6

WOMEN POWER IN POLITICSThe democratic icon and the economist-Kent Alvin L. Guzman

In re: 1987 Philippine Constitution, Article II, Section 7: "The State shall pursue an independent foreign policy. In its relations with other states the paramount consideration shall be national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interest, and the right to self-determination."Let us look into the Foreign Relations entered and established by the two Presidents during their presidency based on facts/data posted in the Official Website of the Department of Foreign Affairs.President Corazon AquinoThe EDSA Revolution in 1986 saw the re-establishment of a democratic government under President Corazon Aquino. During this period, the DFA once again pursued development diplomacy, in the active pursuit of opportunities abroad in the vital areas of trade, investment, finance, technology and aid. The Philippines became one of the founding members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in November 1989, and an active player in regional efforts to establish the ASEAN Free Trade Area. In the 1990s, more diplomatic missions were established in the Middle East to improve existing ties with Arab states and to respond to the growing needs of Overseas Filipino workers in the region. In 1991, heeding the growing nationalist sentiments among the public, the Philippine Senate voted against the extension of the RP-U.S. Military Bases Agreement, thus putting to a close the decades-old presence of the U.S. military at Subic Bay and Clark Field in 1991, President Aquino signed into law the new Foreign Service Act of 1991 (R.A. 7157), which reorganized the Department along geographic lines and strengthened the Foreign Service. It instituted a Career Minister Eligibility Examination as a requirement for promotion of senior FSOs to the rank of Career Ministers, thereby ensuring the professional selection of those who would eventually rise to the level of career ambassadors.Relations with the United States: In September 1986, Aquino made her first state visit to the United States. She gave a speech in a joint session of the United States Congress with U.S. lawmakers wearing yellow ribbons symbolizing support to Aquino. Following her speech in the United States Congress in 1986, the U.S. House of Representatives voted, 203 to 197, in favor of $200 million in emergency aid to her fledgling government. The airship and vessels helped the Filipinos to evacuate during the Volcanic eruption of Mt, Pinatubo. Relations with Japan: President Corazon Aquino vies for the wrongs committed by Japan during World War II. New foreign aid agreements also were concluded during this visit. Aquino returned to Japan in 1989 for Hirohito's funeral and in 1990 for the enthronement of Emperor Akihito. A series of talks of four Prime Ministers from Yasuhiro Nakasone from 1986 to 1987, to Kiichi Miyazawa from 1991 to 1992, the Japanese Government provided economic and trade relations between the two countries, massive inflow of Japanese investors and tourists, rehabilitation and construction of schools, hospitals and roads, and guaranteed justice for Filipino Comfort women after World War II.Relations with Soviet: Even Aquino meets Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev in another state visit in Moscow for the first time in 1987. She and Gorbachev agreed that the Philippines and the Soviet Union established the two-nation economic ties and to promote their reforms based on the perestroika and glasnost systems paved their way to democracy, it also includes a Philippine-Soviet friendship. She returned between 1991 and 1992 for the state visit with President Boris Yeltsin since Russia was independent on December 25, 1991.Relations with China: Then in China, a state visit between Aquino and Chinese Premier Deng Xiaoping for the first time in 1988, the two leaders discussed the economic relations between the Philippines and China to receive its economic and trading partnership and a Philippine-Chinese friendship under Xiaoping. Also in the state visit, she visited Hong Jian village as ancestral homes of the Conjuangcos where her grandparents and children were born and raised in this village before they descended into the Philippines.Relation with South Korea: went to South Korea between 1986 and 1988, for separate meetings with Presidents Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo in relation to Philippine-South Korean economic, social and cultural ties, she represented in the Asian Games and the Olympics by supporting the Filipino athletes in the world of sports. She and Tae-woo, also discussed about Unification talks in which South and North Korea will unify to end its hostilities since the Korean War in the 1950s.Relations with the European countries: United Kingdom; the President went to the United Kingdom and meets British Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major from 1987 to 1992, to discuss important talks on economy and social welfare as the Philippines provide economic and financial assistance programs, and strong commercial ties between the two countries. London; she visited Queen Elizabeth II and received a warm welcome for the first time. She went to other European nations including with President Franois Mitterrand of France, President Francesco Cossiga of Italy, Chancellor Helmut Kohl of West Germany and Prime Minister Felipe Gonzlez Mrquez of Spain from 1986 to 1991. Spain; Aquino meets King Juan Carlos I of Spain for a special visit in which the country traced back to historical timeline during the Spanish rule for over three centuries and how the country received freedom after its independence and the revolution made the President and the Spanish King a two-nation friendship. Vatican; She received a warm welcome to Pope John Paul II, John Paul II congratulates Aquino for supporting millions of Filipinos whose marched at EDSA and to topple the dictator in this Roman Catholic nation.ASEAN AND UNITED NATIONS RELATIONSASEAN Aquino made her first state visits in Southeast Asia, she went to Singapore, then to Indonesia in August 1986, for separate meetings with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and Indonesian President Suharto in order to provide trade and economic ties between the three countries. She also went to Malaysia in November 1987, to discuss territorial disputes in Sabah with Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, and in Thailand and Brunei, for separate meetings with Prime Minister Prem Tinsulanonda in April 1988, and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah in August 1988. She and the member leaders of Association of Southeast Asian Nations made meetings in various ASEAN summits from 1986 to 1992.

UN Aquino went to the United Nations assembly in New York in July 1988, made a historic speech during the 45th General Assembly. In her historic speech, Aquino promised to the International Community in expressing democratic freedoms in countries since the Philippines received freedom after the revolution in 1986, and to provide a resolution in the protection for migrant workers and their families. During the July 1988 visit, She met Secretary-General Javier Prez de Cullar for a special meeting to discuss anti-poverty and anti-insurgency measures in the Philippines.PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYOAt the start of its administration in 2001, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo pursued foreign policy based on nine realities:1. The dynamics of relations between China, Japan and the United States determine the security situation and economic evolution of East Asia.2. Philippine foreign policy decisions are, increasingly, being made in the context of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).3. Europe will continue to play a significant role in promoting international prosperity and stability.4. The international Islamic community remains crucial to the country's search for lasting and permanent peace in Mindanao.5. Inter-regional organizations will become increasingly influential in the global context.6. The protection of the environment, natural resources and maritime territory.7. The drive for foreign markets and foreign direct investments will form a focal concern of economic diplomacy efforts.8. International tourism will be a major driver of national growth.9. Overseas Filipinos play a critical role in the country's economic and social stability.Relations with the United States The Arroyo administration has forged a strong relationship with the United States. Arroyo was one of the first world leaders who expressed support for the US-led coalition against global terrorism in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, and remains one of its closest allies in the war on terror. The Arroyo administration has forged a strong relationship with the United States. Arroyo was one of the first world leaders who expressed support for the US-led coalition against global terrorism in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, and remains one of its closest allies in the war on terror. Following the US-led invasion of Iraq, in July 2003 the Philippines sent a small humanitarian contingent which included medics and engineers. These troops were recalled in July 2004 in response to the kidnapping of Filipino truck driver Angelo de la Cruz. With the hostage takers demands met, the hostage was released. The force was previously due to leave Iraq the following month The early pullout drew international condemnation, with the United States protesting against the action, saying giving in to terrorist demands should not be an option.ASEAN SUMMIT Arroyo's foreign policy is anchored on building strong ties with the United States, East Asian and Southeast Asian nations, and countries where overseas Filipino workers work and live. In 2007, the Philippines was host to the 12th ASEAN Summit in Cebu City.Philippines-Japan Trade Deal On August 21, 2007, Arroyo's administration asked the Senate of the Philippines to ratify a $4 billion (2 billion) trade deal with Japan (signed on 2006 with the former Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi), which would create more than 300,000 jobs (by specifically increasing local exports such as shrimp to Japan). Japan also promised to hire at least 1,000 Philippine nurses. The opposition-dominated senate objected on the ground that toxic wastes would be sent to the Philippines; the government denied this due to the diplomatic notes which stated that it would not be accepting Japanese waste in exchange for economic concessions.Council of Women World Leaders In keeping with this international mission, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a member of the Council of Women World Leaders, an International network of current and former women presidents and prime ministers whose mission is to mobilize the highest-level women leaders globally for collective action on issues of critical importance to women and equitable development.GMA meeting with other World Leaders US President George W. Bush (May 19, 2003) US President Barack Obama (July 30, 2009) Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting of the APEC leaders With Russian president Dmitry Medvedev during her visit in Moscow, Russia for St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, June 46, 2009. U.S Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held a bilateral meeting with Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates (June 24, 2008)

Conducting and entering into a particular relation with other states manifests the so-called INTERDEPENDENCE AMONG NATION-STATES. In does not mean INTERFERENCE but rather COOPERATION and STREGHTHENING THE RELATIONS WITH OTHER NATIONS. Republic Act No. 7157, otherwise known as "Philippine Foreign Service Act of 1991", gives mandate to the Department of Foreign Affairs to implement the three (3) pillars of the Philippine Foreign Policy, as follows:1. Preservation and enhancement of national security2. Promotion and attainment of economic security3. Protection of the rights and promotion of the welfare and interest of Filipinos overseas.Both of them (two Presidents) aimed to promote the foreign relations with other countries in the aspect of ECONOMIC (to create jobs, to boost the economy, to get foreign investments), POLITICAL (state visit that will help improve the relation of the country and the host state), SOCIO-CULTURAL (i.e. sports, introducing products and culture with other states), MILITARY COOPERATION (i.e mutual defense and aid), and TRADE AND INVESTMENTS. The main reasons why they enter and conduct such relations are; to protect the National Interest of the state, promote tourism and industry in the foreign country to invest in the home country. This will surely boost the economy of our country. The two presidents, initiated such relations due to this concept of PROTECTING THE NATIONAL INTEREST, PRESTIGE AND MAINTAINING THE POLITICAL AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF THE PHILIPPINES AND MAINTAIN THE GOOD IMAGE OF THE COUNTRY. However, in terms of experience in entering and formulating foreign policies President Arroyo have more experience than President Cory taking consideration that she was an Official in the Department of Foreign Affairs during the term of President Cory. GMA formulated policies in re: nine (9) foreign policies based on realities. On the other hand, the advisers of President Cory in foreign relations helped in the pursuit of the countrys relation to other states. In finality, the two presidents focused their foreign policies to achieve the so-called IQL IMPROVEMENT OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE of the Filipino people either living in the home country or working/living abroad. ###