Philippines ambassador to the U.S.Albert F. del Rosario spoke about Filipino domestic affairs and relations with the United States during the Organization of Young Filipino-American's Spring Symposium Friday evening.
Del Rosario discussed the recent dramatic political situation within the Philippines that resulted in the declaration of a nationwide state of emergency several weeks ago.
"There was an [imminent] and real threat of the extreme left and the extreme right," del Rosario said. "There was a conspiracy to get together to bring down the government."
Del Rosario said the problem has been addressed and things are now back to normal.
Del Rosario noted, however, that the government may face change in the future.
"The people of the Philippines are looking to the possibility of changing the form of government from a presidential system to a parliamentary system that is unicameral [and will eventually] go into federalism," he said.
Del Rosario said reasons behind the potential change include the wish to eliminate gridlock between the executive and legislative branches of the Philippines' government and a desire to combine the House and Senate into one legislative body.
Del Rosario noted that the economic and military capabilities of the Philippines have developed a great deal over the past few years because of an alliance with the United States.
Since 2001, del Rosario said, the United States has provided a great deal of military support and training for the Philippines.
"I think we've pushed this defense [and] security cooperation far," del Rosario said. "We've done very well with it."
The United States has also provided support to the Filipino economy by remaining the largest foreign investor in the Philippines, del Rosario said.
"In terms of trade, what we're trying to do is maintain the United States as our leading trade partner," he said. "The exercise for us is to be able to create additional markets for our products."
Del Rosario's assistant, commercial attaché Veronica Bartolome, told students they can personally help the Filipino economy once they enter the American job market by importing products from the Philippines and by exporting jobs to the Philippines.
"Increasingly, a lot of back office [work is] going to India," Bartolome said. "Why does it need to go to India? We have the same skill; we have the same capability."
OYFA Corresponding Secretary Marty San Jose said her organization wanted del Rosario to speak because most students, including Filipino-Americans, have little knowledge about domestic affairs in the Philippines.
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