GERMANY AND THE PHILIPPINES: A DEEP AND STRONG RELATIONSHIP
They are countries on opposite sides of the globe, each with their respective languages, culture and societies. Despite these differences, Germany and the Philippines have a lot in common and enjoy strong ties. As we celebrate 28 years of German Unity today, The Philippine STAR spoke to German Ambassador to the Philippines Dr. Gordon Kricke about this deep and strong relationship.
SHARED HISTORIES
Germany and the Philippines and their peoples share the historical experience and achievement of a peaceful revolution in the 1980s. In the former East Germany, it was a communist government that built a wall separating East Berlin from West Berlin in 1961, prompting thousands of East Germans to risk their life longing for freedom in the West in the years to come.
Likewise, when Martial Law was imposed throughout the Philippines by the dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1972, thousands of Filipinos fought for freedom through civil disobedience and non-violent protest. By 1986, our combined efforts led to the EDSA People Power Revolution that ultimately removed the Marcos regime from power and installed a new government and constitution that adhered to freedom and democracy.
In 1989, in an East Germany stricken with economic and political stagnation, citizens began to flee to neighboring Czechoslovakia and Hungary, which had opened their borders with Austria, enabling them to dash to freedom and economic opportunities in West Germany. Unable to stem the flow of East Germans marching onward to freedom, the East German government decided to lift all travel restrictions
to West Germany on Nov. 9, 1989. Thus began the fall of the Berlin Wall, which paved the way towards German reunification on Oct. 3, 1990 — celebrated today as Day of German Unity.
Ambassador Kricke, who was in Hamburg preparing for his university exams at the time, shares his recollection of that historic day: “I was completely surprised and excited when I saw on TV what happened in Berlin. Later, when many East Germans came to West Germany to see how life was there, it was a very joyous and exciting moment. I envy those who have seen first-hand that momentous event.”
SHARED CHARACTER
While reunification is indeed a historic moment for all Germans, it also came with several challenges, particularly integrating socialist East Germany in a democratic and capitalist West German society and providing equivalent living conditions in the whole reunited country. To meet these challenges, the German government initiated the so-called Reconstruction East project and made it a mission for all Germans to achieve the convergence of East and West.
“A lot of financial support from West Germany was necessary; that means federal expenditure and investment at a huge scale was needed. But Germans can be proud of what has been achieved. Now, the German economy is very strong. It has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe. German companies are the world market leaders in many fields such as infrastructure, environmental protection and conservation of resources, and they stimulate technological advancements in the global markets of the future,” Kricke explained.
Likewise, the transition in the Philippines from an autocratic form of government under Marcos into a democratic and open society was filled with challenges. The regime left the country with tremendous debt; it took the country 25 years to finally recover economically, having achieved substantial economic growth since 2010. While challenges remain, the Philippines is now in a better economic condition compared to 46 years ago.
“Germany is a democratic, open and tolerant society, where the rule of law is guaranteed and where the socially disadvantaged are supported. It is characterized by strong regional identities, which I think is something good. Each region in Germany is somewhat different and that makes Germany culturally rich and interesting. It is also the hallmark and advantage of Europe that it is diverse and different in so many aspects,” Kricke said.
The world is a much different place today than it was when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989. German reunification was a unique chance to bring people together, to overcome antagonisms and divisions in Europe and elsewhere, and to promote tolerance and diversity. Now it seems the old ways of thinking are reemerging in many parts of the world endangering democracy, the rule of law and freedom.
“We are facing today a world of remarkable complexity and it seems the world today is increasingly polarized by nationalism, populism, chauvinism and protectionism. Germany is keen to strengthen Europe and to help maintain a rules-based international order,” Kricke explained. “I strongly believe that all are bound by a global set of rules and that international law is above power. That notion is certainly worth protecting.”
SHARED COMMITMENTS IN CLIMATE CHANGE
Germany and the Philippines are working together to address important global issues such as climate change and environmental protection. According to Kricke, on the issue of climate change, Germany, like the Philippines, is a strong supporter of the Paris Agreement. Angela Merkel, now in her fourth term as Head of Government, has been nicknamed “Climate Chancellor” for her longstanding international engagement for emissions cuts. She is indeed an expert in this field: as Federal Minister of the Environment, she was in charge of negotiations for the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, the first binding international treaty on climate change.
A leading example of Germany’s commitment to combatting climate change is its assistance to the Philippines in the form of technical cooperation projects initiated by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) and funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). Since the program began in 2008, Germany has committed €62 million to fund climate resilience projects in the Philippines, and has recently committed an additional €35 million for its continuation.
SHARED RESPONSIBILITY FOR PEACE, HUMAN RIGHTS
“Germany, which has just been elected again as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2019-2020 term, will also continue to do its bit to fulfill its international obligations and will cooperate to resolve global challenges. The foreign policy of Germany remains committed to the promotion of democracy, the rule of law and human rights, free trade and the defense of a rules based international order. Germany will continue to be a reliable partner on global issues like climate change, environmental protection, International Law and Justice and the fight against terrorism,” Kricke stated.
With bilateral Development Assistance of about $50 million annually, Germany is also an important development partner of the Philippines. Topics such as climate protection and crisis prevention are becoming more and more relevant for the bilateral cooperation, which is implemented mainly by the GIZ, but also by many other institutions.
STRONGER PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE RELATIONS
People to people contacts have always been the foundation and core element of the relations between both countries and are one of the reasons why the ties between the two countries remain strong, says Kricke. The continuous presence of Germans institutions in the country working with Filipino organizations and government institutions on various projects and the grown personal trust among their representatives is a major factor in this shared endeavor. The friendship and the close bilateral relations between the Philippines and Germany are reflected in the dense network of German institutions and organizations in the Philippines.
These institutions include the GermanPhilippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI, AHK Philippinen), Goethe Institute Philippinen, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), German European School Manila, GIZ, five political foundations like the Konrad-AdenauerStiftung, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, FriedrichNaumann-Stiftung, Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung and Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung, and the German Club.
“Germany is the Philippines’ most important trade partner in Europe. Considering the high economic growth rates in the Philippines and the economic strength of Germany as the world´s third largest trading nation, we are confident that bilateral trade between our countries will continue to increase. German companies have been investing in the Philippines for a long time and in a broad variety of fields,” Kricke said. German investment in various industries in the country helps to employ thousands of Filipino workers and contributes to the overall growth of the Philippine economy.
These people-to-people relations exist also in Germany, where thousands of Filipino seafarers and nurses live and work, as well as Filipino students, and Filipinos married to German nationals. According to Kricke, German universities are keen to attract more Filipino students. Currently, there are 41 direct academic links between German and Filipino universities, especially in fields like engineering, urban planning, business management, among others. Their cooperation is supported through the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
“I think the most important aspect in our relationship are these direct contacts between people. There is a lot that binds Filipinos and Germans together. We have strong cultural links, shared values and common interests in politics, economy, development cooperation, and climate change, just to name a few examples. I am optimistic about the prospects to strengthen this relationship even further in the future,” Kricke said.
“THERE IS A LOT THAT BINDS FILIPINOS AND GERMANS TOGETHER. WE HAVE STRONG CULTURAL LINKS, SHARED VALUES AND COMMON INTERESTS IN POLITICS, ECONOMY, DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION, AND CLIMATE CHANGE, JUST TO NAME A FEW EXAMPLES. I AM OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE PROSPECTS TO STRENGTHEN THIS RELATIONSHIP EVEN FURTHER IN THE FUTURE. DR. GORDON KRICKE GERMAN AMBASSADOR TO THE ” PHILIPPINES