An Open Lettter to the President of the Philippines

Dear Mr. President,

 

Greetings!  I know you are a very busy man so I will try to be brief and direct to the point. 

The situation with China over the disputed territories is getting out of hand.  China is now brazenly building more and more structures in the Spratlys and there's nothing we can do about it!  Like myself, more and more Filipinos are becoming aware of this issue and are enraged by what the Chinese are doing there.

In my humble opinion, wouldn't using the PDAF be the most efficient and quickest way to modernize the AFP especially our Navy?  I know there are many pressing issues on your mind right now but I honestly think that protecting the sovereignty of our country should be your top priority. I know we have to deal carefully with China on this issue since we simply cannot match them ship for ship. But the handling of this issue by the DFA is simply infuriating!  There appears to be no self-respect left whenever the DFA makes any announcement regarding this issue. This is simply disheartening!

I implore you to significantly increase the budget of the DND for modernization.  If I am not mistaken, we not only have the PDAF, but also Malampaya to turn to for funding. If we can show China that they cannot bully us easily and at the same time, broadcast to the world that we are simply defending what is legally and rightfully ours and not being the agressor, this will go a long way to boosting the morale not just of the Philippine military, but of the entire nation! This will also show the International community that we are not a nation of weaklings, and that we are serious about protecting our national interests. This will also help our economy because I believe that more nations will see our country as finally becoming progressive and self-reliant.

Just think of how much jobs your administration can create by investing in navy shipbuilding and maybe even local weapons development!  Didn't we use to have a missile development program?  Didn't we also have a fighter plane development program as well?  Whatever happened to them?  If you can revive these programs, and maybe even get support from the private sector for R&D, I am confident we can become another Asian powerhouse!  Imagine if you can tap the best minds from our top colleges and universities and get them to work on projects for the DND, we might even be able to create a home-grown military drone aircraft! Who knows what else we can come up with?  Ultimately, securing our place in the Spratlys will not only be a boon for our poor fishermen over there, but also pave the way for our country to finally tap into the vast oil reserves supposedly existing there!  Imagine the kind of bright future this country can have if we only had the will to take that first, hard step forward! 

I personally believe we can be a small country that is capable of standing alone in a sea of hostility (just like Israel).  Having allies is always good. But we cannot pin all our hopes on them.  They have their own interests that we may or may not be aware of.  China owns a huge chunk of the US debt and I am very sure you are all too aware of what is happenning between these two superpowers on an economic level.  China is slowly buying out the US bit by bit!  Sadly, when all is said and done, we have no one to turn to except ourselves.  You can see this happenning all over the world.

It is painfully obvious that time is not on our side, so please find a way to show your countrymen that your promise of AFP modernization and attaining a minimum credible defense posture does not stop with the purchase of second hand ships and a dozen fighter jets. 

Before I proceed any further, I want to be clear, I am against the actions of the Chinese government.  I bear no ill will towards the citizens who probably are being fed lies and propaganda by their government regarding this issue.  Some might take me for a war monger. On the contrary, I would like to think of myself as a patriot who fully supports your efforts for a better Philippines.  And I can honestly say that I am not alone!  God Bless!


-----

Disclaimer:

These are my personal views and opinions and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.