PH on right path of neutrality

100 days of the Duterte presidency. For us, so far so good. Of course, we know a lot of people disagree with us on this point. But in Mr. Duterte’s governance policies we see more light than shadows.

A lot of people feel safer now going out of their homes or taking passenger jeepneys and buses. Criminals now think twice before they commit a crime; we hope that one day they will abandon the idea of committing any kind of crime.

But we like most President Duterte’s foreign policies. If the Philippines depends too much, or solely, on the United States, like the previous administration and ruling party did, we will find ourselves with no options for the future. No one knows what the future brings. A “President” Donald Trump will not care about the Philippines; he might even have no idea where the Philippines is. Hillary Clinton is dangerous to world peace, as she seems bent on taking the road of more confrontation with Russia. In fact, she dislikes Russian President Vladimir Putin, that’s clear.

Do you want nuclear bombs to one day fall on the Philippines because here US forces and war facilities and materiel are “camped” in? Better to invite the Russian and Chinese military to work with us. I believe President Duterte knows this very well and has proven himself a talented strategist.

And if you think Russia or China is aggressive, take a look at these internet postings, which shows America has been at war 93 percent of the time, or for 222 of 239 years since 1776; and this. This is the sad truth. Yes, Russia or China had been fighting wars, too, but to be sure, not most of the time through their years of existence.

We think President Duterte will lead us to a peaceful era because he knows that the Philippines, all by itself, cannot afford a war with any country. We have to be neutral like Switzerland, a country without cemeteries for soldiers.

—DR. JÜRGEN SCHÖFER, PhD. and DINA LAGANDAON-SCHÖFER, MD, [email protected]