No need for US to pull out businesses in PHL – Palace

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella 

By Jelly F. Musico

MANILA, Oct. 24 (PNA) -- Malacañang on Monday allayed some US businessmen's worries about President Rodrigo Duterte’s remark that he is separating from the US, made last week during his state visit to China.

”There is no need to be pulling out any businesses in the country,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said during a media briefing at the Palace.

Abella noted that the President in fact is open to meeting with the US Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies in the Philippines.

”Yes, definitely,” he answered when asked if Malacañang is open to meeting with BPOs, which employ at least 1.2 million Filipinos.

Actually, Abella said, the BPO groups have been trying to seek an audience with President Duterte.

”We have not yet any formal word about the appointment. But, basically, it is to formally reach out to the Office of the President and directly discuss the industry situation with the government,” he said.

The Palace official further clarified that no diplomatic ties have been severed with the US, the Philippines’ old and established military ally and economic partner.

”Basically, we’d just like to say that this… again, to reassure the industries that the separation is not severance of relationship of economic ties,” he said.

Abella reiterated that President Duterte was just separating from dependency on the US in terms of foreign policy.

”Again, let me just clarify: It is not separation. Basically, it was a declaration of independent, again, it’s a restatement of the independent foreign policy that the President has declared again and again,” he explained.

He also allayed fears of US-based overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) that they would be affected by the Philippines’ "separation" from the US.

”Our OFWs will not be affected,” Abella assured.

In a recent television interview, outgoing US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg said 45 percent of the OFWs’ annual remittances come from the US.

In a radio interview on Monday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Martin Andanar explained that President Duterte was just stressing the need for the country to carve independent military and economy policies.

”We are still friends with them. We still respect the treaties – Mutual Defense Treaty, economic relationship. The President is not severing ties with our friendly western country brothers. We just want to manage our own business,” he said.

Andanar said Filipinos should be proud that “we have a President who raised our own flag proudly”.

Abella said the separation remark refers mainly to the joint military exercises with the US.

”There are about 25 more small exercises and three major exercises. But the treaties remain in place,” he said. (PNA)