The Palace said it sees no major changes in the ties between Manila and Washington with the election of former US Vice President Joe Biden as president, and expressed hope that the new administration might help Filipinos who were in the United States illegally to legalize their stay.
“When it comes to immigration, we hope there will be a policy shift under a Democratic administration because many Filipinos are living in the United States,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Monday.
Although some of them are… illegals, they have played a huge role in the United States and we hope they will be given an opportunity to [egalize their stay]," Roque added.
President Rodrigo Duterte had said he won't lift a finger to help illegal Filipino immigrants if they are caught violating the law.
There were about 10.5 million unauthorized immigrants in the US in 2017, according to think tank Pew Research Center. Recent reports have estimated the number of Filipinos illegally staying in the US to be about 300,000.
"I hope they will help Filipinos who are now living in the United States but who have no papers because that is a major policy difference between Republican and Democratic administrations. Otherwise, we expect everything to be stable, [with] no major change," Roque said.
Duterte had earlier declared he would abrogate the country’s Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States but later put the move on hold.
"I think the President is keeping an open mind, as he should," Roque said.
“It will be a new start, but we have no prejudgements as far as President-elect Biden is concerned other than the position that we're able and willing to work with all leaders of the world."
Biden had served as vice president under the administration of US President Barack Obama, who drew curses from Duterte for questioning the country’s bloody war on drugs.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon said the Philippines stands to gain from the new Biden administration, but this would require “a proactive approach.”
“I see a Biden presidency positive for the country and the rest of the Southeast Asian nations. I see a myriad of opportunities for the Philippines that has close historical, political, economic, cultural, and emotional ties with the US. Among the Southeast Asian nations, the Philippines is in the best position to actively pursue its interests,” Drilon said in a statement on Sunday.
“The Philippines is a longtime ally of the US. Around 40 percent of overseas Filipino workers remittances come from the US and 70 percent of business process outsourcing revenues come from the US. The Filipinos are on the top four ethnic groups in the US,” he said.
Drilon said these give the Philippines an edge over other countries in the region, but the gains will not be automatic.
“The US foreign policy under Biden would be naturally anchored on US national interests. That will determine US foreign policy vis-a-vis the Philippines, on issues such as the West Philippine Sea, extra-judicial killings, climate change, [and] trade, among others,” Drilon said.
That is the reason the Duterte administration, through the Department of Foreign Affairs headed by Sec. Teddy Locsin Jr., must actively engage the US and leverage the country’s unique advantages, Drilon said.
Senator Leila de Lima, who remains detained over what she calls as trumped-up drug charges, said it was hypocritical for Duterte’s mouthpieces to say no major change is expected in bilateral ties, after Duterte, whose disdain for human rights is well known, endorsed US President Donald Trump. With PNA