The Philippines needs a response to this
political reality of rival advocacies, clashing priorities and multiple
agendas. As part of this response, the Philippines must develop as many
platforms as possible from which to project a positive image of itself and of
the Philippine-American alliance.
“For decades the Philippines has
been the Cinderella of Southeast Asia. In a figurative sense, her wicked
stepsisters in the rest of Southeast Asia get all the attention, often because
they are so poorly behaved but also because they have become fat by following
export-led growth strategies. ASEAN and the ASEAN Regional Forum feature the
pronouncements of Indonesia and Singapore but the Pinoy Cinderella is barely
invited to the ball and seldom receives the attention she deserves from either
investors or policy makers.” That quote is from my friend Professor Karl
Jackson, director of Asian Studies, John Hopkins SAIS. That is quite true in
the case of the failure to have an ASEAN communiqué discussing the West Philippine
Sea issue.
Until recently, the Philippines
has been taken for granted by the United States. Worse, we were always applied
higher standards concerning human rights, and corruption than the rest of Asia.
Elite aggrandizement and graft were openly embellished with regard to us but
applied by a lower standard when it came to countries such as Vietnam,
Cambodia, Afghanistan, etc. Our elections were highlighted by the violence
rather than the fact that it was regularly held since 1946. Unfortunately thanks
to the internet and social media, we have been tarred with an old image despite
a positive change in perception in the recent past.
Today, the perception locally and
abroad is optimistic with the Aquino administration firmly in place. Many
believe that the people placed in power a non-traditional politician as their
president. The Singapore Straits Times had an article which stated: “Analysts
credit this to the improved image under President Aquino’s drive for clean
government, steady corporate earnings and low interest rates, and the
administration’s careful management of the budget deficit.” Hopefully, the
recent “Puno/ DILG scandal” will not detract from the President’s daang
matuwid.
The challenge
The government should try to
promote “a new Philippines” in word and deed. Changing long-held, lack-luster
perceptions of the Philippines must begin in Washington and requires an
unorthodox strategy. Lobbyists can be useful up to a point. The Embassy, with
its limited resources does its best but they are obviously perceived as
entirely self-interested as is their responsibility. The establishment of the
US-Philippines Society is a perfect response to the challenge the country has.
In fact it provides the opportunity to promote a credible positive image since
it will be independent of government and its financial support will be from the
private sector of the Philippines and US. The readership will recall that I
wrote about the Society last month.
The next step would be to create
a Philippine Studies Center hosted by a reputable university in Washington.
Such a Center would raise the profile of the Philippines through: (i)
organizing a series of public events;(ii) increasing the flow of Filipino
students and other graduate programs; (iii) sending second/third generation
Filipino Americans to the Philippines on internships; (iv) sponsoring
international conferences in Washington and Manila designed to attract
government officials and business community as well as academics and
journalists; (v) creating an intellectual buzz about Philippine studies across
the US; (vi) providing fellowships to American graduate students to encourage
them to learn Pilipino and become lifelong specialists on the Philippines.
Clearly, there is an overlap
between what I have described above and the US-Philippine Society objectives.
Perhaps, the Philippine Studies Center should be under the umbrella of the
Society. But what I would like to emphasize is that this Center will provide academic
credibility.
Relations with China
If we are to enhance our
relationship with the United States, there is also an urgent need to generate
the right image of our country with China and a greater understanding of our
culture and politics as well as an appreciation of our historical links.
Subject to cultural sensitivities and mores of the Chinese, I would also
suggest that we pursue a similar strategy – exchange of academics and scholars,
public events and joint publications – under the auspices of a Philippine
Studies Center. Ideally, the Center should be established in Shanghai or
Beijing, either as an independent institution or linked to a major university.
It would seem to me that the Filipino-Chinese community would be very
supportive of such an endeavor. A counterpart institution, a China Studies
Center, could similarly be established in the Philippines.
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