"Pinning hopes on Trump or Biden
doesn’t change the problem”
(Or: “short thoughts on the 2020 US Presidential Elections
and how will affect the Philippines”)
Frankly speaking, that regardless of who wins the presidency of the United States, that its very ruling order stays "as it is" towards its vassals like the Philippines. Duterte may have lean towards China, but does it scrapped the agreements like MDT, EDCA, and VFA? Remember, despite Duterte's show distrust towards the United States, political and military support from that country continues still as the second-hand helicopters handed over to the Philippine Air Force.
And to think that both Duterte and Trump expressed mutual admiration, then the former's show of distrust against the United States was plain simple "personal expression" limited to angst such as towards the past Obama administration who criticised his action. But, if Biden wins the presidency, there lies a possible shift on how US will engage Duterte- and that includes opposing Duterte's Human Rights violations (especially from those who signed the Magnitsky act), while at the same time seeing agreements like the VFA continues to be discussed and possibly respected by both countries- in which critics strongly oppose.
Again, regardless of who wins the presidency, the order in the United States doesn't change. There may be cosmetic and symbolical "changes" perhaps, or even compromises enough to appease both the people and the order; but to think that the only ones winning are the banks and financial institutions, tech companies and the industrial trusts, the media, and globalists alike altogether defending capitalism, then it is not surprising to call it either as continuity or normalcy.
All in all, regardless of who leads the presidency, that the vassal-like relationship between the Philippines and the United States remain "as-it-is": having its unequal treaties intact as in the past, agreements benefiting the order- at the expense of the people and its desire for independence. Duterte may claim that the Philippines continues to pursue its "independent foreign policy" according to his supporters, but the question is: how can a country who can't even pursue self reliance really defend its sovereignty? As far as a concerned person knows that those who pursue an independent foreign policy are the ones who are serious in self-reliance and uphelding its sovereignty so strongly and with dignity.
Perhaps, it is really the duty of the Filipino to assert its independence: that neither from Washington nor Beijing, Wall Street nor Shanghai Bund, would ever dicate Juan and Maria's lives.
