FOREIGN POLICY MAKING IN THE PHILIPPINES.
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to identify the main elements involved in the foreign policy making process in order to assist readers to evaluate Philippine ability to achieve its foreign policy goals. The Philippines is expected to have an increasing interest in Southeast Asian regional affairs as it becomes more Asian-oriented and less dependent on the US. However, effective changes in its foreign policy will come very slowly because strong executive leadership is constrained by domestic factors; The nature of its bureaucracy, politics based on personalities rather than political parties or factions, the activities of some members of the business community, the influence of an often sensational press, dissident groups, and the slow economic growth in a predominantly agricultural nation. At the same time the Philippines regards Chinese nuclear potential for and encouragement of wars of national liberation as the main security threats, and the nation will continue to rely on the US for overall defense and military assistance to improve its defense capabilities. Recently the Philippines decided to discard the policy of not entering trade or diplomatic relations with communist nations and is taking steps to improve long-term economic relations with Japan. The US will have to decide by 1974 whether to end the special Philippine-US trade relations or preserve some or all of the special agreements of the Laurel-Langley Agreement. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1968
- Accession Number
- AD0836002
Entities
People
- Kathryn E. Rafferty