By Brian Campued
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the Philippines no longer subscribes to a “bipolar power arrangement around the world,” as the country seeks to forge stronger ties with Russia and expand Manila’s diplomatic footprint.
Speaking to reporters following the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Russia Commemorative Summit in Kazan on Thursday, Marcos explained that the Philippines is “adjusting to the new reality,” noting that global power dynamics have changed compared to when the United Nations was formed.
He also referenced the Cold War, when the Philippines was “very much aligned with the United States on the other side of the Soviet Union,” which has resulted in Manila’s limited relations with Moscow despite the dissolution of the transcontinental superpower in 1991.
“So, we have shed that. We have shed that kind of idea. And we look at the world in a much more—much different way than we did in 1976 when we first signed our agreement—our diplomatic agreement with the then Soviet Union. And so we are adjusting that,” Marcos said.
The diplomatic ties between the Philippines and the Soviet Union were officially established on June 2, 1976 during a visit to Moscow by then-President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
President Marcos Jr. likewise shared that during the ASEAN-Russia summit, there was “a recognition that the world has changed.”
“There was a lot of talk about multipolarity and… the multipolar world that we now have to deal with, which may be a little bit more complex, but it also provides more opportunities than we had before,” he said.
Despite seeking deeper bilateral relations with Russia amid its war with Ukraine, Marcos Jr.assured that the Philippines would remain cautious in engaging with other countries to avoid unintentional support for conflicts.
Admitting concern over possible backlash from other countries, the Chief Executive stressed the Philippines “would certainly not want to be part of any system that furthers conflict anywhere in the world.”
“As I’ve always said, the Philippines is one of the, if not the greatest sponsor, supporter for peace, and not only in our region but everywhere else. And certainly, that is not something that we would like to be accused of and would not like to be part of,” he said.
He also noted that the trade between the Philippines and Russia “comprises such a small part of their general revenue generation that it clearly cannot be said that it is funding conflict anywhere.”
“So, we will just have to be very careful to make sure that we are not inadvertently becoming part of a system that is encouraging war in any way,” Marcos Jr. said.
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