Obama visit will spell stronger American influence

Preparations for US President Barack Obama’s visit to the Philippines by the end of this month are already in full swing. Starting this week, an advance team from Washington will be arriving to firm up the itinerary along with Secret Service agents who will check security arrangements and other details. We can still remember the massive preparations that took place during the state visit of George W. Bush in October 2003, especially because it came on the heels of Indonesian terrorist Fathur Rohman Al Ghozi’s escape (from Camp Crame no less) and subsequent death during a shootout.

The total price tag for that eight-hour Manila visit was approximately $20 million. Not included in the costs is what the Philippine government spent to secure the US President with the deployment of thousands of police and military units along with members of the Presidential Security Group who all had to go through refresher programs for VIP security procedures.

It’s really always a big production number every time a US president travels, with expansive logistical preparations and requirements with waves of advance teams. Aside from security preparations, the US team will be setting up a command center with highly sophisticated communications equipment to coordinate all the movements of the US President, all linked to a situation command center in Washington, DC. During President Obama’s trip to South Africa, an aircraft carrier with a fully equipped medical center was stationed while several fighter jets were deployed on rotational shifts to secure the airspace.

As always the US president will be flying on board Air Force One – a specially configured and highly-customized Boeing 747 that is the symbol of America’s power. It has the capability of refueling mid-air and is equipped with state-of-the-art navigation system with secure multi-frequency radios for air-to-air, air-to-ground and satellite communications. There are actually two identical Boeing 747-200B aircraft that are both designated as Air Force One – with one obviously serving as a back-up and decoy that is also used to transport advance Secret Service teams and other essential members of the presidential delegation.

Although the US Air Force had its last delivery of the C-17 Globemaster III in September 2013, there’s every likelihood that this transport plane will be carrying the bulk of the US President’s security vehicles and special communications equipment and of course the presidential limousine nicknamed “The Beast.”  This monster of a vehicle can protectively cocoon its high value passenger with its heavy armor plating all around and thick titanium doors. It runs on Kevlar-fitted run-flat tires (by Goodyear), is designed to withstand heavy blasts and biochemical attacks, and in fact can launch a counterattack – complete with tear gas cannons – with the force and ferocity of a battalion. The trunk has oxygen tanks, firefighting equipment and most important of all, a blood bank containing the US president’s blood type.

Unfortunately, The Beast is not immune to humiliating fiascoes that ordinary vehicles get into, like the time when the presidential limo got stuck on an oversized ramp at the gate of the US Embassy in Dublin, Ireland. Let’s hope it won’t get stuck in the infamous Metro Manila traffic during Obama’s visit. During the visit of George W. Bush, traffic was “managed” so efficiently that it only took some 18 minutes for the Bush convoy to travel from Malacañang to Batasan in Quezon City. How we all wish this could be the case for all of us. Obviously traffic will be horrendous during the two-day stay of our VIP visitor – so motorists are advised to limit their movements.

But the fact is, the upcoming visit of the US president is a welcome event for many especially for young Filipinos who are great admirers of Barack Obama. There’s no question the US is enjoying high popularity ratings in the country today, with a lot of goodwill generated by the fact that the United States was first to respond during the onslaught of Typhoon Yolanda last year, with many likening it to the return of General Douglas MacArthur in 1945.

No doubt the country’s current tension with China over Ayungin Shoal and other disputed maritime territories is a major reason why regard for the Americans is at a high level – something that must give new US Ambassador Philip Goldberg a welcome respite.  An informal survey disclosed that Filipinos certainly feel more secure knowing that America will stand by its longtime ally – a sentiment that was bolstered when US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel did not mince words during a recent “face-off” with his Chinese counterpart in Beijing, declaring to all and sundry that the United States will abide by its commitment to protect the Philippines as laid out under the terms of our mutual defense treaty.

Had Filipinos been in the audience during Hagel’s meeting in Beijing, they would have clapped and cheered when the US Defense chief virtually lectured China that it does not have the right to unilaterally declare an Air Defense Identification Zone without prior collaboration or consultation with other concerned nations. Such an act will add to “tensions, misunderstandings, and could eventually add to, and eventually get to, dangerous conflict,” he warned.

As Ambassador Goldberg noted at the Manila Rotary meeting last Thursday where he was our guest speaker, the Obama visit will spell deeper friendship, not to mention stronger alliance, between the United States and the Philippines. We can be assured: The Philippines can count on its friend to be by her side if the situation gets to a point when the proverbial push comes to shove.

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