Philippine Diplomatic History 2: The Philippines and the World

Roxas, Kathlene Dane

BAH 3-1

1.How does Philippines’ claim over Sabah affects our country’s relation with other
claimants?

It is known by many students that the government of Sabah was originally in the
Philippines, as it was stated by the first map of the Philippines, as according to both of the
following primary documents Sabah (North Borneo) is part of our country but Malaysia is also
fighting for its sovereignty. The claim of the Philippines was based on historical and legal
grounds, as the North Borneo was given by the Sultan of Brunei to the Sultan of Sulu as a
reward for helping to suppress the rebellion in Brunei. An Austrian Consul General of
Hongkong, named Baron von Overbeck, even had an agreement with the Sultan Sulu to lease
North Borneo on behalf of British merchant Alfred Dent. As agreement the rentals will be
5,000.00 Malaysian dollars or US$ 1,600 a year. The contract was written in both Malayan
language and in Arabic characters. As decades past, American regime removed the Spanish
colonial in the Philippines with Bates Treaty of 1899, the sovereignty of Sultan over Sulu
Archipelago ended but not the sovereignty over North Borneo. As in 1903, British North Borneo
Company made another agreement with the sultan and included certain islands to the North and
northeast of Borneo with an additional US$ 300.00, until a rumor among the heir of Sultan as to
whom should the payment go that resulted to court litigation. 1957, that Sultan cancelled the
lease to British North Borneo Company.

This led to the legal claim of the agreement of both parties, where it was stated that the
Dent signed documents that on the contract of 1878 that he was a lease, and the Sultan of Sulu
was the lessor. William Treacher, acting British Consul General of Labuan Island in North
Borneo of the time witnesses the contract signing and calls the contract a lease and the money
as an annual rental. But the word that made the confusion was the “padjak” that in English was
lease, but Britain and Malaysia interpret it as cession. Although with this information, Malaysian
claim is (1) Great Britain still turned over Sabah over to Malaysia in 1963, where making
Malaysia, the successor to British sovereignty over Sabah. (2) in the ascertainment plebiscite in
1963 by the United States, it was showed that Sabahans voted to be part of Federation of
Malaysia, and was confirmed in the election in 1967, initiated by Indonesia and Malaysia. and
(3) is that Philippine Constitution doesn’t include Sabah in the delineation of geographical limits
of the Philippines.
 The relation of the two countries, prior to the relevance of the issue was not great, as
both parties want the territory, they’ve despised one another. It come to the point where the
Philippines even withdrew its embassy from Kuala Lumpur and vice versa to Malaysia where
they closed their embassy in Manila. It was until former President Corazon C. Aquino regime,
where the Department of Foreign Affairs made a statement to the effect that steps would made
to withdraw the Philippine claim. But the Prime Minister of Malaysia would not go to Manila, as it
was now the Philippines turn to host the Third ASEAN Summit. It was only recently that both
countries had been quiet about the problem, but until now Sabah technically taught to the
student as part of both countries.

2.What is the impact of Philippine independence from Spain in other South East Asian
countries?

Philippine independence from Spain influenced many Southeast Asian countries, like in
Indonesia. Aside being near in the Philippines many of its known nationalist were born as the
same age as Jose Rizal. Being born as Rizal will also have the same knowledge as the
Bonifacio and other Katipunan, the impact will that they will be more conscious about the same
situation they had. Especially where the Propaganda Movement flourished in 1890s, their works
spread vigorously, and that led to many reading the liberation from the imperial. Example of the
leaders who also look up at Rizal as an inspiration for their homeland’s liberator was Doctor
Sutomo, not only he was born as the same year at Rizal and familiar with him, but he was also
the founder and the main theorists of the Budi Utomo (Noble Endeavor), the spearhead of
Indonesian nationalism.

3.Cite three regional organizations in Asia. Discuss each organization’s history,

objectives, and achievements. Enumerate the members of each organization.

- The Asian Relation Conference of 1945 (23 March – 2 April 1947)

The Asian Relation Conference (ARC) was a non-governmental, that had been
organized by the leaders of Indian Nationalist movement. The conference was held to obtain
their independence, especially India who was just got their freedom from Britain. Which also
become an issue to many colonies that demands their freedom. Aside from the independence
was also to establish diplomatic relations with the big powers and many European countries.
The purpose of the conference as According to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru of India, was
the arrival of Asia on the world sense, the need for Asian unity and cooperation, the absence of
any intention to form Pan-Asian Movement against Europe or America, and the absence of
leaders and followers in the conference.

The agenda of the conference were:

 national freedom movement in Asia

 racial problems and inter-racial migration
 cultural affairs
 agriculture and industry
 transition from colonial to national economy
 labor problems and social services
 status of women and women’s movement

- Southeast Asian Treaty Organization

The Southeast Asian Treaty Organization (SEATO) was a response to Geneva

Agreements of 1954, that temporarily ended the military action in Vietnam dividing it into two at
the 17th parallel for North and South Vietnam and recognizing the independence of Laos and
neutrality of Cambodia, as well as prohibiting the entry of foreign war materials and troops. The
member for this organization were Britain, France, Australia, New Zealand, the U.S., Pakistan,
Thailand, and the Philippines. Under SEATO’s “umbrella clauses” states that South Vietnam,
Laos, and Cambodia were also part of SEATO. These countries can ask for military assistance
against communist forces, and SEATO will respond.

- MAPHILINDO, 1963

The MAPHILINDO was a confederation of three countries to resolve their differences,

which were Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Although they all want to resolve their
differences, they also had pursing policies with conflicting objective. The most repeated themes
in on the policies were:

 peace and security in Southeast Asia,

 respect for sovereignty of states,
 right of self-determination of dependent peoples on the region
 union of Malay people,
  Asian solution for Asian problems
 defeat of communism
 pacific settlement of disputes

4. Give the short history of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). What is the role of
Indonesia in the MNLF?

Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) was an organization from the Muslin
Independence Movement (MIM that where publicly launched in 1968. It is the earliest Moro
struggles developed MIM which had united front of Muslims, Christians and Lumads, this
organization aims to have a free, independent, and prosperous Mindanao. This movement was
not only on strengthened domestic front but also to the internalization of the Moro struggle, and
to derive support from the Muslim obligation to support oppressed Muslims. The role of
Indonesia in the MNLF is that Indonesia helped greatly for the negotiation of the Philippine
government and with the MNLF, with Indonesian government hosting all the meetings and the
delegates. The government and the MNLF both agreed to create a Mixed Commission to look at
the structure and mechanism of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). In other
words, Indonesia become a helpful ally to the MNLF and the Philippine government as it
become the middle ground for the two parties to have a negotiation on what both side needs.