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WOMEN POWER IN POLITICS

The 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 Aquino
The 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 RELATIONS
ASEAN
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 ARROYO

At 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 socalled 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 security
2. Promotion and attainment of economic security

3. 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.
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