Dr. Florangel Rosario Braid
It was the President’s debut at the United Nations. And he delivered a great speech, which will be remembered not only for its elegant prose but because what he said was a much welcomed message of hope even if unexpected. This was before a virtual audience of the UN’s General Assembly. In 19 minutes, he held many, I am sure, including myself riveted. Shocked, surprised, and bewildered, I could not believe what I was hearing. Here is our President with an entirely different demeanor, a far cry from the one who would turn away from prepared speech, ad-lib, curse, joke, or become distracted as he would ramble for hours.
It will be remembered that for the past four years, he had taken a pro-China stand and had rejected all calls to honor the arbitral ruling saying it was “inutile” since the only alternative was to go to war.
But this was what he said in four minutes in words described as “electric”:
We must remain mindful of our obligations and commitment to the Charter of the United Nations, and as amplified by the 1982 Manila Declaration or the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes. The Philippines affirms its commitment in the South China Sea in accordance with the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and the 2016 Arbitral Award). The Award is now part of international law, beyond compromise, and beyond the reach of passing governments to dilute, diminish, or abandon. We firmly reject attempts to undermine it. We welcome the increasing number of states that have some in support of the award and what it stands for – the triumph of reason over rashness of law, over disorder, of amity over ambition. This, as it should – is the majesty of the law.”
As our local leaders at the forefront in the advocacy for the Arbitral Award, former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio, former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, Maritime and Law of the Sea expert Jay Batongbacal were heartened to hear the President’s support of the Arbitral Award before the UN, they noted the need to be watchful, and ensure that this verbal promise is matched with action.
This too was my first reaction. The President had spoken to no less than the highest multilateral global body, and not to a local audience which he has often bullied or not taken seriously.
Some say that we should take the President’s action with a grain of salt and that we should wait until there is ample proof of his sincerity.
Perhaps each one of us may take as some form of advocacy, the watchful monitoring of his behavior from here on, especially in connection with his relations with Beijing and the West Philippine Sea. To see if indeed, his actions would be consistent with his rhetoric.
Rappler had given five reasons why he had made those statements, namely, that: (1) DFA Secretary Locsin prepared the speech (which everyone already recognizes); (2) China had made more aggressive overtures to undermine the Hague ruling; (3) Recent escalation of US-China over the Panatag islands; (4) Duterte considers bilateral relations with China strong enough; and (5) The 2022 elections – that strong remarks against China could play to the overwhelming sentiment of 82 percent of Filipinos that the country should form alliances with other countries.
Overnight, the President had become an international statesman. He showed leaders of the world a vision towards a peaceful, sustainable world – multilateralism, a nuclear free, COVID-19 vaccine for all, protection of human rights but guarding against its “weaponization” by special interests, protecting migrants and refugees, fighting terrorism and ensuring that we remain faithful to the UN principles and ideals when it was conceptualized 75 years ago.
Not too long ago, he had nothing to do with the UN but today, he reminds the UN to undertake reforms of its processes so that it can be more relevant. He even suggests looking into the composition of the Security Council. He speaks like someone who has been seriously involved and engaged with the UN for years. While we welcome this change, are still dazed about this 180-degree turn.
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