PH goes with China; DND, NSC, AFP isolated

IN THE first quarter of 2026, we have seen at least a dozen dynamically cooperative and progressively constructive engagements between various levels of institutions and entities of the Philippine government with the People’s Republic of China (PROC) facilitated by the indefatigable and persevering goodwill work of its ambassador to the Philippines, HE Jing Quan and his staff.

These engagements range from the meeting of Benguet Governor Dr. Melchor Diclas, with Ambassador Jing where he expressed the desire to adopt a “sisterhood” agreement with China, to the $1 million Chinese donation received by Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian from Ambassador Jing last March 2.

China made good of this humanitarian support that it pledged to aid the victims of typhoons Uwan and Tino last year.

This March 26, the Fujian-Cebu direct flights is set to resume after Amb. Jing met with Cebu Governor Pam Baricuatro that will redound to Cebu’s tourism revival; earlier in January. the Ambassador visited Davao City (which has several sisterhood agreements with Chinese cities) and took a ceremonial walk across the new China donated and built Bucana Bridge— that Marcos Junior shamelessly claimed earlier to be one of “his” projects.

On the diplomatic front, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and China’s’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs have reached a “preliminary consensus” for the creation of a roadmap that would aid in managing tension in the South China Sea.

The Department of Tourism, after successful lobbying for Chinese visitors’ e-visa and two-week visa-free stay in the Philippines, reported of increased travel inquiries from China.

The Senate too, has changed course from one of constant “word-war” with the Chinese Embassy. Senate Foreign Relations Committee chair, Senator Erwin Tulfo, took time to meet with the Chinese Embassy and Amb. Jing and they laid down the groundworks for continuing dialogue.

To top all that, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos has prominently graced some of the most important Chinese Embassy events at the first quarter of this year.

The Department of National Defense, the National Security Council, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, however, remained stuck in the quagmire of the “assertive transparency” strategy imposed on them by ex-US Air Force colonel and suspected CIA operative Raymond Powell.

They are now trying to reboot discredited Philippine Coastguard Commodore Jay Tarriela by promoting him, turning up decibels of anti-China propaganda such as new fake “spy arrests” along with the US NED-funded media witch hunt of “pro-China online influencers.”

Further isolating the DND-NSA-AFP Troika is the alarm among Filipinos, after seeing the destruction of US military bases in the Middle East the past days, from Iran’s retaliatory missile attacks.

Senator Erwin Tulfo expressed the concern that the 9 US EDCA (Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement) military bases here will similarly be targeted by enemies of the US, if, and when, the bases are used in the current Iran War or future US wars. Tulfo now wants a review of EDCA.

For his part, Cagayan Vice Governor Manuel Mamba has called for louder, popular uproar against these bases.

Filipinos’ revulsion to the presence of US military bases so alarmed leading US subalterns in our defense/national security establishments that they are now peddling the fraud that the EDCA sites are “not” US bases– on the (false) belief this is enough for the Philippines to be spared from being targeted by US adversaries with far more powerful missiles than Iran.

This lame argument demonstrates the depth of their current isolation as it confirmed their role as mere vassals of US Imperialism.