THE Philippines is looking at a security and defense alliance with the United Kingdom amid the “evolution of geopolitics” and recent developments in the world, President Marcos Jr. said yesterday.
“It is not traditional for us to look to Europe… to seek alliances and partnerships when it comes to security and defense. But that seems to be the evolution of the geopolitics these days. It is a welcome evolution in my view and again your visit here, I think, is a clear indication of that intent,” the President told British Foreign Minister James Cleverly during the latter’s courtesy call in Malacañang.
No details about the security and defense discussions were available.
The Philippines and the UK, in November 2021, launched the “Enhanced Partnership” which aims to strengthen the collaboration between the two countries in key areas including defense, climate and environment, trade, maritime security and foreign policy, among others.
The President and Cleverly also talked of trade and investment especially amid the post-COVID-19 pandemic economic recovery, people-to-people exchanges between the two nations, climate change and renewable energy, and Marcos’ visits to the UK.
The two said they see many opportunities for economic exchanges between the two countries.
Marcos said the world has started its economic recovery and while it has not reached the pre-pandemic levels yet, “we are fast approaching that.”
“There is a shift for Europe to look post-pandemic to the region, to Asia, Southeast Asia, to begin with for the transformation of our economies, and to improve the positioning of all our economies, post-pandemic,” he said adding he sees many opportunities awaiting the two nations as the post-pandemic economies evolve.
Cleverly, agreeing with the President, said the Philippines and the UK are “like-minded” countries as the two nations share similar positions on various issues,
“I think instinctively, (the Philippines and UK are) very much like-minded, with very, very similar attitudes to world affairs, and very similar appetites to try and make the most of the bilateral relationship as well as the UK’s focus on Southeast Asia,” he said.
He said his country is looking towards enhancing its trade relationship with the Philippines where there is still a lot of room to grow.
Cleverly said he had recent discussions with their ambassador about establishing a UK export finance facility which would encourage British companies to invest more broadly into the Philippines.
He also said the UK and the Philippines could also cooperate and work closely together on climate change and renewable energy generation projects.
“I see lots of opportunities to build on what is a really positive bilateral relationship,” Cleverly said, who also thanked Marcos, on behalf of the Philippines, for being a really good friend and partner to the UK and for the “huge growth potential” that deepening the two nations’ ties could bring.
Also present during Marcos and Cleverly’s meeting were Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, and Ambassador to the UK and concurrent presidential envoy for special affairs to China Teodoro Locsin Jr.
Cleverly, in a brief press conference with his Manalo, vowed further increased trade between the UK and the Philippines as he said his country is building enduring partnership in the region and the latter is one of those partners.
He said trade between the two countries is at its “highest level that it has ever been” but that London is hoping it will increase further.
“Trade stood at around 2.4 billion pounds per year in goods and services but of course, we aspire to increase that number further,” Cleverly said, adding he is certain that the prosperity of the United Kingdom and the Philippines will be closely interwoven for years.
“And of course, we enjoy strong people-to-people links and the UK is enormously grateful for the support of over 47, 000 Filipino health care providers employed in our National Health Service and the private sector,” he said.
“The first coronavirus vaccine was administered in the UK by a Filipina nurse and that exemplifies the close working relationship that we had as a nation,” he added, referring to May Parsons who is the nurse to administer the world’s first COVID-19 vaccine to then-90-year-old Margaret Keenan at a local hospital in Coventry, England, on Dec. 8, 2020.
Parsons was later awarded the prestigious George Cross award on behalf of the NHS in the UK.
Cleverly and Manalo signed a “statement of intent” to deepen collaboration in addressing climate change, maritime security, trade and investment, science and technology and people-to-people links.
Manalo said the UK “is an important long-standing partner of the Philippines especially in this time of geographic changes, economic disruptions, and challenges to the rule of law.” — With Ashzel Hachero
