Are the US, EU investors rethinking? Will they move away?

Will the US, EU investors move away? Is China dependable?

The Philippines are on a path that they may have to rethink or retract since the environment is getting more and more complex with the scenario throwing up too many events with each passing day.

Everything was crystal clear till the Presidential elections that were held in June. Or, that is how it looked even though the Chinese juggernaut was on the offensive and there were no takers to challenge their claims.

Nobody knew whether the ITLOS verdict would have any effect on the status quo in the controversial seas that looked like there was no rational solution.

While the case launched by the previous Aquino regime against the offensive activities and the violent unreasonable claims of the Chinese in the South China Seas was still under consideration, there was no problem.

The Filipinos were the allies of the US and EU was also a friend. China was the bully who was not in a mood to listen to reason or agree to the territorial claims of any nation except its own.

But, how long could the pseudo-stability last?

Even before the President took over in June things had started to change; the self-appointed vigilantes had become active to create an atmosphere of mayhem.
The killings of known drug peddlers and those that were suspects started off. The fear psychosis was so great that more than 600000 people surrendered and an unknown number of people were killed.

The President started peace talks with the Moros, the communists and the Chinese though the reactions he got were not exactly as he desired.

The reaction from the Chinese was a bit more encouraging because they knew the weaknesses of the Filipino people and they made some subtle offers and moves to help the Philippines where they were hurting the most, i.e. the war on drugs.

A victory on the drugs front was a cherished dream of all the ordinary people who had been helpless witnesses of generations of their countrymen falling prey to this cancer of their society. Since President Rodrigo Duterte came with a reputation as a punisher the helpless masses saw him as the savior that they had been awaiting for so long.

Friendship offered by China was a godsend opportunity for Duterte since it had so many advantages for the Filipinos.

But, for that, there had to be a guarantee from the Chinese that it was genuine and did not have any deceptive hidden motives of the communist neighbor.

Firstly, the Philippines had been suffering at the hands of drug lords who mostly came from China with their marauding gangs; their networks were well entrenched and powerful. They held sway in the nation without fear and ruled the islands with disdain.

Moreover, whenever there was pressure from the AFP, they escaped back to China which was their safe house. With China cooperating and checking the movements, they had nowhere to go.

Secondly, the Chinese being locals, have a more authoritative hold on the local terror groups be they the Moros or anyone else.

Thirdly, the Chinese have come forward to offer their help since they are on a week footing after the judgment of the International Tribunal on the Laws of the Seas (ITLOS). The very fact that the Chinese have come up with an offer to deal with the drug peddlers as well as the fact that they have built a major facility for the rehabilitation of the addicts with a capacity of 1400 inmates, is a very encouraging development.

The US troops are not really in the good books of the Moros or the communists; to state a fact, there is a very deep-rooted underlying current of resentment among the Muslims in the Philippines against the western powers who happen to be quite selfish in their pursuits and too touchy on the issue of human rights and they can be quite unreasonable in this matter.

The recent hue and cry against the Philippines is a case in point; there seemed to be a fair amount of irrationality in the approach of the US, the EU and the UN.

The repercussion

It has been seen and reported that the investors from the EU and the US are having a rethink on whether to go ahead with their proposed plans to invest in the Philippines. Whether that actually materializes is still to be seen.

But, there have been reports that some BPO companies and some manufacturing companies are in a wait-and-watch mode as far as their investments are concerned; the proximity and the overtures towards the Chinese are also being closely watched by observers.

Many missions are either cancelled already or under consideration for the same as clarified by John Forbes, Sr Advisor of the American Chambers of Commerce for the Philippines.

The reason as per most of the industry leaders in the hostile comments emanating from the top leadership of the Filipino government. Similar sentiments were also expressed by the European counterpart, Guenter Taus.

He remarked that it was unfortunate that so many enterprises and their plans had to be shelved or kept in abeyance.

The US and the EU have not yet taken any considered decision and continue to assert that they are still the allies of this country.

But, Duterte is incensed due to their unfounded criticism of his war on drugs which he says needs to be investigated before forming an opinion on it.

And, he is right.

The US and the EU hope that better sense will prevail to put an end to such meaningless tirades.

Umrao singh umraoz.wordpress.com

Monday, 10 October 2016
Written for: Lars-Magnus Carlsson www.thephilippinepride.com

Comments

comments