Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his final State of the Nation Address at the House of Representatives in Quezon City, Philippines on July 26, 2021. (JAM STA ROSA / POOL PHOTO VIA AP)
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday delivered his sixth and final State of the Nation Address by highlighting one of the hallmarks of his presidency — his independent foreign policy.
Duterte said the Philippines “will continue to work with all nations and seek partnerships that work”. To this end, Duterte thanked China for being the first country to help the Philippines fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When the pandemic struck, the first country I called for help is China,” Duterte said in his speech of almost three hours in Manila.
Early in the country’s coronavirus outbreak, he recalled contacting Chinese President Xi Jinping and asking for vaccines as the Philippines hadn’t developed its own vaccines. Duterte said Xi agreed to help and China subsequently donated 1.5 million vaccines.
In the speech, which was delivered before the joint session of Congress, Duterte said the Philippines under his stewardship has “vigorously pursued an independent foreign policy centered on the promotion and protection of core national interests”.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said that the Philippine government will always “fight for what is rightfully due to the Filipino people”, noting that the country’s foreign policy is no longer anchored behind the “shadows of the great powers of the world”
In late February, a donated batch of the vaccine developed by Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac Biotech became the first COVID-19 shot to reach the country.
Duterte likewise thanked fellow member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for “supporting my government, my country, and my people when it truly matters”. He added: “I assure you the Philippines will remain a responsible member of the international community.”
But Duterte said that the Philippine government will always “fight for what is rightfully due to the Filipino people”, noting that the country’s foreign policy is no longer anchored behind the “shadows of the great powers of the world”.
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He recalled that in 2019, he ordered the return of illicit waste to Canada, saying that the Philippines was not a dumping ground. Duterte also snubbed an invitation from then-US president Donald Trump because the United States government refused to return iconic church bells that US soldiers carted off during the PhilippineAmerican War (1899-1902).
This was the second time that Duterte delivered the key annual speech in a hybrid format in light of social distancing measures enforced during the pandemic.
About 350 officials and dignitaries were allowed to be present at the Batasang Pambansa (National Assembly) Complex. The rest of the officials, lawmakers, diplomats, and other guests tuned in to the event virtually.
As he prepares to wrap up his six-year term as Philippine leader, Duterte noted that he was elected in 2016 on a campaign promise that he would end criminality, corruption and the proliferation of illegal drugs. He never expected that his presidency would also be judged on his capacity to handle a pandemic.
The Philippines has registered the second-highest number of coronavirus infections in Southeast Asia, with around 1.56 million cases recorded as of Tuesday, as well as more than 27,000 deaths.
But Duterte said that the country “cannot continue living in the shadow of this potent enemy, especially now that science and medicine has proved that it is possible to live with — if not entirely defeat — this virus”.
Safety protocols
“The health and safety protocols we put in place have proved effective in slowing the spread of the virus. But the best solution is still vaccination,” he said.
The Philippines is banking on its vaccination program to stem the spread of the virus. The inoculation program was launched on March 1, with authorities targeting to vaccinate over 70 million people by yearend. As of Sunday, more than 6 million Filipinos had been fully vaccinated, according to the country’s Department of Health.
Duterte said the Philippines may have to go through another lockdown again if the Delta variant leads to another surge in COVID-19 cases.
Dennis Coronacion, chairman of the Department of Political Science at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, welcomed Duterte’s focus on vaccinations, given the economic consequences of earlier lockdown measures.
Nicholas Antonio Mapa, senior economist at Dutch investment bank ING, offered a less sanguine outlook, noting that he is “still waiting for some emphasis on solving the current recession, with the Delta variant very likely forcing us back into another debilitating lockdown”.
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Ruben Carlo Asuncion, chief economist of Union Bank of the Philippines, said Duterte’s remarks will help improve the business and investment climate in the nation and allow more foreign investments to come in.