Our Grand Delusion

THE 16^th Summit of BRICS+ countries had a rousing and positive conclusion last October 24 in Kazan, Russia, highlighted by accession of new members, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, and Iran and the acceptance of 13 “partner countries” while awaiting their formal accession as “full members.”

We note that of these countries—Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam—four of them are our fellow members in the ASEAN.

Back in August, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, during the Senate budget hearing on the DOF’s proposed budget, was quoted in the mainstream media as saying that he is “looking into” the possibility of the country joining the fastest-growing global economic bloc.

He was, however, immediately given a reality check by Prof. Kishore Mahbubani, former foreign minister of Singapore and respected diplomat in the region.

“The United States doesn’t want any of its allies to join BRICS,” Mahbubani stated matter-of-factly last October 22, when he was invited as guest speaker at the Philippine Business Conference.

Coming from a seasoned diplomat, the statement must have come as a slap in the face of our officials and fellow citizens still believing the myth that we are a sovereign country and not a slave of US Imperialism.

BRICS, originally comprising the countries of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, hence the acronym, has been around since 2009, when the leaders of these countries agreed to form a new economic bloc that would protect them from the West’ weaponization of the US dollar, global trade and the financial system they created (SWIFT) thru the imposition of sanctions to countries they don’t like, especially if they are non-White or non-European.

In short, BRICS is all about insisting and respecting each nation’s right to sovereignty and independence when it comes to trade, investment, foreign relations and non-interference in each member’s internal affairs.

There have been several attempts by patriotic Filipinos to propagate the message, vision and opportunities presented to the Global South, of which we are a part of, by BRICS.

Ka Mentong Laurel, one of our columnists here, is among such Filipinos.

Coming from a seasoned diplomat, the statement must have come as a slap in the face of our officials and fellow citizens still believing the myth that we are a sovereign country and not a slave of US Imperialism.

But, with the still prevailing spirit of servitude and neo-colonialism to everything American among most of us, his message remains unheard.

We have been left out by our ASEAN neighbors in terms of economic development because aware of their tragic colonial past, they refused to remain a captured market and a captured people by their former colonial masters.

They chose instead to pursue the right path of pragmatism and the resolute exercise of their sovereignty in the sphere of the economy, trade, investment, and foreign policy. Thus, they are “friends” to China and the rest of BRICS and respected by them.

On the other hand, we continue to be mesmerized by the Americans, its “rules-based” order and the might of the US dollar.

We chose to ignore a new horizon offered by BRICS, thinking that by remaining as America’s pet dog, we can achieve an “economic miracle” and a “better life for all.”

And yes, we are also of the illusion that we are “respected” by the international community? Haha!

We are under a Grand Delusion that we need to wake up from. Now.