On the PHILIPPINES: Philippines and America

Showing posts with label Philippines and America. Show all posts

Thursday, July 23, 2026

Rubio at ASEAN summit

JESUS said:

Matthew 5:9

King James Version

9 Blessed are the peacemakers:

for they shall be called

the children of God.

It is an honor for the Philippines to host the recent ASEAN foreign ministers summit this month.

U.S. secretary of state, Marco Rubio, spoke before the various ministers.

Highly-respected in America and in the world, Rubio spoke in his usual, straightforward manner.

Since this born again watchman had been in grade school, we already knew about ASEAN.

But for those not familiar, here's what Wikipedia can tell you:

"The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is an intergovernmental forum of all 11 states in Southeast Asia.[7] ASEAN primarily focuses on Southeast Asian economic development, peaceful coexistence and adherence to international norms.[8] ASEAN operates on the principle of consensus and respecting national sovereignty, meaning that ASEAN as a whole cannot force another member state to change its domestic laws.[9]"

Here are the 11-member countries of the ASEAN:

Brunei

Cambodia

Indonesia

Laos

Malaysia

Myanmar

Philippines

Singapore

Thailand

East Timor

Vietnam

In today's ever-changing world of geopolitics, economics, threats of wars, and current wars, it was important secretary Rubio define what the U.S. stood for.

Who better to voice president Trump's foreign policy stand than through his multi-tasking secretary of state?

That's what we like about Rubio.

He is consistent.

He already made his stand about Iran in 2015.

There was a time he and Trump had a "mixed relationship" when both ran for the Republican primaries for the presidential elections in 2016.

Trump won, but he doesn't forget capable folks like Rubio.

We won't be surprised if Rubio becomes American president one day.

We did write on 21 January 2025:

"Marco Rubio is the FIRST confirmed Trump appointee.

Just hours after the president's 20 January 2025 inauguration.

He received a whopping 99-0 vote in Senate."

-- "TRUMP and RUBIO"

A Rubio voice is much-needed in this world.

A sane, serene, soulful presence is refreshing in today's tension-filled world.

We all are aware of China's incursions and claims in the Philippines, Russia's attacks in Ukraine, Islamic Iran regime's brutality towards its citizens, and its ongoing hatred for Israel, and America; Hamas, Hezbollah, and Houthi's attacks on Israel, as well as Europe and Canada's indifference to Trump.

Not to mention all the oppression, suppression, and terrorism in many parts of the world.

Thank GOD for young Rubio.

May we emulate his efforts at peace, and sensibility.

He has shown respect, and support, for his president, and the American people, as well as for people of other nations.

He stated, starting on the 15th minute of this video:

"The president always prefers to negotiate and reach an agreement on these deals..."

"I won't get ahead of the president on any of those..."

We need a heart like Rubio's.

Most of all, we need PEACE through JESUS.

Mercifully, Rubio seems to be a GOD-fearing man.

May the LORD bless this man, and all his hard work at keeping peace in this world.

May the LORD bring peace to my own country, the Philippines.

May the LORD bring peace to your nation, too.

May we all remember GOD owns everything, and is in control of everything.

In JESUS' Name, Amen!

All these we know, through the HOLY SPIRIT.

Who guides us every single day.

Related material:

The REMARKABLE Rubio

Our THREE countries

GOD and Spratlys

GOD's POWER over nations

On GOVERNMENTS

LEADERS for GOD

GOD's GLORY blogs

BORN AGAIN classics

The DIPLOMAT article on the ASEAN foreign ministers meeting

Thursday, July 24, 2025

A FAIR deal?

Proverbs 11:1-3

King James Version

11 A false balance is abomination to the Lord:

but a just weight is his delight.

2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame:

but with the lowly is wisdom.

3 The integrity of the upright shall guide them:

but the perverseness of transgressors

shall destroy them.

For the longest time, China was thumbing their noses at my country, the Philippines.

They thought nothing of fishing in our waters.

Neither with intimidating our coast guards, and fishermen, with their strengthened navy.

And only GOD knows how else they have infiltrated my country.

So we bore all that, but things changed since president Trump came into office.

Now, we have military exercises together.

U.S. bases can be found in strategic points all over the Philippines.

Obviously, we are hosting America, in our defense against the encroachment of China.

And most recently, president Ferdinand Marcos Jr was feted at the White House.

FULL: President Trump Oval office remarks with Philippine President

Our president held his own, speaking clearly, and elegantly.

Even as America only gave us a one percent reduction on our tariffs, now at 19%.

But president Marcos didn't scoff at the reduction.

As expected, those in opposition thought the reduction "humiliating".

Well, the Philippines does have a US4.9-B trade deficit with the United States.

The report above states it is 21.8% higher than in 2023.

There will be zero tariffs on American cars.

And you know how Trump loves cars.

He's been pretty steady about making America "great again".

Apart from the fact he is master negotiator.

Let's not forget that, even if he praises Marcos as a tough negotiator.

No way will Trump be out-negotiated.

It is the plight of the Philippines.

We will be subject to greater economies than ours.

We need a stronger economy.

But we do have a strategic location in the Pacific, and America knows that.

We also have an English-speaking, hardworking, friendly population.

Not to mention our rich, natural resources.

We certainly are an attractive nation to many.

Even as "corruption" has been spoken of, too.

America will bring in her soy, wheat, and pharma exports.

She is big on pharma, for sure.

Our generic products have come from India, thus, the sprouting of many generic drug stores.

India is also known for her fine medical doctors, and industries.

Now, America's come back big time.

This born again watchman is familiar with the medical field, and American business.

My late father used to prescribe top medicines from the U.S., Germany, France, Switzerland, and Japan.

Those were the days before generics came in.

I was also with the American Chamber at one time, and have become familiar with business meetings, which I covered for our monthly "Business Journal".

I can say that the Americans treated us fairly.

They worked at great lengths, with our local businessmen.

But we scared them off with our militants.

It may not be so now, because Trump has no use for such.

In the full interview above, he remarked how he drove ISIS out of the Philippines.

We also recall how president Marcos Jr's father was ousted from Malacanang, and the Aquino administration took over.

We have not recovered since, from various presidents.

And I always looked to how our relations with China were.

I feared our presidents were not strong in protecting our country.

Apart from old man Marcos who seemed to have friendly relations with most countries of the world.

The Philippines was able to hold her own then, even hosting many international events.

Until the left, and locals, protested at the Marcoses' excess, and corruption.