Kerry to visit PH in December

From Rappler (Nov 20): Kerry to visit PH in December

After postponing his trip to the Philippines due to a storm, US Secretary of State John Kerry will push through with the visit in December.

“Hopefully, there would be no storm,” said Sen Loren Legarda who made the announcement during budget deliberations at the Senate on Wednesday, November 20.

Legarda was responding to questions from Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile as the Senate tackled the 2014 budget of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Legarda was the vice-chair of the finance sub-committee that took up the DFA budget.

“Allow me to give the information to your honor that Secretary Kerry is indeed coming in two weeks’ time, by December,” she said.

Kerry was supposed to visit the Philippines in October to represent US President Barack Obama, who cancelled his trip to the country following America’s first government shutdown in 17 years. Kerry also represented Obama at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Summit in Brunei.

Yet the top US diplomat postponed his own trip ahead of Tropical Storm Santi (Nari), which hit Central Luzon.

“Because of the judgment of our pilots… and the approaching typhoon, we are going to postpone the trip that I was going to make to the Philippines. I’m sorry not to be there in the next day or so but the good news is I am absolutely committed to returning in a month or so,” Kerry then said of the Philippine cancellation.

“I’m coming back to the region and I look forward to visiting… our friends in the Philippines,” he added.

Kerry’s December trip comes as the US extends assistance to the Philippines in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), the world’s most powerful storm. US warships and soldiers are in central Philippines along with other foreign militaries and aid groups to help in the relief efforts.

The US is among at least 43 countries that sent and pledged aid to the typhoon-battered nation.

The Secretary of State said in a statement on November 11, “I want to assure the people of the Philippines and the many Americans of Filipino heritage that we are working as hard as possible to provide essential assistance to help the Philippine people and their government recover from this tragedy.”

Kerry’s trip also coincides with the Obama administration’s so-called pivot to Asia, Washington’s effort to rebalance its strategic priorities to the Asia-Pacific. Pundits see the “pivot” as a US effort to counter China’s growing military might.

Enrile: Reason for postponement ‘flimsy’

Yet in his interpellation, Enrile said Kerry’s reason for postponing his October trip was “flimsy,” suggesting it might have indicated strains in the Philippines’ ties with the US.

The former Senate President said the Kerry could have used the US “high altitude planes” that “can go over any kind of typhoon in this planet.

Enrile said he discussed the issue to “satisfy his curiosity.” The former defense minister pointed out that during the martial law, a trip cancellation of then President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan led to “political relations deteriorating” between the two countries.

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs has yet to give details on Kerry’s trip but President Benigno Aquino III said that the secretary’s October visit was supposed to touch on:

• The framework agreement on boosting US troops' presence in the Philippines
• US “intentions” in Syria, considering around 3,000 Filipinos remain in the strife-torn country.

The President had said he supports Kerry's push to speed up the crafting of a Code of Conduct on the South China Sea. Aquino said the absence of this Code of Conduct “adds to the sense of uncertainty, which is not a factor that would enhance stability and prosperity for all parties concerned.”

http://www.rappler.com/nation/44178-kerry-to-visit-ph-december