Other than China, Philippines diversifying ODA sources

The South Korean embassy quietly and solemnly honored the Philippines for helping them overcome the communist invasion of their country 68 years ago. It was on June 25,1950 when war erupted in the Peninsula between South and North Koreans. The special ceremonies did not involve President Rodrigo Duterte who just embarked on a successful state visit in Seoul last June 3 to 5.

But it was former president Fidel V. Ramos and some of his fellow Korean war veterans who were honored anew for their sacrifices and having laid down their lives for the sake of world peace.

Fresh from his West Point Academy military education, Ramos was among the volunteer Filipino soldiers who composed the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping contingent called as the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea (PEFTOK). Now 90 years old, Mr. Ramos proudly wears his black beret filled with military medals he has received through the years while still in the active service.

South Korean ambassador to the Philippines Han Dong-man hosted a dinner in honor of Ramos and the remaining PEFTOK veterans at his official residence in North Forbes, Makati City.

In his brief remarks after the dinner, Ambassador Dong-man expressed the heartfelt gratitude of the Korean people to the bravery and heroism of Filipino soldiers who fought a war outside the Philippines. He cited: “The PEFTOK deserved the title of Heroes, because without their sweat, blood and tears, the Republic of Korea will not be enjoying the peace, democracy and economic prosperity that it has today.”

As a token of their countrymen’s appreciation, the Ambassador announced the grant of scholarships to 187 PEFTOK beneficiaries composed of 40 from the elementary, 100 in high school, and 47 in college. He turned over to Mr. Ramos a collection of “thank-you” notes from South Korean youths who are studying here in the Philippines for helping save their country during the war.

Two days later, the Ambassador led in honoring Filipino war veterans who fought to help save lives during the conflict in the Philippine Army wreath-laying ceremony held at the Korean War Memorial Pylon that stands at the Libingan Ng Mga Bayani in Taguig City.

“The epic bravery of the 7,420 gallant and courageous Filipino Soldiers to composed the PEFTOK being the first to heed the United Nations call to lend a helping hand to our Korean brethren during the time when their hopes, lives and freedom were put into peril,” the Philippine Army cited.

From the chronicles of PEFTOK, the veterans consider as the most notable moments of the Korean war the Battle in Yuldong and the Battle of Hill Eerie which cost the lives of 50 Filipino soldiers, 15 declared missing, and at least 128 of them wounded in action. It took two years and 17 days to reach the armistice that ended the Korean War where millions of soldiers and civilians were killed.

The Philippines was among the first Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member-states to establish official diplomatic relations with the Republic of Korea. The official diplomatic relations between the two countries started on March 3, 1949. So next year, the two nations will observe the 70th anniversary of Philippines-Korea relations.

President Duterte was represented though at the dinner by his Cabinet members, namely, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Socio-Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia. Ex-Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. and Cagayan Export Zone Authority (CEZA) administrator Raul Lambino also joined Ramos at the center table with Ambasador Dong-man and his wife. 

Lorenzana and Lambino joined President Duterte during his state visit in Seoul where he had bilateral talks with his counterpart, South Korean President Moon Jae-in. At the end of his three-day state visit, President Duterte reported to the Filipino nation having generated so much goodwill and as much as $500 million of additional official development assistance (ODA) from South Korea.

Finance Secretary Dominguez, who was part of the presidential delegation in Seoul, disclosed earlier several projects of the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program will be funded from South Korean ODAs. This includes the $172.64 million for the New Cebu International Container Port Project to be funded by a loan agreement signed by Dominguez with the Export-Import Bank of Korea.  

The other South Korean ODA-sourced projects also include the $50-million preparation facility for the National Irrigation Administration (NIA); a $100-million financing for the new Dumaguete airport development; and a $41-million project for the implementation of an electronic receipt system for the monitoring of taxes paid by Philippine retailers.

In his own remarks at the dinner, Pernia cited the latest grant of the South Korean ODAs came at a time the economic managers of President Duterte have decided “to diversify” the sources of ODA that the Philippines will avail of. Diversifying funding sources, Pernia explained, will include all government projects under the Public Investment Program (PIP) aside from those lined up in the “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program of the Duterte administration.

“We are also diversifying our funding sources as much as possible to the extent that we can handle it with local funds,” Pernia declared. “We are also discussing among ourselves that there are too many delays from a particular funding source, we are going to give them a deadline so that if they cannot fulfill their commitment on time, then we will shift to another funding source,” Pernia pointed out. 

This policy shift should jump start slow-moving projects and fast track the delivery of government projects at least within the term of President Duterte that ends in June 2022. 

This also may open big-ticket projects to participation by the private sector and other development partners of the Philippines. 

The latest tact obviously attempts to douse growing concerns over perceived heavy reliance on Chinese ODAs being pointed to President Duterte’s China-pivot.