Bongbong Marcos: ‘It is better to have our neighbors as friends’

It’s better to have our neighbors as friends rather than opposers, especially with the ever-increasing globalization today, said former senator Bongbong Marcos.

Marcos was referring to the good relationship between the Philippines and neaighboring countries, particularly with fellow ASEAN nations and China.

“Each country should be independent, but it doesn’t hurt to form alliances (like ASEAN) and be friendly with one another. Our alliances as Asians have always been advantageous to us. Today, more than ever, we must band together to advance the welfare of our people,” Marcos said in an interview.

No two country is the same, which is why the Philippines must deal with each nation in different fashion. What’s good with ASEAN countries, he said, is that international agreements are not sidelined because of a change of administration—like the recent elections in Cambodia or Malaysia.

As for President Rodrigo Duterte’s perceived closer ties with China, Marcos said it is good to see that the Philippines now has a better line of communication with the Asian superpower.

“We must foster good relations with all countries, including China. And the first step to achieving that is to have good communication. It is admirable to see mutual respect between the Philippines and China,” he said.

The most important thing is to not focus on one particular issue (such as control of the West Philippine Sea), but to see the long-term relationship between the two countries. There are other facets of the Philippine-China relationship to give attention to, he said, such as manufacturing, trade, and sharing intelligence information.

Marcos said it’s not always easy to be friendly with different nations, especially if those countries don’t always share the same principles. The Philippines, for example, has always been traditionally a reliable ally of the United States, yet the current administration is seen as warming up more to China.

On his State of the Nation Address (SONA) several days ago, Duterte mentioned maintaining an independent foreign policy. To this, Marcos thinks it’s about being a little less dependent on the United States.

“It could be hard to balance our relationship with different countries. But as long as we put the interest of the Filipino people first and foremost and let that guide our decisions, we’ll be alright,” he said.

Marcos thinks the Philippines could benefit greatly from welcoming foreign investors interested in improving infrastructure, agriculture, large-scale engineering, and power development, among many others.

He looks forward to the first-ever state visit to the Philippines of Chinese President Xi Jinping later this year.

“It’s a show of commitment and continuing good relations between the two Asian nations,” he said.

This is a story from iMango