Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – The reelection of United States President Barack Obama will not have any significant effect on the Philippines, senators conceded Wednesday.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile told reporters that the relationship between the Philippines and the US will not change whoever wins the election.
“[The Philippines’] relationship is not to Obama or [Mitt] Romney. Our relationship is to the United States,” Enrile said.
When asked whether the relationship would be better for either the Republican party or the Democratic party, Enrile said: “It will be just the same. We have an agreement. That is the basis of our diplomatic relations with America.”
Senator Francis Pangilinan and Ralph Recto said in separate interviews that the American President will always push for America’s interests first.
“Whoever wins will push for their interests, and not our interests,” Recto said. “Also, if their economy improves, our economy will also improve.”
Recto also pointed out that Obama’s stand for immigrant’s rights will be good for the many Filipinos in America. “They are an aging society, they will be forced to open up for immigrants because they will need more workers,” Recto said.
Pangilinan said that “It’s up to us to push our own interests,” and said that he had no particular preference on who he wants to win.
He, however, pointed out that he wants the Visiting Forces Agreement, which he finds “lopsided in favor of the US,” to be renegotiated to be “mutually benefiting for all.”