Too many Congs spoil the broth

Hardly had the official invitation from Barack Obama reached the Palace when hundreds of hangers-on started scrambling to become part of GMA’s “official delegation.” With all of these Congressmen trying to latch on to the Washington trip accompanied by their spouses, alalays and what have you, the number could reach up to 200 which I think is really ridiculous. Too many Congs will definitely “spoil the broth.”

A lot of people from the opposition, leftists, rightists, moralists and all other anti-GMA groups will find so many things to carp about with this visit, but there’s no arguing the July 30 meeting will be significant and important. After all, GMA is going to be the first Southeast Asian leader to meet with the US president at the White House - a fact that even Washington stressed in its official statement.

 Every time there is a new US president, it’s but natural for every other person, not just heads of state, to want to meet him - especially for someone like Barack Obama who has changed the course of history of the US and perhaps even the world. The upcoming meeting is going to be good for the country since it will be an opportunity for PGMA to bring up directly to Obama issues that concern Philippine interest and hopefully pave the way for the new leadership next year.

 We have known about this meeting even before the announcement was made as US Ambassador Kristie Kenney (who had been working on it) told us on several occasions. Although there has not been any official word on the agenda, the issue of terrorism would most likely be discussed since this is a mutual problem which both the Philippines and the United States view with urgency - as indicated by the recent visit of US Defense Secretary Robert Gates which was followed shortly thereafter by CIA director Leon Panetta. (In fact, some are even reading a lot more over the fact that kidnapped Italian Red Cross worker Eugenio Vagni was released on the very same day of Panetta’s visit.)

The twin hotel bombings in Jakarta last Friday should remind us that terrorism is very much alive - and that the Philippines could be the next target. It’s unfortunate that as always, Filipinos become complacent when it comes to security. They easily forget, like what’s happening today with hotel security personnel just going through the motions as if the threat does not exist. That the terrorists chose the Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott - both American hotels - underscores the fact that the US continues to be a target of extremists. Those who have been advocating amnesty for the Abu Sayyaf, the Jemaah Islamiyah and other terrorist groups are irritatingly so naïve and don’t seem to see how brutal these criminals are. They seem to forget how much it has cost the country internationally because of the high-profile kidnappings.

In any case, there’s no denying the Philippines continues to be of strategic importance to the US especially since Washington views with concern the growing influence of China in the region. It’s but natural for the US or any country for that matter to protect its interests, and this is probably why the Americans want to maintain their presence in Asia. The plan for a military build-up in Guam, for instance, is an understandable “precaution” to temper the growing aggression of North Korea which fired a barrage of short-range missiles last July 4 (raising concerns that North Korea might fire long-range missiles toward Hawaii).

No doubt the upcoming meeting between GMA and Barack Obama is going to be another milestone in the relationship between the US and the Philippines - but the only thing that would probably destroy and downplay its significance is the presence of too many congressmen and hangers-on who have no reason for going other than to be seen.

 In the first place, the US government will already find it difficult to make the necessary arrangements for security, transportation, etc. Many of us have been to some of these trips of this nature and know how difficult it is for the host country to make appropriate security arrangements for the people accompanying the visiting head of state. Even if it’s the Philippines shouldering the cost of the trip, planning and organizing the details will still be a headache especially if the contingent is huge.

 The Philippines loses stock and becomes the laughing stock both domestically and internationally every time too many congressmen join the president’s delegation during trips abroad, but it’s no laughing matter when it’s the Filipino taxpayers who end up paying for the expenses. This is getting so preposterous, with the Philippines developing an annoying reputation for bringing so many people like what happened in Spain where GMA’s contingent reached 200, which the Spaniards found ridiculous.

Despite the pronouncements of Palace officials that Congress is a co-equal and independent branch of government and thus its members could not be barred from joining, GMA should put her foot down this time and not allow too many people to tag along.

 This practice is really getting out of hand, and in fact people are already complaining about the trips that GMA has been making lately. A significant White House meeting like this would require only those who have a major role to play. An occasion like this would give Obama a first-hand impression about what’s going on in the Philippines and is much too important to destroy by making it a junket for too many Congs who will only “spoil the broth.”

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