I have been in my original country, the Philippines, for more than a decade now, after semi-retiring from my media work in the United States, primarily due to a recession that forced me to go back home rather than starve and join the statistics of Americans suffering from poverty. At least here in the Philippines, I can stretch my meager income from my webwork in Madison, Wisconsin, and my early-retirement Social Security pension. Here, I am able to live a life that is admittedly notches above the poverty line! As a senior citizen, I am proud that the Philippines has provided me a more comfortable and satisfying life -- from health/medical needs, housing, community and family support, to good food and opportunities for local travels and fun activities.
Nowadays, however, my peace of mind has begun to be replaced by anxiety because of China’s continuing refusal to accept the fact that it doesn’t own the whole of South China Sea. It continues to assert its unilateral belief that their 9-dash line defines China’s boundary, and disregards the 2016 ruling of the UN International Arbitration Court in favor of the Philippines. China has occupied many of our small islands, reclaimed them, and turned them into military installations. It has been harassing Filipino fishermen from fishing at our Exclusive Economic Zones, preventing them from maintaining their livelihood. To China, their belief cannot be questioned by anyone, even by the West, the UN, or Southeast nations claiming portions of South China Sea based on UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The most recent incident of harassment by China toward the Philippines was the use of water cannon by a huge Chinese Coast Guard ship to a tiny Philippine Coast Guard vessel bringing supplies to a Filipino army contingent manning the sunken MV Sierra Made in Ayungin Shoal. When the Philippines lodged a diplomatic complaint for the nth time, a Chinese envoy blamed the Filipinos instead, claiming the tiny ship was about to ram the Chinese monster vessel! China also released a statement that the Philippines has reneged its promise to remove the sunken vessel in Ayungin Shoal -- a blatant lie that angered Pres. Bongbong Marcos who said that if ever there was an agreement (tho’ he doesn’t believe there was one) he is rescinding it!
China has openly declared that Taiwan is their province and that Beijing will get it back even by force if necessary and with China’s presence around Taiwan, including the Philippines’ reclaimed islands/shoals, it is not far beyond.
The presence, however, of American EDCA (Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement) sites in the Philippines in accordance with the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the United States (c ‘50s), seems to hinder China at this point to invade Taiwan. Nowadays, China is surrounding Taiwan in a show of military force, air and sea, creating anxiety not only in Taiwan, but also in the Philippines. As a Filipino-American living in the Philippines, I am witnessing a looming war in our midst. I don’t want my original country to enter into war because our people will suffer…lives will definitely be lost, everything will be in chaos, and I am not sure of my and my family’s survival.
Nevertheless, I truly believe in the Filipino spirit. Our heroes died fighting for our liberty … against the conquerors of our land and people. Cowardice has no place in our vocabulary. If ever war ensues, I’d be proud to voluntarily serve my original country in whatever capacity necessary to help defend the Philippines and the Filipinos. I may not be able to take up arms (being old and untrained) but I can still work -- cook and feed soldiers, write and send reports, help in medical tents perhaps, whatever!
Please pray for all of us in this looming war. God’s help is the best weapon we can always depend on.
