The Philippines is in Asia

It is good to keep this in mind when crafting foreign policy decisions that the Philippines is in Asia. Its interests are best promoted with that inescapable fact in mind. On the other hand we also have a long history of close ties with a former colonizer, the United States and cultural influences from the West. Christianity, which is of the West, has shaped us more than any colonial heritage.

The increasing super power rivalry between China and the US will demand diplomatic skills from our leaders to achieve what is best for our country. The dilemma has been more acute in recent days.

Apart from the genuine grief on the death of Cory Aquino, the funeral cortege also served as a revival of yellow as color revolution. In other countries such as Poland, Georgia and Ukraine that had had color revolutions, it is seen as an American political gambit to put the countries concerned firmly on the Western side.

Color revolutions use the massing of people in the streets as the ultimate symbol of “democracy”. But there is another view that has more stringent requirements for democracy — it needs more time for a slow build-up of home grown institutions. I think that is difference between the Western export of ‘instant’ democracy through people power revolutions and gradual democracy in the East that is achieved within the countries themselves. It is focused on economic stability as democracy’s starting point.

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Part of the tiff between the US and China has to do with the inevitable coming of the Asian century. In an Asian century the US will have to accept a smaller role in the region. But it does not necessarily mean it will be out of it. It will still be influential but it will depend on how well it learns to live with the big countries in the region — China, India, Japan and Korea. The debate in America is how it should manage the diminution of the hegemony it has enjoyed in the past.

A number of political analysts have put forward data that supports the inevitability of the Asian century. Rana Foroohar has compiled economic data to substantiate her prediction that Asia’s dominance will be upon us sooner than we think. “Investors are steering what little money they have to Asia — net portfolio investment into the region is running at a pace not seen in five years. It seems clear that Asia will recover from the recession faster than either the US or Europe, and that it will continue to leave other emerging markets in the dust, too.”

The conviction of Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi has brought mixed reactions among Southeast Asian countries with outright condemnation from the Philippines, mild disappointment from Singapore while Malaysia expressed its deep disappointment. Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya declined to comment on the verdict against Suu Kyi and asked for more time to study the decision. With China’s warning against any intervention in Myanmar’s internal affairs, this is a classic case on how we will manage our foreign policy direction as far as relations with a divided ASEAN is concerned.

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I was thrilled to know that Al Jazeera English, the world’s first global 24-hour English language world news channel based in the Middle East, is launching on SkyCable. But it is not only because I will see more of Veronica Pedrosa. There are professional reasons for it as well. It is important to have another source of news other than CNN or BBC.

The partnership between Al-Jazeera and SkyCable began yesterday. In its announcement, SkyCable said “It’s an exciting new development for Filipino viewers who want a fresh new perspective on world affairs. Al Jazeera, home to household names such as Veronica Pedrosa, Sir David Frost and Riz Khan, will be made available to SkyCable’s digital subscribers in Metro Manila beginning August 15.”

Phil Lawrie, Director of Global Distribution at Al Jazeera Network comments: “This new partnership with SkyCable is yet another step forward for Al Jazeera English in Asia. I’m delighted that more Filipino viewers will now have access to our world-class news coverage offering refreshingly alternative local, regional and global perspectives.”

Al-Jazeera’s global network of 69 bureaus and broadcast centers provides viewers with an unrivalled worldwide newsgathering reach.”

Ray Montinola, SkyCable Vice President for Marketing, adds: “We are happy to make Al Jazeera’s content available to more Filipino viewers, providing them with fresh perspectives and insights on news and issues from developing countries similar to ours. Together with the other news channels in our line-up, Al-Jazeera completes an unbeatable news block.” 

It will be available on SkyCable channel 152. Al Jazeera English broadcasts to over 150 million households worldwide and has just been nominated for Emmy awards in both the News and Current Affairs categories for the second successive year.

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I can understand why some artists would be unhappy that they were not included in the 2009 Order of National Artists. But to make such a public ruckus because they or their candidates did not get the awards is to me just as “unartistic.” One would think that as true artists they do not need the blessing of awards for the work they create. I would have expected a more civil and professional reaction from the artists. Something like, well I know my art is good — the greatest — but if the awarding body does not see it that way then tough luck to them. All awards have losers and winners.

Artists who are truly committed to their art, shun such awards and definitely would not consider it necessary to their work. Of the four national artists awards being protested I know enough about Cecile Guidote-Alvarez, both in her work and as a person.

Indeed, when we were in exile and at a loss on how Veronica, then just in her early teens, should have a grounding on Filipino culture I sent her to New York where Cecile had such a program for Filipino children growing up abroad in cooperation with the La Mama Theater group in New York.

Through the years, I have known Cecile’s devotion to theater and it is to her that PETA owes its beginnings. How ironic that she who is devoted to her work, and who sometimes neglects public relations in her pursuit of intrinsic excellence, should be at the receiving end of this “artistic” ruckus.