Marcos has no ‘clear’ independent foreign policy – Duterte

Metro Manila, Philippines –  Vice President Sara Duterte accused President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of lacking a “clear” independent foreign policy, saying the Philippines appears caught between the United States and China, as she formally announced her intention to run for president in 2028.

In a statement on Feb. 18, Duterte criticized the administration’s foreign policy direction while apologizing to Filipinos for supporting Marcos in the 2022 elections.

“Patawad kung wala tayong malinaw at tunay na independent foreign policy kung kaya’t tila tayo’y naiipit sa tunggaliang namamagitan sa mga super powers tulad ng Tsina at Estados Unidos,” Duterte said. 

[Translation: I’m sorry that we do not have a clear and truly independent foreign policy, leaving us seemingly caught in the rivalry between superpowers such as China and the United States.]

Malacañang has previously described its foreign policy as a balancing act between competing global powers. In a 2023 interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Marcos said the Philippines was walking a “fine line” between Washington and Beijing amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Asia-Pacific region.

“We are the grass in this situation. We don’t want to get trampled,” Marcos said at the time, citing an African proverb about smaller nations caught between stronger rivals.

The president emphasized expanding cooperation with the United States while maintaining dialogue mechanisms with China, particularly over tensions in the South China Sea. He also pointed to the Philippines’ longstanding defense treaty with Washington and deep economic ties with Beijing as reasons for pursuing a cautious diplomatic approach.

Duterte has previously rejected suggestions that she leans toward a pro-China stance, an approach often associated with her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.

In a January interview, she said the Philippines should strengthen relations with multiple partners rather than align with a single power.

“What I always say is, we need to develop, we need to maintain, and we need to level up our relations with all countries, not just with China,” she said.

She also questioned what she described as the administration’s growing reliance on Washington.

“Why would you side with a superpower just because you have a problem with another one? I mean, we have a problem with China, so why are we siding with the US?” Duterte said.