regional security. Threats to
maritime security presents such a challenge.
To be able to do so, we need to
move beyond our fears and trust in our collective wisdom as reflected in the
documents produced in the ASEAN, and the ASEAN-led mechanisms such as the ASEAN
Plus One meetings with its Dialogue Partners (China, Japan, Republic of Korea,
India, New Zealand, Australia, USA, Russia, Canada, EU), ASEAN Plus Three
meeting (China, Japan and Korea), ASEAN Regional Forum, and the East Asia
Summit. Through these, regional order can be strengthened and norms and rules
of good behavior affirmed for the benefit of all the peoples of Southeast Asia
and the wider Asia Pacific region. We appreciate the assurances of states from
the Atlantic to the Pacific that they are supporting a region which is
rules-based and which follows international law and norms.
While the Philippines is doing
its part in promoting the development of a fair and just international order,
it needs the greater participation of other stakeholders. People from the academe
and civil society are welcome to provide their ideas on how our foreign policy
can be further grounded in our core principles. Relevant research, studies and
cooperation on DFA efforts to promote our national interests and assist our
nationals are necessary as we continuously upgrade our standards to be truly
world class. At the same time, our friends from academia and civil society do
their roles well when they serve as our national conscience with regard to how
we implement our foreign policy.
A Principled Foreign Policy in a Multi-Polar World
The Philippines will seek to
ensure that the international system will be just and fair to all states
regardless of size and relative power. We want it known to the world that we
aspire for a multi-polar world where states act responsibly.
The Philippines must reaffirm its
commitment to improving and achieving human security, environmental security,
and shared economic prosperity. The Philippines must assiduously work with
states in ASEAN and all members of the international community to promote the
shared values of democracy and good governance. The Philippines must protect
the patrimony of the next generations. By doing so we are reaffirming our
adherence to a principled foreign policy.
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