Hillary Clinton visit paves way for more US-RP partnership and the US-TransPacific agenda

 Hillary Clinton visit paves way for more US-RP partnership and the US-TransPacific agenda

By MARYA SALAMAT
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Amid jeers that his government is engaged in “hardcore US puppetry,” President Benigno Aquino III sat at an extended bilateral meeting in Manila held by visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last Wednesday, after which he witnessed the signing in Malacañang of the Partnership for Growth (PFG) agreement between the Philippines and the United States. He then conferred on Clinton the Order of Lakandula with rank of Bayani.

The latter is a merit award in memory of Lakandula, an indigenous leader. It is usually conferred upon a Filipino or foreign citizen who has demonstrated in life and deeds a dedication to the welfare of society, and who lives a life deemed worthy of emulation by Filipinos. The Bayani (Hero) rank given to Clinton is usually given to individuals who have devoted their lives to peaceful resolution of conflict.

But outside Malacañang, the situation is hardly peaceful as groups protested the “interventionist” agenda of “the second most powerful US government official who paid our country a special visit.”

Members of patriotic youth and student organizations led by the League of Filipino Students (LFS) threw paintballs at the passing convoy of President Aquino’s “special guest,” US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as she headed to hold court at a forum in the National Museum Wednesday afternoon.

Aside from hurling paintballs, the youth protesters burned a US flag in front of the National Museum while Clinton was meeting with Filipino students. Aki Merced, spokesperson of LFS, explained that the flag-burning “is to express rage over the continuing unequal relations of the Philippines and the United States.” On Thursday the youth group also conducted a simultaneous US flag-burning program to denounce US intervention in Philippine affairs in various campuses.

“This is to send out the message that the Filipino youths are enraged and cannot bear the unequal relations between the Philippines and the United States anymore. These relations are concretely seen in the 60th anniversary of the onerous Mutual Defense Treaty,” said Merced.

Clinton “pretty much used” to anti-US protests 

When Clinton’s convoy passed by the protesting students last Wednesday, she had not only just signed and launched in Malacañang the Partnership for Growth (PFG) agreement, an Obama government economic initiative. She had also just signed a Manila Declaration together with Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario, pertaining to the 60th anniversary of the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), on board the USS Fitzgerald in Manila Bay.

“Hillary Clinton is here to further solidify the US government’s hold and control of our land, through its obedient puppet, Noynoy Aquino,” said the LFS..... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/11/18/hillary-clinton-visit-paves-way-for-more-us-rp-partnership-and-the-us-transpacific-agenda/