Speech
of
His Excellency Fidel V. Ramos
President of the Philippines
During the Workshop-Meeting of Philippine Ambassadors in the Middle East on the official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

[Delivered at the Conference Palace Hotel, Jeddah, October 16, 1994]

Saudi Arabia and our
peace initiatives

THE TIES between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Philippines go back a thousand years—when Arab traders mediated Southeast Asia’s seaborne trade; and then brought Islam to our part of the world. Today, our two countries are inextricably linked in mutual respect; and in joint efforts toward economic modernization and prosperity for all our peoples.

Filipino contract workers have helped build Saudi Arabia’s modern infrastructure and the industry of its great cities. In turn, the remittances from our kababayan working here have greatly contributed to building up our own economic capital and foreign-exchange reserves.

Importance of Saudi Arabia in Philippine progress

Saudi Arabia is both our nation’s ninth-largest trading partner and our principal source of tourists from the Middle East.

Two-way trade is badly lopsided from our point of view— and until now our export trade is improving very, very slowly.

Over the five years 1988-93, our exports grew by only 5.07 percent—with the best-selling items being bananas, aviation fuel, cigarettes and garments.

As you know, we draw 41 percent of our oil requirements from here—which amounts to 26 percent of all our energy needs. In 1993 we imported 36.3 million barrels of Saudi Arabian crude worth US$543 million—a total volume 16 percent lower than the previous year’s level.

Saudi Arabian oil will obviously gain a larger share of our national market in coming years. As you know, Saudi Aramco—the Kingdom’s national oil company—has bought up 40 percent of our own national oil company, Petron.

In terms of investment, we also expect Saudi Arabian companies to participate more vigorously in our economy. At the moment, Saudi investments in the Philippines total an estimated P2 billion. These investments are mostly in hotels and real estate, banana plantations, jewelry and art objects in the Philippines.

Kingdom’s key role in our peace efforts

Most important of all in our bilateral relations is Saudi Arabia’s critical political role in our country.

The Saudi Government—a major supporter and host of the secretariat of the Organization of the Islamic Conference—is a moderating influence in the peace talks between our Government and the Moro National Liberation Front, which are going on through the good offices of our ASEAN neighbor, Indonesia.

The Saudi Government has consistently followed a policy of dissociating itself from any form of interference in the affairs of the Southern Philippines. The Organization of the Islamic Conference—as we know—closely monitors the progress of the peace talks. The Saudi Government’s view coincides with our own—it is to give peace and civic stability an opportunity to take hold in Mindanao.

We have asked the Saudi Government to help us realize our vision of prosperous Mindanao—as the only way of ensuring its long-term stability. As you know, I have been pushing the idea of an East ASEAN Growth Area—a new growth area bringing together Brunei, Sabah and Sarawak, Mindanao-Sulu-Tawi-Tawi; and the East Indonesian islands of Sulawesi and the Moluccas.

This great subregion has been one natural market for Southeast Asia’s seaborne trade since the fourteenth century. All we really need to do is to stimulate commerce in complementary products that has always been there. I am confident that once the essentials are laid down, our Saudi friends will look kindly at investments, joint ventures and even aid-programs in the East ASEAN Growth Area.

Spread the word in the Middle East

In closing, I exhort you—as key members of our diplomatic corps serving in the Middle East—to spread the good news about the progress we are making in bringing about a just and lasting peace in Muslim Mindanao. We must win the understanding—and support—of every Middle East government and nation in our effort to put an end to the fratricidal war in the Southern Philippines. Their sympathy and support are crucial to our winning the peace in Mindanao.

Now, more than ever, you must intensify your efforts to forge the closest ties with Saudi Arabia and the other Islamic states.

Mindanao has the potential—in land, climate and natural resources—to become the largest and richest growth pole of Philippine development. Its hard-working people—both Muslims and Christians—have waited and suffered too long for their land of promise to reach full fruition. Today we have a real chance to set things right in Mindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi—and we can set things right—and begin once again—if only each of us does his part.