Robert Reid | Chairperson FFPS
Philippine president Marcos’ recent statement on how the country would, by necessity, be ‘dragged’ into a war over Taiwan highlights his blind subservience to US imperialist interests. Counter to Marcos’ lapdog-minded comments, the revolutionary movement offers a genuine and diplomatic counter-narrative.
On August 11, Marcos doubled down on the supposed need for the Philippines to prepare for war, because to Marcos it is ‘inevitable’ that war over Taiwan will ‘drag’ the Philippines ‘kicking and screaming’ into the conflict, like a toddler without a choice. Yet it is Marcos himself, along with his predecessors, who have willingly handing over Philippine sovereignty piece by piece by expanding US militarism through the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), increased military cooperation and other arrangements.
Marcos disregards the fact that it is actually the Filipino people and their aspirations that should be decisive on the matter. Instead, he continues to position the Philippines to serve as a staging ground for further US imperialist war in the Asia-Pacific, just as his predecessors. This is not ‘avoiding conflict,’ this is preparing the ground for it.
Counter to this the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) presents a diplomatic position on the issue, highlighting that these disputes with China could and should be resolved through peaceful dialogue, not war. The revolutionary movement strongly criticized Marcos for its role in the US’ war mongering in the Asia-Pacific, stating that “The subservience of the Marcos regime to the US government has become the biggest impediment to advancing a peaceful resolution.”
In its 12-point program, the NDFP lays out its revolutionary vision on foreign policy, “The people’s democratic government shall pursue an active, independent, and peaceful foreign policy. The new government shall reject, and vigorously defend itself against all forms of foreign intervention and interference in the country’s internal affairs from all other states.”
As Friends of the Filipino People in Struggle (FFPS) we stand in full solidarity with the Filipino people’s right to self-determination and condemn Marcos and his government for sacrificing the Philippines’ independence to US imperialist schemes. We support the clamors of the struggling Filipino people, which are for national liberation and genuine social change, not participation in inter-imperialist war.