Roque: No reason to cut ties with EU

There is no reason for the Philippines to cut ties with the European Union, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said Thursday.

Roque made the position a day after President Rodrigo Duterte said the Philippines is ready to work with the EU just days after he accused the bloc of blocking the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines in the country.

“We have an independent foreign policy, kaibigan po natin ang lahat, ang isinusulong po ni Presidente ay interes ng mga Pilipino ay hindi po interes ng mga dayuhan. Nakita po niya na may benepisyo ang pagkakaibigan natin sa EU,” Roque said.

“Wala pong dahilan para maputol ang mabuting relasyon na ito,” Roque added when asked what changed the President’s mind.

In accepting the credentials of EU Ambassador to the Philippines Luc Véron on Wednesday night, Duterte said the EU and the Philippines share a deep respect for democracy and rule of rule of law and that “the Philippines is ready to work constructively with the EU for the greater good of our peoples.”

Ambassador Véron, for his part, cited the EU's efforts to fight climate change and its role in humanitarian aid, civil protection and disaster preparedness, including ensuring that developing countries like the Philippines have access to COVID-19 vaccines.

“The EU and its member states will continue their efforts to contribute to the international response to the pandemic, including by guaranteeing affordable and fair access to vaccines for all,”  Véron said.

The EU has since denied Duterte’s claim of EU holding COVID-19 vaccines, issuing a statement that the Philippines is among the 92 low and middle income countries which are exempted from its ban on the exportation of COVID-19 vaccines.

Duterte or his officials did not apologize for the disproved allegation.

The diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the EU started in 1964.

To date, the EU envoy said that the EU and the Philippines have developed a strong economic and trade partnership characterized by a balanced trade flow, reaching at least P715 billion worth of trade in goods.

Véron also reiterated EU’s commitment to the peace process in Mindanao, saying that the recent grant of P4.7 billion in the region shows the EU’s unwavering support to peace initiatives which he described as the cornerstone of President Duterte’s administration. — RSJ, GMA News