Pineda, Policarpio, Rodriguez, Salcedo GS 197- Global Entanglements

Latin America- Caribbean Integration October 27, 2014

The ten member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes the
Philippines, have a shared geography but are incongruous in other significant aspects enjoyed by the Latin
American and Caribbean countries such as language, culture, religion, political dynamics, and economic
development. According to Prof. Luis Garcia Britto, Cultural diversity and differences have always been
respected between Latin America and the Caribbean. Our regional unity, in contrast, is only reflected by name
and proximity.

Unlike Philippines, Latin American and Caribbean countries have been resistant to the hegemonic power
of the United States as a strong political, cultural, and economic force. American influence is evidenced and
perpetuated through our educational system, language, psychology, and even our constitution. Philippine popular
culture is mainly Western in nature, expressed through Filipino consumer trends, mainstream Filipino media, and
our inclination to English. Having been colonized by the US, we continue to be dependent of their aid. Even in
our dispute with China over the West Philippine Sea, we have always assumed that US would willingly come to
assist us in case of physical conflict. This is seen through the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and Enhanced
Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the Philippines and US wherein we allow US soldiers to
conduct military exercises and have military bases on Philippine land.

The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA), on the other hand, remains a unified
organization independent of US interference. In contrast with VFA and EDCA, ALBA resists the free trade
agreements the US has been putting forward through the Peoples Trade Agreement (TCP). ALBA has twelve
guiding principles, among these are continental literacy plan; a Latin American plan for free health care; an
education scholarship program; a Social Emergency Fund; a Development Bank of the South; a regional
Petroleum company, Petroamerica; a regional television station, Telesur; and many others.1 They were able to
create their own autonomous and sovereign monetary system called sucre, which they use to conduct trade
instead of US Dollar. Their common currency further shows their resistance, which Philippines can learn from

Moreover, in its attempt to boost regional unity, ASEAN aims to promote transnational economies,
especially of its newer members Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam this 2015. It hopes to unify the
region economically, establishing a single market and production base. However, technology in ASEAN countries
is not as advanced. This kind of integration would require massive investments from more developed countries;
the result would be too minimal that mainly the imperialist powers and corporations will benefit from this
industrialization. The economic power that US hold over European countries has long been weakened. Thus, the
US see the Asia-Pacific region as the key to maintaining its rule as the single military power in the world.

Despite the criticisms, ASEAN remains to be the only regional organization that represents the interests
of its member states. Given the challenges, perhaps ASEAN can pattern its integration to that of ALBA. We need
an ALBA-type socialist integration that puts the welfare of the people first instead of the few multi-billionaire
corporations; an anti-capitalist, anti-neoliberal integration that would resist US hegemonic power.

Philippines in the present-day seems to overlooked the unfinished revolution that was left hangingthe
revolution against the oppression and exploitation of the foreign dominions. The government has its hands tied
back since Philippines has anchored itself to US. What the Philippines should realize is that we should resist the
hegemonic power of the US like how the ALBA had done it. The Latin- American integration is a great example
that foreign dominions can be overcame and that countries can resist Western supremacies. The Philippines and
ASEAN should honor regional unity and assimilation first before letting other foreign influences interfere with
them.

References
Fox, Michael. 2006. Defining the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas - ALBA. August 04.
http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/1870.

1
(Fox 2006)