GWP To Aquino: Use The ASEAN Card In Diplomacy

Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Emmi De Jesus advised the Aquino government to use the ASEAN card in protecting Philippine sovereignty, rather than the US card.

“I believe that ASEAN is the best forum because other member states like Vietnam and Malaysia also laid claim on the Spratly islands,” explained Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Emmi De Jesus.

“Mahalaga na gamitin ng Pilipinas ang relasyon unang-una sa ASEAN para gawing ASEAN-China pag-uusap. At hindi rin tayo dapat maging sunud-sunuran sa kagustuhan ng Amerika. Napakalaking problema ang papasukin ng bansa kung makikipagdigmaan tayo sa China, at lalong malaking problema kung isasali pa ang Amerika. Ngunit hindi rin naman tayo dapat pumayag na magpatuloy ang China sa panghihimasok sa ating bansa,” explained the Gabriela solon.

“GWP is especially concerned because the territorial insecurity may lead to actual conflict that can mean more difficulties and hardships for women, children and their families who already suffer from daily problems of not knowing where their next meal will come from, as the possibility of war may result to budget realigning to fund the war,” added the Gabriela solon.

“National sovereignty can be achieved if the government has the political will to assert its right to territorial security as an independent nation without necessarily waging war. We cannot achieve it by welcoming interventions from America or any other powerful imperialist country. The Filipino people should free itself from unequal treaties like the Mutual Defense Treaty and the government must have the political will to do so,” ended Rep. Emmi De Jesus.##