President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has chartered and transformed the policy on our country’s foreign relations to one which fosters amity but, at the same time, promotes sovereign independence. We have, therefore, begun to enjoy the fruits of our Head of State’s thrust on diplomacy where our country is considered a friend to all and an enemy to none.
We expect the President, as our country’s principal diplomat, to maintain and pursue such foreign policy amid the changing circumstances throughout the world, including Mr. Joe Biden’s assumption of the seat of the President of the United States (POTUS) on January 20. It is in this regard that we similarly foresee our country’s relationship with the USA to remain warm, the latter being a long-standing ally in various aspects, such as in our fight against acts of terror that are being committed by evil forces.
PRRD has been widely respected by state leaders, including President Donald Trump, as he manifests the same respect to — and has gained deep and genuine friendship with — them. We thus do not see any reason why we will not witness another friendly relationship materialize between PRRD and America’s President-elect Biden when the latter becomes POTUS.
There are a number of pending matters between the Philippines and the USA on diverse subject matters, such as the Visiting Forces Agreement, as there have been several local commentaries on how the Biden Presidency will affect how the Philippine Government will run its affairs, including its campaign against illegal drugs. All discussions regarding these are based on conjectures or surmises and we do not wish to join these commentators in such futile practice. One thing is, however, certain: the Philippines is no longer a vassal state to any foreign entity and as such, it will not allow any co-equal power to disrespect its independence.
For now, we wish US President-elect Biden all the best as he is about to attempt in leading his nation amid this pandemic and beyond.
