Cutting ties with PHL will not be a huge blow to US, political analyst says

It will not be a huge blow to the United States if the Philippines cuts ties with it, a Filipino political analyst said on Friday.

In a phone interview with Raffy Tima on "Balitanghali," Professor Richard Heydarian said the Philippines used to be valuable to the US as they used to have military bases in Clark and Subic.

However, Heydarian said the US has alternatives now.

"Ang US may alternative option. Meron silang basing access sa Singapore, sa Australia, nag-expand sila ng mga base sa Guam," Heydarian said.

"Huwag rin nating i-overestimate yung ating strategic value to the US. If ever, the US can move on, without a question, they can move on from the Philippines," he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte had recently announced the end of the joint military exercises between the Philippines and the US, which is covered by the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the two allies.

The president also earlier scrapped joint patrols with US forces within Philippine territorial waters.

Ending the Philippines' alliance with the US will put an end to US military assistance, including the US$100 million dollars received by Filipino forces every year, Heydarian noted.

However, Duterte denied that he was cutting ties with the US, saying he was only pursuing an independent foreign policy.

Heydarian said Duterte must shed light on the independent foreign policy he is pursuing.

"Para sa akin...ang independent foreign policy ay kung saan meron kang equiproximity. Kung saan malapit ka sa lahat ng mga relevant powers...at kumukuha ka ng maximum benefit sa lahat ng mga relasyon na yan, at hindi ka nagsiside with one superpower against the other, or hindi ka nagtatrade ng isang superpower for another," he explained.

Duterte's move to end the military war games was due to China's disapproval of the activities.

Heydrian said the government must keep the US as an ally in case negotiations with China don't push through.

China, Heydarian noted, is "re-calibrating" too. "Both US and China nagre-recalibrate din sila...Confused din [ang China]. Paiba-iba yung sinasabi niya," Heydarian said. — Jessica Bartolome/VVP, GMA News