From pandemic-related donations, which include around 30 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, to $600 million in military assistance since 2016, all the way down to $20.2 million in aid for victims of typhoon Odette, among other things — Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez summed up why the last five years have proved beneficial for America’s oldest ally in the east.
In a recent interview with Karen Davila on ANC’s Headstart, Ambassador Romualdez, who has been stationed in Washington DC since 2017, said that more COVID-19 vaccines from the US are coming to the Philippines in January 2022.
“We just had a meeting the other day with Pfizer and, together with Secretary [Carlito] Galvez [Jr.] on Zoom, we discussed the possibility of having these [doses] delivered earlier.
“Pfizer’s working hard on getting this to the Philippines by the third week of this month, and, hopefully, more by February. We have ordered something like five million to 10 million doses for those aged five to 11, and others who need to be vaccinated,” he said.
The ambassador also said that around 100 million doses of Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines have been shipped from the US since last year, including 30 million doses that have been donated by the American government.
Beyond COVID-19
Pandemic aside, the two countries have also marked new milestones in other fields, especially when it comes to military support.
“I think it was summed up very nicely by US Defense Secretary [Lloyd] Austin when he came to the Philippines, and clearly said, in no uncertain terms that we cannot simply take our friends and allies for granted. And that is a message that they think is very important for us, for our relationship with the United States,” Romualdez added, saying that it echoes the Duterte administration’s sentiments, which “made it very clear that we cannot be taken for granted.”
Following a strategic dialogue between the two countries last November, the US and the Philippines also came up with a long-term vision statement. “We want to make sure that this whole plan we have on our military, economic and special relationship with the US will continue on for the next 10 years and beyond,” said Romualdez.
“I think it’s a combination of a lot of things. We have received probably one of the largest ever military assistance in the history of our relationship. We’ve had close to $600 million worth of military assistance from the US since 2016,” he stated.
“Our Visiting Forces Agreement is also something that’s very important for the US now more than ever. And, again, that is a situation where we made it clear that we have to be able to make our military strong enough to be able to withstand any kind of forces from the outside,” added Romualdez.
Humanitarian support also continues to pour in from the US. For one, USAID donated almost $ 20.2 million — equivalent to roughly a billion pesos — when typhoon Odette struck in December 2021. “They [USAID] are giving the Philippines special attention in certain areas, obviously, because of climate change. Especially with the incoming new administration, we can see a lot more of these types of agreements that we will be signing with the US in terms of disaster resiliency, and perhaps even in bringing in nuclear power plants,” said Romualdez.
‘An even keel’
Looking back at his ambassadorship over the last four years, Romualdez proudly said that he’s “proud of how the Philippines’ relationship with the US remains in an even keel.”
And while he does not exactly want to call it a legacy, the diplomat believes that “helping to bring the level of our relationship to where it is today is something that I’d like to say that I’m proud of.”
He added: “I would also like to think that we were able to really do something in bringing the vaccines to the Philippines.”
As the Duterte administration winds up, the Philippine Ambassador to the US, who recently received the Order of Sikatuna, beams with pride for the four years that were. “Like I said, this is the first time I’ve ever been in a government position and I’ve never seen something that really makes you quite as proud as being what you are — a Filipino,” he concluded. — By Jose Paolo dela Cruz
