What does PH-US agreement really mean?

MY MAIN emotion upon reading the Supreme Court’s decision on the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement was profound sadness (aside from anger)—sadness, because I have to face the truth and the fact that the US government does not (and perhaps will never) regard us and relate with us as a sovereign nation. An even deeper sadness set in with the realization that we ourselves, at least our leadership (in all three branches) or even most of us, do not regard ourselves sovereign in our relation with the United States.

I am afraid all the “mutual” agreement clauses in the Edca will in practice really mean that the United States will dictate on us, and we will always agree. What is so “mutual” in that?

With all the rationalizations about the benefits Edca brings to us, deep in our hearts we know that this is not so. Will it really stop China from doing what it is doing now? Do we really believe that China will invade us? And if it does, will the United States really defend us? I think US President Barack Obama in his last visit has already disabused us of that illusion (delusion?). I really find it ironic that we assert our sovereignty relative to China by highlighting our dependence on the United States.

I think it would be closer to the truth to read Edca as Enhanced Dependence and Cooptation Agreement.

—SR. MARY JOHN MANANZAN, OSB, St. Scholastica’s College, Malate, Manila