PHILIPPINE FOREIGN RELATIONS

SYLLABUS WITH CASES

Learning Outcomes:

a. Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge regarding Philippine

Foreign Relations
b. Define clearly Philippine Foreign Policy
c. Define clearly Philippine Foreign Relations
d. Define clearly one or more issues dealing Philippine Foreign Policy
and Relations.
e. Apply the most appropriate doctrines or rules of Foreign Policy in a
particular issue.
f. To characterize and differentiate periods of Philippine diplomatic
history, and to know what each period has contributed to the
development of Philippine foreign policy.
g. To identify the sources of change and stability in foreign policy
formulation and implementation.
h. To analyze foreign policy prerogatives both in the governmental
and nongovernmental sector and situate them in the foreign policy
process
i. Understand the concepts and problems under the decisions and
processes arrived at by the branches of the government, the
bureaucracy, individuals and non- state actors.

II. INTRODUCTION
a. Foreign Policy
 Why Study Foreign Policy?
 Definition of Foreign Policy

b. Philippine Foreign Policy

 Section 7, Article II of 1987 Philippine Constitution,
o CASES:
o Arthur Lim and Paulino Ersando vs. Executive Secretary
G.R. No. 151445 (Foreign Policy)
o Saguisag v. Ochoa, G.R. No.212426 (Foreign Policy)
o Pimentel vs. Executive Secretary, G.R. 158088 (General
principles)
 The National Interest
o CASE: Tanada Vs. Angara 272 SCRA 18
 Eight foreign policy realities
 Three Pillars of PFA
c. The Department of Foreign Affairs
i. Department Overview
ii. Mission
iii. Vision
iv. Objectives
v. Functions
vi. History
1. Beginnings
2. Post- War Philippines
3. Under Marcos
4. Post EDSA
5. Under Ramos
 6. Estrada Administration
7. Under Duterte
8. Offices of the Department
9. DFA Organizational Chart

III. A HISTORICAL REVIEW OF PHILIPPINE FOREIGN RELATIONS

a. The one that started it all
i. Emilio Aguinaldo
o International Recognition
b. Mendicant Foreign Policy (1946-1957)
i. Manuel Roxas
o Close Cooperation and Special Relations with the US
ii. Elpidio Quirino
o Agreements with other nations of the Free World
iii. Ramon Magsaysay
o The SEATO
o The Laurel- Langley Agreement
c. Period of Immobilisme (1957-1965)
i. Carlos Garcia
o The Filipino First Policy
o The Bohlen- Serrano Agreement
ii. Diosdado Macapagal Sr.
o The MAPHILINDO
o The claim to Sabah
d. Period of Innovation (1966-1986)
i. Ferdinand Marcos
o The safeguarding of territorial integrity and national
dignity
o Asianness
o Constructive unity and co-existence with other Asian
states
o Bilateral Diplomatic Linkages for international Trade and
Commerce
o Diplomatic ties with China and the USSR
e. Period of Integration (1986-1991)
i. Corazon Aquino
o Developmental Diplomacy for Political and Economic
Reconstruction
o Bilateral, Regional and Multilateral Foreign Initiatives
f. Period of Consolidation (1992-onwards)
i. Fidel Ramos
o The RP- US Visiting Forces Agreement
o Numerous foreign investments
ii. Joseph Estrada
o Dismantling State Protectionism
iii. Gloria- Macapagal Arroyo
o Philippines’ support to anti- global terrorism
o Foreign policy based on nine realities
iv. Benigno Simeon Aquino III
o The Philippines’ relations with its neighboring countries
at present
v. Rodrigo Duterte
o Independent Foreign Policy
 IV. PHILIPPINES’ PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS
a. Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
b. Association of Southeast Asian Nations
c. United Nations
d. World Bank, Interpol

V. RELATIONS WITH PARTICULAR COUNTRIES AND REGIONS

a. Relations with Western Countries
i. United States of America
1. Bayan v. Executive Secretary, G.R. No. 138570
ii. United Kingdom
iii. Canada
b. Relations with Asian Countries
i. China
ii. Russia
iii. South Korea
iv. Iraq
v. Japan
vi. Saudi Arabia
vii. Jordan
c. Relations with ASEAN Countries
i. Indonesia
ii. Malaysia
iii. Taiwan
iv. Vietnam
v. Thailand
vi. Brunei Darussalam
vii. Cambodia
viii. Laos
ix. Singapore

VI. INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES AND ISSUES

a. Sabah Dispute
 CASE: Magallona vs. Executive Secretary, G.R. No. 187167
b. Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoals
 CASE: Philippines vs. China (Main Decision, July 12, 2016)
c. Issues concerning the Filipinos Overseas

ACTIVITIES:

a. Individual and Group Presentations

b. Informal Online Debates
c. Make Memory Aid in all assigned cases
d. Create your own Foreign Policy
e. Watch the video regarding Philippine Foreign Policy and make an
outline https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pJJ0kRUfSk
f. Watch the video regarding China-Philippines relationship and make
an outline https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxFgePCi_iU
g. How Donald Trump's foreign policy affects the world and make an
outline and answer the question: Does the Foreign Policy of the US
affects the world, specially the Philippines?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2ScGwtMm1o
 h. Watch the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gerhGHbcKYE
and answer the question Will the Philippines 'Break Up' With the
U.S.? Does the Philippines can stand on its own without United
States?

REQUIREMENT FOR PRELIMS:

Write an opinion paper on the topic presented below with not less than
700 but not more than 1,500 words. Follow the Efficient Paper Rule for
formatting. You should be able to use the concepts you have learned so far, but
you are not limited to use ONLY these concepts. You are encouraged to use
different branches of law and other fields of knowledge to support your opinion.

Situation:

Since the Philippines elected President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016, the

country’s foreign policy seems to have become more uncertain. President
Duterte’s mercurial personality and antagonistic tirades against the country’s
traditional Western allies, including the United States (US) and the European
Union (EU), and his statements of building closer ties with China and Russia,
had changed the political and diplomatic tone of the Philippines overall.
Certainly, the political relationship between the Philippines and the West has
been changed by Duterte’s strong remarks against the US and EU.

Does the Philippine foreign economic relations of the Philippines

has radically shifted? Did the Philippines have a more independent
foreign policy under the Duterte Administration?

REQUIREMENT FOR MIDTERMS:

Write an opinion paper on the topic presented below with not less than
700 but not more than 1,500 words. Follow the Efficient Paper Rule for
formatting. You should be able to use the concepts you have learned so far, but
you are not limited to use ONLY these concepts. You are encouraged to use
different branches of law and other fields of knowledge to support your opinion.

Situation:

President Ferdinand Marcos redefined foreign policy as the safeguarding

of territorial integrity and national dignity, and emphasized increased regional
cooperation and collaboration.  He stressed "Asianness" and pursued a policy
of constructive unity and co-existence with other Asian states, regardless of
ideological persuasion.

What do you understand about Asianness? Can Asianness help the

Philippine to have a deeper relation with other countries in Asia
particularly China?

REQUIREMENT FOR FINALS:

 Write an opinion paper on the topic presented below with not less than
700 but not more than 1,500 words. Follow the Efficient Paper Rule for
formatting. You should be able to use the concepts you have learned so far, but
you are not limited to use ONLY these concepts. You are encouraged to use
different branches of law and other fields of knowledge to support your opinion.

Situation:

The nature of the Philippines’ foreign policy towards China in the South
China Sea is puzzling. In the same year after being sworn into office as the
President of the Republic of the Philippines on 30 June 2016, Duterte not only
sparked international attention with his fervent rhetoric, but also confusion
when he untangled his administration from the Aquino administration’s
geopolitical agenda (de Castro, 2019). Departing from his predecessor’s more
confrontational policy (de Castro, 2017), he announced the Philippines’
‘military and economic separation’ from the United States at the Philippine-
China Trade and Investment Forum (Duterte in Beijing, 2016), and has
significantly downplayed its diplomatic win at the Permanent Court of
Arbitration by describing the 2016 arbitral ruling on Beijing’s claims in the
South China Sea as a ‘piece of trash paper with four corners’ (Duterte to CCTV,
2016)

Friend or Foe? Explain the Philippines’ China Policy in the South

China Sea.

Evaluation:

Compliance to the Efficient Use of Paper Rule - 5

Grammar and Spelling - 5
Uniqueness - 5
Soundness of Opinion - 10

Total - 25