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Farmers group slams Marcos’ importation plan 

BW FILE PHOTO

A FARMERS group denounced the government’s importation plan for agricultural goods, saying the entry of onions, rice, and sugar from other countries to increase supply has not been effective in bringing down prices.    

“Importation is a solution for the lazy,” the Kilusang Mambubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said in Filipino in a statement on Monday as they, along with consumer and other advocacy groups, held a protest outside the Department of Agriculture head office in Quezon City.  

“What we should strengthen is local food production, not importation,” KMP said.  

The group cited that while onion prices have dropped to P340 to P550 per kilogram (/k), this is still higher than the P250/k retail price suggested by the government. Refined sugar prices range from P90-P100/k, while egg prices are at P8-P10 a piece. 

“It seems that egg prices will end up costing P20 first than a kilogram of rice,” the group said, citing a campaign promise made by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to bring the staple’s price to P20/k under his administration.  

On Jan. 6, Mr. Marcos approved the importation of over 22,000 metric tons of onions, supposedly to meet high demand and pull-down prices. The Bureau of Plant Industry said 12,417 metric tons of rice arrived in the country during the first week of 2023, while the Agriculture department talked of plans to import 64,050 metric tons of sugar.  

KMP said the country actually has enough onion supply, but smugglers and cartels are manipulating market supply and prices.  

“Significant agricultural subsidies and other forms of support to onion growers like access to markets, free and public cold storage facilities, to name a few, could have mitigated the cartel abuse in onions,” the group said. 

The Senate has started investigations on soaring onion prices while the House of Representatives will conduct its own probe next week. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz 

DMW plans to repatriate 300 Filipinos living in Kuwait temporary shelters 

THE DEPARTMENT of Migrant Workers (DMW) is planning to repatriate at least 300 Filipino workers currently staying in temporary Philippine government-run shelters in Kuwait, according to a department official.  

At an online press briefing on Monday, Migrant Workers Undersecretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac said he is in Kuwait with labor officials to arrange a speedy repatriation process for distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).  

“We will try to look for a more permanent shelter for our Filipino workers in Kuwait,” he said. “We are looking at the possibility of repatriating more than half of the 400 OFWs in Kuwait, and we will accompany them home.”  

Mr. Cacdac, DMW Undersecretary Arnell A. Ignacio, and Social Welfare Attaché Bernard Bonino led a team of officials from the DMW and Overseas Welfare Administration to inspect the government shelters in Kuwait.  

Migrant Workers Secretary Maria Susana “Susan” V. Ople on Saturday said the DMW intends to relocate its shelters in Kuwait to provide larger and more comfortable facilities for OFWs.  

“It is important that our distressed OFWs across the globe have very human, dignified, comfortable and safe temporary residences,” she said.  

There were an estimated 1.83 million land and sea-based OFWs as of 2021, up 3% from the previous year, according to latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority released in Dec.   

Of the 2021 total, 5.9% or about 108,000 were in Kuwait. — John Victor D. Ordoñez 

MMDA returns P1.2-B unauthorized WiFi fund from DICT — solon 

THE METRO Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has returned a P1.2-billion fund it received from the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) without the necessary approvals, a lawmaker said on Monday. 

Senior Deputy Minority Leader Paul R. Daza, who was one of the lawmakers present in the House investigation on the alleged illegal transfer of funds for the government’s free WiFi program in the capital region, said the amount has been remitted to the Bureau of the Treasury. 

National Treasurer Rosalia V. de Leon confirmed the statement on Monday.   

“MMDA gave us two checks, P500 million and P600 million last December… Currently recorded as trust per MMDA request,” Ms. De Leon said in a Viber message.    

Mr. Daza said the return of the fund was “another win for the Filipino taxpayers.” 

The DICT was provided P12 billion for the Free WiFi for All Program, from which it allocated P3 billion to the MMDA without approval from Congress or the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).   

During a Dec. 6 joint committee hearing, former DICT acting secretary Emmanuel Rey R. Caintic admitted to signing a contract and checks worth P500 million and P600 million. The fund was for the MMDA’s P1.1-billion project for Metro Manila’s fiber optic backbone development.  

In that same meeting, DBM officials said they did not provide any written consent for the interagency fund transfer.  

Mr. Daza said the House and the DBM should monitor interagency fund transfers more closely.  

“I am aware that it is being done every now and then. However, there should be clearer guidelines and accountability,” he said.  

Mr. Daza also called on the DICT to fast-track the rollout of the free WiFi program, noting that it was provided an additional P2.5 billion in this year’s budget.  

“The neediest communities in far-flung barangays are still waiting to be connected, especially through the free WiFi program,” he said. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Cone credits record PBA crowd for Ginebra’s win over Bay Area

54, 589-STRONG Ginebra crowd at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan. — PHILIPPINE STAR FILE PHOTO

NEWLY-MINTED champion Barangay Ginebra raised a glass to the 54,589 faithful who put the wind in their hardcourt heroes’ sails in the fight for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup crown.

“Every person in that coliseum was important to this win and we can’t thank them enough for showing up,” multi-titled coach Tim Cone said after the Gin Kings finished off tough Bay Area, 114-99, to the delight of the record crowd at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.

Mr. Cone, now a 25-time PBA champion, can’t overstate the value of Ginebra’s “Sixth Man” as they tackled the Dragons in a grueling war of attrition, most especially in the high-pressure decider.

“The energy from the crowd boosted us to levels I didn’t think we could get to against this team,” said Mr. Cone.

Riding such high energy, the crowd darlings turned what was anticipated as a tight rubbermatch into a runaway romp.

“We were totally surprised at how well we played and that we’re able to handle Bay Area. And the only explanation we can really give is that the crowd lifted us to that kind of performance,” he said.

“You know when you have that massive crowd behind you, you play better than you are. And we played better than we are (in Game 7).”

Ginebra Governor Al Chua said Bay Area was not ready for Ginebra’s vaunted weapon.

Mr. Cone said it is the team’s responsibility to reciprocate the rallying cries of the Ginebra diehards and make them reap the fruit of their effort.

“Everyday we come out here, we think about the fans. (Ginebra legend) Mark Caguioa taught us how to do that, how to understand how important we are and what our mission is,” said Mr. Cone. “Mark always talked about that — it’s always doing this for the fans. And 54,000 tonight, wow, that makes it so special.”

It was a sort of deja vu for the crowd darlings, who dealt with a similar situation before in the 2017 Governors’ Cup. The first time, they got the job done against Meralco in front of a then record 54,086 fans in the cavernous Bulacan arena, 101-96.

“I feel fortunate to be part of it, fortunate to win both games,” said Mr. Cone. — Olmin Leyba

Brownlee takes winning feeling to a new level

JUSTINE BROWNLEE NOY-PI — JBL32OFFICIAL

IT’S ALWAYS been great to win a PBA title as a ka-barangay. But winning it as a kabayan takes the winning feeling to a whole new level.

“Man, it makes it even more special,” said a beaming Justin Brownlee as Barangay Ginebra savors its ascension to the Season 47 PBA Commissioner’s Cup throne.

Mr. Brownlee —  “Justin Noy-pi” or “Kabayan JB” to the Ginebra faithful — led the Gin Kings past Hong Kong’s Bay Area in a seven-game, Philippines-versus-foreign invaders duel barely three days after being granted Filipino citizenship by the newly-enacted Republic Act 11937.

Fittingly, the three-time Best Import and his brothers-in-arms protected home turf and defended local pride via a 114-99 repelling of the Dragons in front of a record crowd of 54,589 at the Philippine Arena.

“We played with all Filipinos tonight, for the first time since I’ve been here. So, that was very special,” Mr. Brownlee said.

“All my teammates definitely congratulated me and they were telling me how proud they are of me becoming a Filipino. It was very special. And just to top it off with a win. This win is not only for Ginebra, this is for the whole country. We played an international team who came out and played tough,” he added.

With this triumph, Mr. Brownlee maintained his perfect batting average in the PBA finals. He previously hoisted the hardware in the 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2021 Governors’ Cup and 2018 Commissioner’s Cup.

The highly sentimental feat against the tough Dragons augurs well for Mr. Brownlee’s forthcoming debut for Gilas Pilipinas.

“The journey’s still ongoing for Justin (Brownlee),” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone, who is also working with the well-loved naturalized player in his role as assistant to Gilas coach Chot Reyes.

“This (Mr. Brownlee’s first title as a Filipino) isn’t the end for him. He’s going to go to a whole new level — play internationally, play for the national team. I know he’s excited about that,” he added. — Olmin Leyba

Tolentino says more athletes could qualify to Paris Games

THE more, the merrier.

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham Tolentino is optimistic the country could qualify more athletes to next year’s Paris Olympics than the 2021 Tokyo Games.

“We’ll try to surpass that 19 athletes from 11 sports from the Tokyo Olympics in Paris,” said the mayor from Tagaytay.

But the PhilCycling chief stressed it would depend on the collective effort that will be put up not just by the national athletes but also by all sectors including the POC and the government through the Philippine Sports Commission.

The country is pinning its hopes again on its bevy of world champions and record beaters headed by star lifter Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo, who delivered the Filipinos’ historic Olympic gold in Tokyo.

Also expected to go for a Paris berth are the world-class boxers spearheaded by Tokyo silver medalists Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam and bronze winner Eumir Marcial, world titlist gymnast Carlos “Caloy” Yulo and World Championship pole vault bronze medalist EJ Obiena.

There is also optimism that Ms. Diaz-Naranjo would not be the only lifter to make the Olympic cut but also more like Tokyo Olympian Elreen Ando and up-and-coming Vanessa Sarno and Kristel Macrohon.

Count Filipino athletes in swimming, track and field, archery, golf, rowing, cycling, skateboarding, surfing, taekwondo and shooting among others to make a run at a place in the sun.

Out of the 19-strong delegation in Tokyo, the country snared a gold, two silvers and a bronze and there is hope the more athletes that would qualify, the more chances the country will have in capturing medals. — Joey Villar

Bay Area’s Brian Goorjian savors the PBA experience

PBA IMAGE

BAY Area may have fallen short from winning it all in the PBA but it’s still a mission accomplished for the Dragons, development and growth-wise, in their first journey abroad.

Playing in an atmosphere they have never been into, the Hong Kong-based Dragons said the historic PBA experience would only make them a better and stronger squad moving forward — especially in the coming East Asia Super League.

“We have a younger group which has never experienced anything like this,” said mentor Brian Goorjian as Bay Area bowed to champion Barangay Ginebra, 114-99, in the winner-take-all Game 7 of the Commissioner’s Cup finals before a record-shattering crowd of 54,589 fans at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.

“These guys have never experienced a team like Ginebra. They played against good teams but Ginebra is different. There’s the physicality, there’s the toughness, there’s the emotion that they’ve never experienced before and they’re gonna grow from this. They’re gonna become better players.”

Behind a formidable squad of Kobey Lam, Glen Yang, Hayden Blankley, Zhu Songwei and Lui Chuanxing with Andrew Nicholson and Myles Powell as alternating imports, the Dragons introduced itself to the entire basketball-ingrained Philippine archipelago in style.

In return, the passionate Filipino fans welcomed it with open arms and the country is set to gain lessons of its own courtesy of the unwavering fight and world-class play displayed by the first PBA guest team this millennium.

Mr. Goorjian, 69, said it’s the fruit of competitive, quality and diverse international basketball exchange that would only benefit all stakeholders here and abroad — including the visiting Bay Area, the PBA, its teams and even Gilas Pilipinas — for a continuous growth in Asian basketball.

“I keep saying that this was the clincher. The whole reason why I left Australia is I believe in this, that you need international competition,” said the concurrent Australian national team head coach, who’s also a former six-time champion and Coach of the Year in the NBL.

“The Philippines needs it, this whole region needs it. For Gilas, for these teams, players are gonna be better, our players are gonna be better, and the region will become better by playing against teams like this.”

And as the Dragons leave the pit with wounds to lick and heal, Mr. Goorjian and his crew will forever cherish an unforgettable experience from the PBA and the incomparable Pinoy fans.

“I haven’t seen anything or been a part of anything like it. It’s just an incredible experience. It’s something I’ll never forget. I would’ve loved to put on a better game for the crowd, but it is what it is. We’ll lick our wounds and fight back, but the experience is incredible,” he beamed. — John Bryan Ulanday

NY Giants upset Vikings in Daniel Jones’ strong playoff debut

DANIEL Jones accounted for 379 total yards in his first NFL playoff start and the sixth-seeded New York Giants pulled off a 31-24 wild-card upset of the third-seeded Minnesota Vikings on Sunday in Minneapolis.

Mr. Jones threw for 301 yards on 24-of-35 passing with two touchdowns while adding 78 yards on 17 rushes. That made him the first quarterback in playoff history to throw for more than 300 yards and two scores while adding more than 70 yards on the ground.

Saquon Barkley snapped a 24-24 tie on a 2-yard touchdown run with 7:47 left, carrying 325-pound defensive end and former teammate Dalvin Tomlinson into the end zone. Mr. Barkley rushed for 53 yards and a pair of scores while adding another 56 yards receiving.

Minnesota’s last possession ended with 1:44 left when tight end T.J. Hockenson was stopped 5 yards shy of first down by Xavier McKinney on a fourth-and-eight reception.

Kirk Cousins hit 31 of 39 passes for 273 yards and two scores, but it wasn’t enough to move the Vikings into the NFC semifinals.

New York visits top-seeded Philadelphia next weekend. The Eagles won both games in the season series, including last weekend to clinch a bye week.

Minnesota initiated scoring on the game’s first possession, eating more than 6 1/2 minutes of clock on a 75-yard drive that Mr. Cousins ended with a 1-yard sneak. New York countered with Mr. Barkley’s 28-yard touchdown run at the 5:11 mark.

The Giants made it 14-7 with 1:03 remaining in the first quarter when Mr. Jones zipped a 14-yard scoring strike to Isaiah Hodgins. At that point, New York had the ball for nine plays and gained a whopping 156 yards, totaling seven first downs.

The Giants’ next possession lasted 20 plays and 85 yards, chewing up nearly 11 minutes, before Graham Gano converted a 25-yard field goal with 3:25 left. The Vikings rallied within 17-14 at halftime when Mr. Cousins hit K.J. Osborn with a 9-yard touchdown pass 45 seconds before the break.

New York went up 24-14 on Mr. Jones’ 9-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Bellinger early in the third quarter. The Vikings responded with Irv Smith Jr.’s 3-yard TD reception, and Greg Joseph made a game-tying 38-yard field goal early in the fourth. — Reuters

Bills edge Dolphins

JOSH Allen threw three touchdown passes and the Buffalo defense stood firm in the fourth quarter as the Bills defeated the visiting Miami Dolphins 34-31 in an AFC wild-card game Sunday in Orchard Park, NY.

The second-seeded Bills forced the Dolphins into a fourth-and-1 near midfield late in the game. Miami took too long getting to the line of scrimmage to snap the ball, causing a delay-of-game penalty, and Skylar Thompson threw incomplete on fourth-and-6.

The seventh-seeded Dolphins were out of timeouts. Buffalo running back Devin Singletary reached the line to gain on third-and-7 to ensure the result.

Buffalo eliminated Miami and will host a divisional-round game next weekend as its players and fans continue to be inspired by Damar Hamlin. The Bills’ safety watched Sunday’s game from home as he continues to recover from a cardiac arrest he suffered on the field against Cincinnati on Jan. 2. — Reuters

ECHO to defend its mobile legend tilte on Philippine soil — Tolentino

NEWLY crowned mobile legends world champion ECHO will get to defend its title on Philippine soil.

Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham Tolentino yesterday day broke the good news after successfully snaring the hosting rights to the M5 World Championships in the country in December this year.

“It was awarded to us yesterday (Sunday),” said the PhilCycling head a day after ECHO dethroned M3 world titlist and another Philippine squad Blacklist International with magnificent finals win in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The mayor from Tagaytay said the hosting could make the country a world esports hub.

“We want to be a center for esports and we’re capable of hosting big events,” said Mr. Tolentino. “This is a big event.”

The country had won the last three of the four world championships of the Mobile legend -series with Bren Esports reigning supreme in M2, Blacklist International in M3 and recently ECHO.

And there is a chance the country could produce another right before the hometown crowd. — Joey Villar

Time

DANIELE FRANCHI-UNSPLASH

There are 66 months to go for the Marcos Jr. administration; 58 months to go for the Xi administration, now on its third five-year term. There are 24 months to go for the Biden administration. Sixty-six months to go to complete Horizon 3 and the backlog of Horizons 1 and 2 of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) modernization. Fifty-six months to go for the centenary of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). What lies in store for the Philippines within that period of time in terms of human and ecological security, the economy, defense, and diplomacy?

The world is currently transitioning from low intensity conflicts to hybrid wars among the great powers. We’re entering a vortex of epic proportions, bookended by a largely anticipated global recession and a rapidly deteriorating security environment. Despite the warning signals, we still have insufficient safety nets and protective measures to mitigate the risk of collateral damage. And there’s no excuse. After all, we’ve had all the time in the world to do so when the US defense shield was removed in 1991 after its bases in the Philippines were shut down.

In 2022, we saw war risk rising around the world. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine drew the indirect involvement of US-led NATO in terms of intelligence, arms, and training support. Russia’s allies are Belorussia, Iran, North Korea, and China. Iran is pursuing its nuclear program; backing non-state violent actors in Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon; and applying coercive tactics in the Persian Gulf. North Korea has resumed its belligerent actions around the Korean Peninsula. The nuclear option, should deterrence fail, is on the table.

China is tightening the screws with its anti-access, area denial (A2AD) gray zone tactics. Its presence is now being felt in the South Pacific. Its war machines routinely penetrate Taiwan’s air and sea borders. Swarms of its Maritime Militia, backed by its Coast Guard and Navy, increasingly intrude, intimidate, and snatch sovereign entitlements elsewhere in the region. They play “chicken” in the air and at sea to test America’s strategic resolve and patience.

Between now and 2027, Xi Jinping has set and articulated the following goals:

• Intensify troop training and enhance combat preparedness across the board, strengthen all-around military governance, and consolidate and enhance integrated national strategies and strategic capabilities.

• Innovate the guidance of military strategy, develop strategies and tactics of people’s war, build a strong system of strategic deterrent forces, raise the presence of combat forces in new domains and of new qualities, and deeply promote combat-oriented military training.

Whether one likes him or not, he has transformed the PLA into a modern strategic combat force. Security analysts believe that he’ll forcibly take Taiwan on or before the centennial of the PLA’s founding in 2027. Should that happen, it could simultaneously wrest strategic control of the countries comprising the First Island Chain. With what China has accomplished under Xi’s watch so far, the Chinese Communist Party-People’s Liberation Army (CCP-PLA) clearly possess the mindset, aptitude, and skills set to ensure China’s defense and security. But so do the US, Japan, South Korea, India, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Australia to help protect the Indo-Pacific.

The latest US security review sees the People’s Republic of China as harboring the intent and, increasingly, the capacity to reshape the international order and tilt the global playing field to its benefit. The US, on its end, affirms its commitment to “responsibly manage its long-term competition with China” while reaching out to nations who share its core belief that the rules-based order must be the basis for global peace and prosperity. Sadly, while mouthing peace, their war preparations are actually drawing them farther away from it.

Even if, for argument’s sake, both sides don’t want war, they’re actually on a collision course, pushing countries around us to accelerate their defense build-up. They have one thing in common: they have the right mindset, aptitude, and skill sets to act in their national interest. In our case, for far too long, that has been our Achilles heel. There are too many disablers within our corridors of power that sacrifice national security in favor of their selfish interests. Our dismal state of unpreparedness keeps us vulnerable and exposed to the clear and present danger that surrounds us. We’ve squandered so much time already.

In 2013, the China News Service, China’s second largest state-run media outlet, published an article entitled “Six wars China is sure to fight in the next 50 years.” It alluded to China’s pride, shredded after centuries of defeat and embarrassment. China has long been preparing itself for war, preferably without firing a shot. However, its offensive firepower isn’t there for display. At some point, it will be used when necessary to wage:

1. The war to unify Taiwan (2020-2025)

2. The war to recover the various islands of the South China Sea (2025-2030)

3. The war to recover southern Tibet (2035-2040)

4. The war to recover Diaoyutai and the Ryukyus (2040-2045)

5. The war to unify Outer Mongolia (2045-2050)

6. The war to recover the territory seized by Russia (2055-2060)

China is a cunning master of timing, sophisticated cost-benefit analysis, and risk assessment. It strives to win by applying “unrestricted warfare” through superior advantage in diplomatic warfare, proxy warfare, cyberwarfare, currency warfare, trade warfare, psychological warfare, electronic warfare, computer network operations warfare, espionage, etc. It may bide its time or stage swift blows at an adversary’s strategic points of weakness to kill its will to resist. That’s what we need to address to ably defend ourselves and be a reliable allied partner.

There’s so much to do in so short a time. We need to switch to good governance; develop our own A2AD strategies; restructure the armed services to fight a hybrid war; find new ways of funding modernization and sustainment; adopt enabling laws, rules, and regulations that facilitate emergency procurement of essential assets; establish a technology-based defense industry; invest in strategic stockpiles. Time will tell if our entire national leadership finally scrambles to make up for lost time.

The last thing we need is to shamefully get caught, once again, with our pants down.

This article reflects the personal opinion of the author and does not reflect the official stand of the Management Association of the Philippines or MAP.

 

Rafael “Raffy” M. Alunan III is a former governor of the MAP. He is the chair of the Philippine Council for Foreign Relations, the vice-chair of Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc., and sits on the boards of other companies as an independent director.

map@map.org.ph

malunan@gmail.com

President Marcos is traveling too frequently

PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

Last Sunday, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. flew to Davos, Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum. That is his 8th trip abroad since he became president on June 30, 2022.

The previous trips were to Indonesia on Sept. 6 for a two-day state visit. He proceeded from there to Singapore on Sept. 9, also for a two-day state visit. His next trip was on Sept. 18 to the United States to speak at the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Three working visits followed: to Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Oct. 9 to attend the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits, to Bangkok, Thailand on Nov. 16 to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings, and to Brussels Belgium on Nov. 12 to attend the ASEAN-European Union Commemorative Summit.

There was one trip that was not announced. He flew to Singapore on Oct. 1.

He started 2023 with another trip, to Beijing, on Jan. 3-5.

In the first seven months of his presidency, Mr. Bongbong Marcos had already made eight foreign trips. People find them too frequent within a short period of time, in the very beginning of his term at that. The Oct. 1 trip was totally unnecessary, his speaking at the UN General Assembly could have been scheduled at a later year in his presidency. Serious domestic problems call for his staying home.

But according to the Department of Trade and Industry’s year-end report, the President’s trips to Indonesia, Singapore, the United States, Cambodia, and Thailand were productive. They brought in $23.6 billion of investment pledges. Included in the report are the recent government export registered and generated investment leads. The Board of Investments and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority had a combined approved investment of P402 billion.

But observers say many of the pledges made during visits of a head of state are customary gestures of courtesy by the host country. The pledges made during President Rodrigo Duterte’s visit to China are cited as examples. Some of the investment pledges made during state visits are existing expansion plans of multinational companies already doing business in the country of the visiting head of state. The plans would be implemented even if the visiting head of state had not come.

The President’s trip to Singapore on Oct. 1 was not announced because it was nothing more than a pleasure trip. It was to watch the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix, an auto racing contest. While it was at the invitation of Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the President’s leaving the country to watch a sporting event while Filipinos were reeling from record high inflation and the devastation wrought by a violent typhoon the week before was an exposure of his insensitivity to his countrymen’s suffering. His bringing along the First Lady, his son, Congressman Sandro Marcos, and his first cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez and the use of a military jet to fly them to Singapore was suggestive of imperial overindulgence.

Political pundits say that while the other trips may have been necessary, the inclusion of members of Congress in the entourage was wrong. Speaker Romualdez accompanied the President on five of those trips, Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on three of them, and Congressman Sandro on three of them also.

They contend that foreign affairs are the exclusive purview of the Executive branch of government. The Constitution vests executive power on the President. In official discourse of high government officials and in debates in the halls of Congress, the president is generally recognized as the architect of the country’s foreign policy.

When President Rodrigo Duterte began to evince a foreign policy that distanced the Philippines from the United States and leaned towards warmer relations with China, many political pundits urged other top government officials and senators to dissuade him from embracing that policy. In the vin d’honneur he hosted for the diplomatic corps in November 2018, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. referred to President Duterte as “the country’s chief architect of foreign policy.” During a debate in the Senate in January 2020 on a resolution calling for the Senate to assert its role in the country’s termination or withdrawal from a treaty, Senator Francis Tolentino said the other branches of government should not meddle with the powers of the President over the country’s foreign policy. He pointed out that under the Constitution, the Senate’s consent is only needed in ratifying an agreement.

Deputy Speaker Arroyo may have been president of the country. But the Constitution does not include a provision for the position of “president emeritus.” It will be recalled that when she was president, she brought along her two sons, their wives, their children, and the children’s nannies when she made a state visit to China in 2004. Those family holidays at taxpayers’ expense are long over for her.

After she had served as president she chose to remain in government — as representative of the 2nd District of Pampanga. The House of Representatives is her proper place, not a conference room where foreign relations are negotiated.

 

Oscar P. Lagman, Jr. is a retired corporate executive, business consultant, and management professor. He has been a political activist since the late 1950s.

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