Conflicts between nations are inevitable, but can we all agree that war should be the last recourse? Throughout history, war has ravaged not only the earth’s resources but also humanity’s core. There are no winners in a war when families are separated, when the education of the youth is disrupted, when daily living is spoiled with fear and anxiety. There will only be losers, even on the side of a war’s victor.
The talk about war is on the news again as next week would exactly be a year when Russian troops invaded Ukraine. The Philippines may not be a direct player nor feel a direct effect, but since our economy is interconnected with other economies via globalization, we may feel some “pain.”
This was illustrated by a study from the International Food Policy Research Institute: “Global food, fuel, and fertilizer prices have risen rapidly, driven in large part by the fallout from the ongoing war in Ukraine and the sanctions imposed on Russia. The price of crude oil and natural gas has also risen substantially, while the weighted average price of fertilizer has doubled. With these changes in global prices, many developing countries are concerned about the implications for economic stability, food security, and poverty.”
This is connected to what the President said as his major concern — inflation, which, if not controlled, could exacerbate hunger, and push more Filipinos toward poverty. The conflict in Europe may not be the direct culprit of the rise in onion prices, but somewhere along the supply chain, the domino effect of war could be felt, such as when fuel prices almost hit a ₱100 for a liter.
When the Marcos administration came into power, it continued for a while the foreign policy stance of the Duterte administration — “friend to all, enemy to none.” Through time and via his various foreign trips that included high-stakes meetings in the United Nations, World Economic Forum, and APEC, the President has demonstrated that he is crafting his own pro-Filipino foreign policy agenda rooted in pragmatism and strategic alliances.
On the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the President has already said that he will “support any effort toward peace.” He was also prudent not to take any sides, preferring that the two countries resolve their own differences with regards to borders, territories, and resources.
The call for peace was reiterated by the President when he had a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last Monday, Feb. 13, 2023. Marcos told Zelenskyy that he supports Ukraine’s effort to reach a “peaceful resolution" to its ongoing conflict with Russia. The President said that the “Philippines (is) watching with admiration, the bravery and the nationalism that has been displayed by the Ukrainians during this crisis” and that “we join in his effort to reach a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict.”
Marcos concluded his statement with: “We are with you in your search for peace.”
Zelenskyy, in turn, said that he “thanked (Marcos) for supporting sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” and “discussed further deepening of cooperation, in particular on international platforms.”
As the war will soon reach 365 days, the citizens of the world are weary. Unlike natural disasters such as earthquakes where humanity has no control over, war can be stopped as soon as both parties find a common ground. As a far witness of the conflict, the Philippines can only hope for peace, and wait and see if that happens sooner than later.