UK sees PH as an ‘emerging power’

THE BRITISH government at least recognizes the potential of the Philippines to be an “emerging power” in the world.

During a May 11 meeting with leaders of the Filipino community in London, British Ambassador to the Philippines Stephen Lillie noted that Manila has been “growing in economic and political significance.”

Lillie expressed confidence the Philippines will “play an increasingly big and important role in the world,” the Department of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.

On Monday, the foreign office will host the second high-level meeting between Manila and London.

The Philippine and British delegations will be headed by Foreign Undersecretary Erlinda Basilio and Director Peter Wilson of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Asia-Pacific Directorate, respectively.

“The talks will take up a variety of issues on bilateral relations and political, economic, migration and consular matters,” said DFA Assistant Secretary J. Eduardo Malaya.

According to Malaya, the DFA spokesperson, “these include the Mindanao peace process, public-private partnerships, exchange of business missions, and Philippine-European Union issues like the Philippine-EU Cooperation Agreement.”

Strategic shift

The first high-level meeting between the two countries was held in 2009 in the British capital.

Last week, UK Foreign Secretary William Hague announced a “strategic shift” for the overseas network of their Foreign Office that would extend its global reach and strengthen its ties with “emerging powers, such as the Philippines,” Malaya said.

Meanwhile, Lillie expressed hope “the same bright future awaits the people of Mindanao,” as he cited the success of the Northern Ireland peace process.

In a statement, Lillie reaffirmed the UK’s support of the peace process in Mindanao, saying that “our experience in Northern Ireland has taught us first-hand that peace is a condition for prosperity, and this condition applies to the Philippines as it does to every country.”

Belfast is “now ranked as the UK’s second most attractive city—after London—for foreign direct investment, particularly in the technology and financial services sectors. In 1986, unemployment was 17 percent. Today, it is less than half that,” said Lillie.

Economic boon

Lillie expressed optimism Mindanao would experience the same economic boon. But he said the region’s “future hinges on the success of the peace-building efforts.”

At the same time, the British government lauded the significant contributions of the Filipino community in the United Kingdom, the Philippine Embassy in London reported.

Speaking at a roundtable discussion arranged by the embassy and the Philippine Desk of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office recently, Lillie noted that Filipinos have made “a varied and diverse contribution to British society and the British way of life.”

Lillie said he was very pleased that the new British government has recognized the potential of the Philippines as an “emerging power” and the importance of developing an “even stronger and dynamic” bilateral partnership.

He explained that as an emerging power, the Philippines has been “growing in economic and political significance, and will play an increasingly big and important role in the world.”

The roundtable represented a cross-section of the Filipino community, with around 30 community leaders representing such sectors as nurses, postal workers, household workers, students, second-generation Filipinos and businesses.

There are approximately 250,000 Filipinos living in the United Kingdom, most of them employed in the health sector in the Greater London Area.

On the other hand, some 10,000 Britons live in the Philippines, mostly as expatriates, spouses and retirees. With a report by Tina G. Santos