The breakup (musings on Duterte’s separation with the US)

YOU could see the breakup coming.

It came last September prior to Asean when Duterte said there would be no wine and talk with Obama. “America has one too many misdeeds in this country,” he said between curses.

Then he hinted to the US military their exercises this October would be the last, hinting it’s time for Yankee GI Joe, who is menacing with arms and gets rowdy drunk in parties, to start packing up its arms and take off its vessels from our house.

Then on a trip to China, land of one billion people, billions of dollars of surplus capital, strong military force and potential partner, the breakup became official.

“I announced my separation from the United States, both in military (and) economics,” Duterte said. “Your stay in my country was for your own benefit. So time to say goodbye, my friend,” and after that, he shook hands with new partner China.

And I could hear the Beatles song go: “You say yes, I say no/ You say stop and I say go go go, oh no/ You say goodbye, and I say hello”

Why? Fans of United States colonial and neoliberal thought crying on this breakup. Why cut yourself away from an “ally”, “superpower”, “savior during World War II”, “champion of democracy”, home of over a million migrant Filipinos, employer for BPOs and multinationals?

To read Duterte’s intent, we have to read his words. He said the separation with the US was on military and economic aspects. He said there was no total breaking of ties.

The ties that bind us with the US in the military and economics course is indeed for the benefit of one side. For what benefit does the US military exercises have for us especially in the South? Ask the Muslim brothers and sisters who have reportedly experienced bombs and bullets landing on their farms, roofs and on their limbs during Balikatan Exercises. Ask some communities in Mindanao where young girls were kept in “recreation areas” for US servicemen. The rape-slay of Jennifer Laude, the rape of ‘Nicole’. The US pushed the bounds of law on us.

The economics of the US-led neoliberalism has only sprouted malls and BPOs in the city. Call this fast-food economy, your money gets drained for Mc Donald’s, Levi’s and iPhones. US aid and loans have led to restructuring our economy, and the restructuring of our schools to supply them cheap labor. Then multinationals come and exploit and go, such as the case of Ford Motors and Intel that closed their shops here a few years ago.

Neo-liberalism also translates to multinational mining firms and plantations encroaching on ancestral lands, driving off lumads and Moro people from their lands. What price is gold, oil and pineapple if you lose your land, your future and patrimony, they ask.

And that’s the bottom-line on this breakup. It’s about patrimony. It’s what Duterte meant when he said it’s time for an independent foreign policy, where we want to be treated as equals with other countries, that we can set the terms and hold each other accountable on such relationships.