The final State of the Union Address of President Barack Obama is something the Philippine presidential aspirants should study and learn many things from.
First, it was a shining example of how a real leader should wind up his term in office: declaring factually, but humbly, what his administration had achieved and making a commitment to ensure that America continues to take the path of greatness and world leadership. Second, Obama’s address was quintessentially statesman-like: no low-level attacks against his opponents unlike the speeches we are so used to hearing from our own leaders. Third, his address inspired not only Americans but all who heard it. It made one want to do what is right for the world and the citizens of this planet. He spoke of combatting terrorism, climate change, education, lifting the lives of every hardworking family, and giving everyone a fair shot at opportunity, as well as, ensuring equal pay for equal work.
Yet, for all the loftiness and grace of President Obama’s State of the Union address, the next president of this country and every Filipino, for that matter, should heed with concern some points he made. For one, he said that America “cannot take over and rebuild every country that falls into crisis, even if it is done with the best of intentions.” That’s not leadership, he said. It’s a recipe for quagmire, spilling American blood and treasure that ultimately will weaken the US. It’s the lesson of Vietnam and Iraq and America should have learned it by now, Obama said. He added that while America would always act, alone if necessary, to protect its people and its allies, on issues of global concern, America will make sure that other countries pull their own weight.
What should this tell us? That we cannot expect the US to fight our wars or battles for us. Obama’s address should remind us that we need to build our own capacities and strengths to defend and protect our territory and sovereignty. Bringing back ROTC or the Reserved Officers’ Training Corps as a compulsory college subject could be the start of spreading awareness that we need to be ready to help ourselves and not depend on any foreign power. Above all, being ready entails building up logistical capability that the government has neglected in the past decades and which the next administration must face head-on.
One other point President Obama made and which we should pay attention to was his call for the US Congress to approve the Trans-Pacific Partnership it forged with 11 other countries—Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. This trade partnership among these nations aims to open markets among these member nations and to set the rules of trade in the Asia Pacific region rather than allowing China to do it. This is an integration and free exchange of goods and services among the member nations akin to the Asean integration that took effect in Southeast Asia in 2015, including the Philippines.
Why should the Philippine government and Filipinos view this part of President Obama’s address with concern? Simply because the Trans-Pacific Partnership excludes us, despite the Philippines being an avowed ally of the US. Free trade necessitates the lifting not only of tariffs among member nations but also restrictions in ownership, licensing, permits and doing business. This is where we are losing out to all other counties of the world. Our Constitution, untouched for 29 years now, ties our hands and prevents us from being globally competitive. It discourages foreign investments, thereby limiting the capacity of private enterprises to create jobs.
President Benigno S. Aquino III had the unique chance to amend the Constitution crafted during the term of his own mother, President Cory Aquino. Had the 1987 Constitution been amended in PNoy’s time, the Philippines would have been able to break away from some of its shackling provisions. And, to top it off, another Aquino could have claimed credit for continuing a legacy of lifting the people’s lives by attuning the Constitution to the demands of the times. Now, it is up to the next administration to step up to global demands for this nation to survive.
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