HOTSPOT
The Philippines has recognized Palestine since September 1989. Right now, we are among 138 member-states of the United Nations that recognize the State of Palestine. All member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, with the exception of Myanmar, also recognize Palestine.
In remarks before the United Nations General Assembly on May 25, 2021, then-Philippine envoy to the UN Enrique Manalo declared: “The Philippines has always expressed support for the creation of the State of Palestine living in peace and security with its neighbors. In this regard, the Philippines reaffirms its support for a two-state solution.”
The Philippines has consistently backed Palestine in the UN, where the State of Palestine is currently classified as an “observer state” just like the Holy See.
His Excellency Saleh As’ad Saleh Mohammad, the Palestinian Ambassador to the Philippines, is currently 20th in the Order of Precedence in the Department of Foreign Affairs' Diplomatic and Consular List, as of Oct. 13, 2023.
Among the foreign ambassadors to the Philippines who are actually residing in the country, the Palestinian envoy ranks seventh.
While we don’t have an ambassador to Ramallah, the Philippine Ambassador to Jordan Wilfredo Santos has concurrent jurisdiction over the State of Palestine. Santos is well-suited for this important post as he is a career-diplomat with decades of experience and holds the rank of Chief of Mission, Class 1, the highest in the foreign service. Jordan and the State of Palestine rightly deserve such magnificent Philippine representation.
Not many people are aware of Philippine recognition of the State of Palestine. This is not that widely reported or stressed as a differentiator in foreign news packages from the United States which, unlike the Philippines, does not recognize both as a country and as a member-state of the UN, the State of Palestine.
The Palestinian question is most familiar to the Bangsamoro in Mindanao as their leaders and organizations have for many years claimed for themselves and fought for the “right to self-determination” through various means. They have had people-to-people and formal bilateral and multilateral relations starting with their national liberation movements and within the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (formerly the Organization of the Islamic Conference).
The Palestinian struggle also continues to capture the imagination and admiration of many Filipino activists who find in Palestinians a certain level of kinship in a common fight against foreign domination, and for national liberation.
No surprise that demonstrations in support of Palestine have been held in Marawi and Manila, where demonstrators demanded an end to attacks against civilians and civilian structures that are supposedly protected under international humanitarian law.
We Filipinos have always had a soft spot for other peoples aspiring for nationhood. That sense of solidarity has been in our DNA ever since our founders dreamt, propagandized, waged open revolution and proclaimed the first Asian republic. Meanwhile, Asians and other nationalities have drawn inspiration from our national liberation history. Sun Yat Sen, for instance, had much-admired friends among Filipino revolutionaries. Rizal is considered as the greatest son of the Malay race.
This is a reminder of such a role we played among Asians and other formerly-colonized peoples, our own national interest as a state without any enemies in the Middle East, and whose people and overseas Filipino workers are friends to all.
In words that are rarely found in Philippine and foreign media, I echo the words of House Assistant Majority Leader and Lanao del Sur First District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong when he rose on May 15, 2023: “I sympathize with the Palestinian Christians, Muslims, and Jews, who every day suffer from this conflict. The Palestinians have been forced to leave their homes and leave their lives they have grown into behind so that the Israeli can occupy their properties and livelihood.”
May the occupation end so that peace could finally come to the State of Palestine.