CORAZON AQUINO FOREIGN POLICY

 Foreign policy at first had relatively low salience under Aquino, perhaps because of her
confidence of legitimacy achieved through charisma and electoral processes. She thus
felt no compulsion to use foreign policy for regime survival as had Marcos.
 Policy issue of the decade.
 The election campaign in late 1985 she had favored the removal of the bases. The fate
of US military bases, was deliberately downplayed by Mrs. Aquino.
 August 1987, without consulting the President, senators sponsored a bill that would
outlaw ‘possession, storage, or transport’ of nuclear weapons on Philippine territory
(Washington Post, 21 August 1987).
 October 17, 1988 a new base compensation package was signed by the US and the
Philippines, providing a record $ 960 million over two years.
 The end of 1988 there was increasing talk in both Washington and Manila of phased
withdrawal of the bases.
 The first ever visit by a Soviet foreign minister on 22 December produced an invitation
for Mrs Aquino to go to Moscow. Shevardnadze won favor by assuring Filipinos that the
Soviet Union had never supported and had no intention of supporting the Communist
Party of the Philippines/NPA insurgency (FB/S, 22 December 1988, p. 45).
 A state visit to Japan,on President Aquino’s agenda, indicating Japan’s rising economic
importance to the Philippines.
 1986 Economic constraints frustrated expressions of autonomy by some in Aquino’s
government. the statement by Solita Monsod, head of the National Economic
Development Authority, favoring ‘selective repudiation’ of the foreign debt, especially
loans purloined by Marcos and his cronies.
 In December the government promised the IMF to reduce budget deficits and scale
down growth targets.
 May 1987 the Aquino administration eagerly sought ASEAN support on the question of
Mindanao autonomy.
 The horrendous foreign debt, unparalleled in the region, is also in large part a result of
the domestic system – the unrestrained greed of neo-patrimonialism in an authoritarian
setting.
 Wurfel, D. (1990). David Wurfel: Philippine foreign policy. David
Wurfel. https://davidwurfel.ca/philippine-foreign-policy

RAMOS FOREIGN POLICY

 President Fidel V. Ramos was welcomed into Malacañang amid dramatic political and
rapid economic changes in the world and he was more than determined to keep up.
 Through foreign policy, Ramos embarked on what was called .Development Diplomacy,.
diplomacy aimed at enabling the country to access new markets and attract investors
and tourists alike.
 This resulted in numerous trade agreements and reportedly billions in new investments
and economic assistance
  Ramos, through his rigorous conduct of economic diplomacy, ensured greater foreign
business confidence in the country and greater access to the international market.
 In political and security matters, foreign policy stressed the importance of cooperation
against non-conventional threats to security, such as migration and transnational crime.
 To maintain regional and domestic peace and order, the Ramos administration pursued
bilateral and multilateral linkages, including a very controversial episode with the US and
the Visiting Forces Agreement.
 However, Ramos. efforts on international linkages did not prevent China from pursuing
its claims on the disputed islands. But it would probably take more than diplomacy to
keep China within its borders.
 Pattugalan, G. R. (n.d.). A Review of Philippine Foreign Policy Under the Ramos
 A review of Philippine foreign policy under the Ramos administration | Pattugalan |
Kasarinlan: Philippine Journal of third world studies . (n.d.). U.P. Diliman Journals
Online. https://www.journals.upd.edu.ph/index.php/kasarinlan/article/view/1623/1551

ESTRADA FOREIGN POLICY

 Estrada’s first priority was to focus on the improvement of the economy. Creating the
environment of peace and order in which business does well so as to uplift the economy
of the country.
 Incentives for Regional Headquarters of Foreign Multinationals (Republic Act No. 8756)
o The measure grants a host of incentives to multinational firms establishing their
regional hubs in the country. It also provides a tax- and duty-free operating
environment for them, and multiple entry visas to expatriates and their families,
as well as a flat income tax rate of 15%.
 Retail Trade Liberalization Act (Republic Act No. 8762)
o The bill dismantles 40 years of state protectionism over the country’s retail trade
industry and opens the sector to big foreign players. With the retail trade
liberalization, well-known foreign players like France’s Carrefour and Casino
Group as well as the U.S.’ Wal-Mart and JC Penney are already in the process of
negotiating with local partners.
 New General Banking Act (Republic Act No. 8791)
o The measure opens up the local banking industry to foreign players after almost
50 years of having it exclusively reserved and protected for Filipino nationals.
With the industry’s liberalization, at least 10 foreign banks have already
established their presence in the Philippines.
 RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement
o On 1999 a Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States, which was ratified
in the Senate.The first Visiting Forces Agreement was actually signed under
President Ramos in 1998, and the second was subsequently signed under
President Estrada. The two agreements came to effect a year later. The primary
effect of the Agreement is to require the U.S. government (1) to notify RP
authorities when it becomes aware of the apprehension, arrest or detention of
any RP personnel visiting the U.S. and (2) when so requested by the RP
government, to ask the appropriate authorities to waive jurisdiction in favor of
RP, except cases of special interest to the U.S. departments of State or Defense
  JULY, 1998
-DFA hosted the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting
-Undertook confidence-building measures with China over the South China Sea issue.
-President Estrada strengthened bilateral ties with neighboring countries with visits to
Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan and South Korea.
 1999
-The DFA played a major role in the forging of a Visiting Forces Agreement with the
United States, which was concurred in the Senate
-The country sent a delegation of 108 observers to the Indonesian parliamentary
elections, and engaged in cooperative activities in the areas of security, defense,
combating transnational crimes, economy, culture, and the protection of OFWs and
Filipinos abroad
 Joseph Ejercito Estrada (1998-2001). (2010, April 6). Philippine
Presidents. https://bloomspresidents.wordpress.com/joseph-ejercito-estrada-1998-2001/

ARROYO FOREIGN POLICY

 Macapagal-Arroyo's foreign policy has been oriented toward business, diplomatic, and
military relationships with the US.
 November 2001 - Arroyo reestablished these relations state visit to the US where she
was promised $100 million in military assistance.
 May 2003 – She made another visit in which President Bush described Filipino-US
relations as stronger than at any other time in recent history.
 The US committed to extend $30 million in new grants and aid for the Philippine armed
forces, $30 million for new bilateral development assistance focused on Mindanao, and
$25 million for a combat engineering unit.
 Bush capped the visit by elevating the Philippines to a special non-North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) ally as Australia and Egypt.
 Macapagal-Arroyo accepted a Malaysia and Libya-brokered peace accord between the
Filipino government and the MILF, which by end of May 2003 looked promising.
 The Philippines' leading trading partner is Japan, which also is the nation's largest aid
donor.
 December 2002 - Macapagal-Arroyo received a state visit to Japan and further
strengthened the economic bonds between the two countries.
 She considers trade with China "a big opportunity," but relations with Hong Kong are
cold due to Hong Kong's decision to cut wages of maids, many of whom are Filipinas.
 The Macapagal administration also faces on-going diplomatic challenges with China,
Vietnam, and Malaysia over competing claims to the Spratly Islands in the South China
Sea.
 Foreign policy - Philippines - problem, trading partner. (n.d.). Encyclopedia of the
Nations - Information about countries of the world, United Nations, and World
Leaders. https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/World-Leaders-2003/Philippines-
FOREIGN-POLICY.html
BENIGNO AQUINOIII FOREIGN POLICY

 September 10,2010 Obama expressed his determination to elevate RP-US relations to a

higher level, and welcomed the Aquino administration’s anti-corruption efforts. Aquino
and Obama also discussed military matters, about the possible removal of thousands of
tons of war materials that Allied forces had left behind on Corregidor Island during
World War 2
 On September 23, 2010, Aquino delivered his remarks at Mellinium Challenge
Corporation (MCC) compact agreement signing ceremony at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in
New York City. The US$434-million MCC compact agreement will fund the Aquino
administration's various programs on poverty reduction, revenue generation, and
infrastructure development.
 October 26,2010 Aquino and Triết signed four Memorandum of agreement on four areas
of cooperation, namely, higher education, defense, oil spill preparedness and response,
and search and rescue at sea.
 August 23, 2010
o The Hong Kong hostage crisis that deeply embarrassed the administration and
strain ties with the Chinese Government
 March 30, 2014
o Unable to counter China’s military force, Aquino counters by filing a suit at Hague
 April 28, 2014
o the Philippines seals an agreement with US to bolster the country’s territorial
defense
 France-Presse, A. (2016, May 9). 10 events that define president Aquino’s legacy.
INQUIRER.net. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/784249/10-events-that-define-president-
aquinos-legacy?fbclid=IwAR2e-hoC-9HzyC5M5imhUzByahi5-
870kznywnlMfPcgsxV2Ne7XNlt5Wi0

ANALYSIS

CORAZON AQUINO
 After former President Marcos got ousted, Corazon Aquino became the next president
through a snap election. Former President Aquino was only a mere housewife and still
didn't know how to run a country. Due to her lack of confidence of being the president,
foreign policy during her administration was weak and can barely be noticed. She
approved of the removal of US military bases in the Philippines. Aquino's administration
was known to have a political issue. The senate sponsored a bill that would outlaw the
"possession storage, transport" of nuclear weapons on Philippine territory. Aquino's state
visit on Japan was an indication on Japan's rising economic importance to the
Philippines. Economic constraints on 1986 frustrated expressions of autonomy by some
in Aquino's administration. The statement of Solita favored the selective repudiation of
the foreign debt, especially loans during Marcos' regime.
FIDEL RAMOS

 The backbone of Philippine foreign policy was the president’s rigorous conduct of
economic diplomacy. He extensively led trade and other economic missions abroad, and
found a place for the Philippine participation in multilateral economic fora within and
outside the region. Indeed, Ramos. proactive economic diplomacy resulted in greater
foreign business confidence in the Philippines. The administration also used international
linkages to help deter internal threats, as shown in the national reconciliation efforts. In
addition, while it also attempted to enhance its country.s defense capability, the Ramos
administration was very well aware that bilateral linkages and multilateral linkages were
necessary not only to maintain regional stability but also the domestic peace and order.
However, despite rigorous diplomacy with China, the Ramos administration has failed to
mitigate the threat posed by the Chinese expansion in the South China Sea, a threat
now in the hands of the Estrada administration.
 A review of Philippine foreign policy under the Ramos administration | Pattugalan |
Kasarinlan: Philippine Journal of third world studies . (n.d.). U.P. Diliman Journals
Online. https://www.journals.upd.edu.ph/index.php/kasarinlan/article/view/1623/1551

JOSEPH ESTRADA
 Joseph Estrada was elected as president gaining most of the votes from the people. He
won the hearts of the poor by promising them with a life where suffering does not exist
("Erap para sa mahirap"). During Estrada’s administration, the economic team was
strong but during the latter part, the admin failed to capitalize on the gains of the
previous administration. The Estrada administration upheld the foreign policy thrusts of
the Ramos administration, focusing on national security, economic diplomacy, assistance
to nationals, and image-building. Former president Joseph Estrada ratified the VFA on
October 5, 1998. (Estrada succeeded Fidel Ramos, who was president at the time of the
VFA's signing.) On May 27, 1999, the Philippine Senate voted 18-5 to concur with the
ratification, resulting in the effectivity of the PH-US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) that
provides rules for the entry and departure of US personnel in the Philippines, the
movement of military vessels and aircraft, and the import and export of equipment and
supplies in connection with military exercises like 'Balikatan' and the Philippines has
jurisdiction over US personnel who commit crimes in the country, and can impose
sanctions and punishments in accordance with Philippine laws. He also hosted the 'Third
informal ASEAN summit' at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) from
November 24–28, 1999, with the the nine ASEAN member-countries and three dialogue
partners of the regional grouping, namely China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, in
order to strengthened the promotion of peace, stability and prosperity in the region.
 Explainer: Visiting forces agreement. (2020, January
31).Rappler. https://rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/explainer-visiting-forces-
agreement?fbclid=IwAR3D_7b6SBdNKw-
BoLMXUTk2AAu0lzU558AIbwD4B4ZVfyJ5VnCulrp2V1o
GLORIA ARROYO

 President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has dominated Philippine politics this entire decade,
first in January 2001 as a vice president who succeeded President Joseph Estrada on the
heels of a “people power” protest (triggered by the suspension of the impeachment trial
of President Estrada) – a succession that was confirmed by the Supreme Court. She
then went on to serve as president longer than any since Ferdinand Marcos when she
won a full six-year term in May 2004. The Arroyo legacy could be characterized by some
improvements on the policy front, though they are inadequate and leave many
governance challenges and social inequities largely unaddressed. As shown by the World
Bank indicators, chronic problems such as corruption have worsened, a key reason
behind the Philippines’ anemic progress in economic and human development. In
addition, even the recent boom period beginning in 2001 and ending in 2008-2009
represents a missed opportunity to facilitate sustained change

BENIGNO AQUINO III

 Just three years into his tenure as president, Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III has managed
to transform the Philippines from the sick man of Asia into one of its most promising
players. The country’s economy is one of the region’s fastest growing, corruption is
decreasing, and, thanks to a new peace deal, a Muslim rebellion in the country’s south
has died down. Aquino’s success follows more than a decade of hardball politics and
sputtering growth under his controversial predecessors, Joseph Estrada, who held power
from 1998 to 2001, and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who occupied the presidency from
2001 to 2010. Defying expectations, Noynoy began his term by parting with that legacy
and instilling new public trust in state institutions. President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino
III stated that under his administration, in terms of foreign policy, the Philippines was
able to reclaim its distinguished stature in the community of nations. Aquino praised
career diplomats and staff of the department for improving the image of the country
overseas as well as serving Filipinos working abroad. Philippines also reclaimed its
national honor.
 NoyNoy stumbles. (2014, October 17). Foreign
Affairs. https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/southeast-asia/2014-10-15/noynoy-
stumbles