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MANILA — In Tokyo airport, wait ing for my plane to Manila, I saw a Soviet Aeroflot crew that had just arrived and was waiting for its bus into town. The officers were all beefy and overweight; the stewardesses looked like ingots of pig iron. So that was the enemy! In the 22 years since I first laid eyes on it, Manila has hardly changed at all. This time I am here as one of a group of journalists traveling under the sponsorship of Rev. Moon's World Media Association, but there is, nonetheless, a distinct sense of deja vu. There is none of the vibrancy, let alone prosperity, that make Seoul, Tokyo, Taipei, Hong Kong and Singa pore so exciting. Blame Marcos in part, and the Philippines’ banana republic ambiance in much larger part. This is a country going nowhere Make no mistake; it was absolutely essential to get rid of Marcos. Not because he was corrupt (in that respect he was merely the father of his country), but because he was old, sick and fast losing his grip. Out of the February wreck emerged, not one of the several reasonably talented and patriotic politicians this country can still boast, but a devout, recently widowed housewife from a wealthy family, with no political experience whatever. What can I say about Corazon Aquino that is truthful and still will get by the feminist dragon who guard the portals of my column's syndicate? To assert that she is utterly charming runs the grave risk of being accused of sexism; yet her charm is a political fact of life here, as important as Ronald Reagan's. Her enthusiasts endow her with political talents on a par with Castle reagh’s, but this is nonsense. Her greatest and very nearly only strength, and it is considerable indeed, is the monumental fact that she is totally at peace with herself. This communicates itself powerfully to her administration, her enemies and the public, and gives her precari ous regime what stability it has. The post-takeover euphoria is now over, and the Philippines’ desperate problems are reasserting themselves with insistent force. The economy is a mess; 40 to 50 percent of all export earnings must be devoted simply to servicing a $27-billion foreign debt. The Aquino government has officially opted for the sort of free-market economy that has enriched so many of this country’s neighbors, but with out the stimulus of the mighty Sino- Japanese work ethic, the outlook is far from hopeful. Despite the Soviet naval base at Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam, just across the South China Sea, the major communist threat here is internal an indigenous insurgency, estab lished in all provinces and growing fast in the later Marcos years. The rebels’ principal demand is for the closing down of Clark Field and Subic Bay — the chief U.S. bases in South east Asia, and thus vital links in the defensive system of the entire free world. They also call for land reform and a coalition government, among other things. President Aquino has invited the insurgents to negotiate, not even requiring them to lay down their arms first, and they have cautiously accepted her invitation. Meanwhile, the guerrilla war goes on desultorily, and Aquino is attempting to institute various military reforms that will (she hopes) strengthen the armed forces if, as seems likely, the negotia tions get nowhere. In this, she has the important help of Juan Ponce Enrile, the wily and able minister of national defense, who has held that key portfolio for 17 years. By changing sides at precisely the right moment last February, Enrile managed to survive into the new regime, to which he contributes indispensable strength, balance and experience. Another experienced and impor tant figure in the new government is Vice President Salvador Laurel. Among its leading opponents is Blas Ople, another Marcos Cabinet member who nonetheless enjoys wide respect.
Newspaper Details
Kittanning Leader Times
Kittanning, Pennsylvania, US
Wed, Aug 27, 1986
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Roger M.
USA 01 Jul 2026
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