Welcome change

I recently attended a lunch meeting hosted by Ambassador Al Yuchengco on the 4th Development Forum for 2010 of the Philippine Ambassadors Foundation, Inc.

The guest speaker was US Ambassador Harry K. Thomas. This was the first time I would meet him in person. It was good that I did. He exuded sincerity when he gave his speech and this can be worked on for the special relations between our two countries.  

I thought I would go away contented with a typical Yuchengco gourmet lunch. The excellent food and a sincere speech from the American ambassador, what more can I ask for? It came during question time.

I was pleasantly surprised at the directness of questions asked by Philippine diplomats. It may be because I had not expected such candor from our ambassadors but there it was. To me, that was the news. We are entering a new phase in Philippine-American relations and it would be good for both countries to be intellectually ready for it.

* * *

Ambassador Jose Zaide, our former ambassador to France said “recently the US made final settlement - $9,000 for Filipino veterans — $15,000 if they are residing in the USA.” Why the differentiation?

“I believe you may be aware that France had initial settlement differentiating benefits for its citizen soldiers and foreign conscripts who fought under the French flag WW12; but this was reversed by higher authority.

“France is not alone. The UK, when it returned Hong Kong to be SAR of China, initially denied right of residence to its Gurka troops. But this was also reversed by higher authority.

“I wonder, Mr Ambassador, if you could suggest some helpful direction to enable Filipino war veterans’ benefits to come abreast with US war veterans.”

Ambassador Thomas prefaced his reply with good words about veterans and democracy.

“When it was discovered that some of the veterans who are residing in the Philippines are actually US citizens, Senator Inouye, a staunch friend of the Philippines, introduced a new bill granting an additional $198 million.” (CNP: He must have been referring to the “Filipino WWII Veterans Compensation”) This is a considerable sum from the budget.”

He suggested that “if Filipinos feel strongly about this, you should harness the considerable Filipino-American constituents in the United States to lobby with their congressmen to improve the benefits for the Filipino veterans. Congress is always sensible to these initiatives.”

Personally, I think Ambassador Zaide’s point has less to do with money as it does with tackling the veterans issue on a principle of equality.

* * *

The more sensitive question came from Ambassador Clemencio Montesa who was posing a question rather than making a statement. There was some misunderstanding that could have turned into a debate. Montesa said that “since the RP and US governments claim that the prolonged presence of US combat troops in Mindanao is in accordance with the VFA and in view of the fact that this is being challenged, would the Ambassador have any new revelations or specific VFA citations that would add to the public’s understanding of the agreement?”

And here was the crunch: during the VFA negotiations, Mindanao never appeared in the radar screens of the negotiators, he said.

“In the interest of public diplomacy, the Filipino people will appreciate it if they would be informed of the legal basis, and terms and conditions of their prolonged (5 years already?) stay in Mindanao.

We know that activities undertaken under the VFA have to have prior authority from the RP government and the period of stay is clearly limited.

A citizen’s simple request is to be more fully informed of the lawful basis as to why we see fully armed battle ready foreign troops roaming the streets of Mindanao.”

* * *

In Ambassador Thomas’ speech he said that he hoped President Aquino would find time to tie up some bilateral events like the signing of a Millennium Challenge Corporation or MCC compact. One of its projects is the construction of a road all around the island of Samar.

Unfortunately, the mention of Samar inevitably pricks Filipinos’ memories because of the still unreturned Balangiga bells. (Balangiga was the town in Samar of the infamous massacre of Filipinos during the Philippine war of independence against the Americans.) It was Ambassador Ramon Farolan who brought up the issue. FVR personally requested the return of the bells and President Clinton promised it will happen during FVR’s state visit. That was in 1999.

* * *

I did some research of my own and found that there may be a way around it but it will have to be a Filipino initiative. According to my source, the US ratified in March 2009 the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. The Philippines has not ratified it.

“Not being an international law expert but a layman’s reading of the text seems to indicate that it would be the appropriate legal document for thinking about the return of the Balangiga Bells to the Philippines,” my source added.

 The first step would be for the Philippines to ratify the Convention as well. I hope that some of the Senators who have filed various resolutions on the Bells will take up the ratification - Villar and Pimentel. (there are references in Wiki to their work: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balangiga_bells>

The return of the Bells would represent an important maturing in the US-Philippine relationship. Too often shaped by strategic considerations rather than the principles that both nations hold dear.

* * *

It has been far too long but perhaps it is the unique role that President Obama can play in the development of the bilateral relationship. In his inaugural address he said “We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.”

We cannot undo the colonial period – we have to accept it as part of our history. In exhorting America to choose its better history, I hope that this includes making a minor but nonetheless historical gesture in getting the bells returned to where they belong – in Samar.