By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
PASIG CITY — Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute (ACPSSI) President Herman “Ka Mentong” Tiu Laurel on Friday (March 21) said “we are in a deep crisis but we will be in final liberation with former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.”
The former President was allegedly kidnapped and brought to The Hague, Netherlands on March 12, 2025.
“This act of betrayal of the Filipino people is not only done by Bongbong Marcos but in cahoots with the Deep State America,” Laurel said.
“It’s almost a week that this annual summit in China has been conducted on March 20, 2025,” he added.
Laurel noted that the media forum is focused on the achievement of China in 2024, China’s per capita disposable income grew by 5.1% year-on-year in nominal terms. China is the world’s largest economy.
On the other side, in the EurAsian, it is reported that China’s withdrawal plus Philippines’ US$850-M freight — the Luzon Economic Corridor from the Subic Freeport to the Ilocos Region, which is a railway project in a limbo; Eyes US, Japanese lenders.
Laurel stressed China’s stabilizing zone for peace and prosperity.
The Luzon Economic Corridor is not the only project that was suspended. The Bicol Railway Project was also suspended.
“This government is collaborating with Deep State America through a ‘proxy war’,” Laurel said.
“China’s 2025 sessions reviewed economic program for five years and China’s consultative political sessions have proven China’s immense economic growth from 2024-2025, which is ahead of us for almost a decade,” he added.
“India contributes 14.80%, the United States is only the third at 11.60% and the rest of the world is 26.40%, so we can see the contribution of China to the world economy,” Laurel said.
The “rest of the world” includes countries contributing less than 1.2% to global growth.
“China is now contributing 21.70% to the world economy. It contributed more than US$1 trillion in more than 100 countries worldwide,” he added.
Laurel stressed that China now contributes 21.70% to global growth (twice that of the US) and this will grow larger towards 2029 based on IMF projections.
The IMF forecast China to remain the single largest contributor to global growth.
“China’s global economic outreach through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which has invested US$1.175-trillion in 149 countries around the world and primarily the Global South, underwriting economic development and uplifting the poorer nations,” Laurel said.
Laurel noted the possible withdrawal of Panama from the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) due to the “bullying” of America.
He noted the role of “China as a source of stability in a turbulent world,” citing the Asian financial crisis.
“No permanent friends, only permanent national interest,” Laurel quoted Chinese President Xi Jinping as saying.
“The world must be permanently friends with each other and pursue common interest,” Laurel said.
“If the Philippines would not shape up, it would lose billions worth of exports,” he added.
Laurel cited the Panwa Group Project which will generate 20,000 Filipino badly needed jobs.
He explained that the problem of the Philippines today is the manufacturing sector.
Laurel also termed the alleged abduction of former Philippine President Duterte as a gross violation of the Philippine sovereignty.
He said that the abolition of the NTF-ELCAC (National Task Force to End Local Armed Conflict) will really incense the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“The left (Communists) and the right (Magdalo) were really pushing FPRRD to the ICC (International Criminal Court),” Laurel said.
Rico Osmena, from Cebu through Zoom, said that the Visayas, especially Cebu has been deprived of investments, particularly from China.
Laurel said that he does not know of any investments coming from China going to Cebu for the last two years already.
“We can study Cebu’s potentials,” he said.
Osmena noted that 75% of the exports were from China. He said that the Cebuanos are “somewhat up in arms” with what they did to the former President.
He cited the launching of the China Power Project that is the 150-Megawatt power plant in the north end of the province of Cebu.
Osmena believes that almost 70% of Cebuanos are sympathetic of the former President.
In the province of Cebu alone, South Korea is the no. 1 in tourist arrivals and China is now no. 5. Osmena noted that China used to be the biggest contributor of tourists in the Visayas, particularly in Cebu province.
“That’s a lie,” Laurel said on the reported denial of a request for political asylum of the former President to China.
“That’s a fake news. Never that President Duterte applied for a political asylum to China,” Osmena said.
“The administration of President Bongbong Marcos is really anti-China,” he added.
Celso, from Iloilo province, cited that Malaysia and Thailand are now progressive countries compared to the Phiippines.
“Nothing will happen for as long as Bongbong is there,” he said.
“Iloilo is a challenge although Iloilo is direly looking for investors. What would it take for the Filipinos to wake up,” Celso said.
“Let’s continue this forum. Let’s continue to spread information,” he added.
Ed Pacia, from Tuguegarao City, cited that in the province of Cagayan, Chico River Project which benefits 8,000 hectares of land and project worth P4.4 billion in collaboration with the Philippine government and China.
Chico River is the longest river encompassing Cagayan River.
Pacia said that the people of Cagayan province are disappointed with the suspension of the projects funded by China such as the International Seaport in Aparri, Cagayan, the Railway Project from the International Seaport in Aparri to the International Airport in Lal-lo, Cagayan.
ACPSSI Vice President for Internal Affairs Ado Paglinawan said that Marcos languishes in stupor as China sails in Langhui.
“China’s Two Sessions, or Langhui, have been concluded in Beijing. This is the biggest event of the country’s political calendar as it set out the policy priorities for the rest of the year,” Paglinawan said.
“All aspects of Chinese life were discussed from the economy to employment to health and housing. Foreign diplomacy, the military and dealing with the uncertainties of external headwinds in the form of US President Donald Trump’s shifting policies, were also tackled,” he added.
Paglinawan cited the premeditated and meticulously planned extrajudicial rendition or kidnapping of former President Duterte to the ICC.
“Alarmed that this event might cause further destabilization of world peace, China warned the ICC against ‘politicization’ and ‘double standards,’ foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said ‘China has noted the relevant information and is closely monitoring the development of the situation,'” Paglinawan said.
While the Philippines has made some progress in recent years, Paglinawan said, with GDP growth and improvements in governance, challenges remain. Addressing corruption, improving infrastructure, investing in education, and fostering a more competitive business environment are critical for sustained economic recovery, he added.
“We are now an emaciated country locked inside our chosen leader’s stupor. We have better fastened our seatbelts for an imminent crash,” Paglinawan said.
Likewise, Paglinawan cited that as of October 2023, in the BRI, there are 151 partner countries, with a combined population of 5.1 billion, and a combined GDP of US$4.1 trillion, with US$2.8 trillion trade between China and BRI countries in 2021, and a US$1 trillion total value of investments and construction projects in BRI countries.
Austin Ong, Co-Founder of Philippines-China Friendship Society, said that Xiaomi used to make cellphones for other countries.
Ong noted that from January to March 2024, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore were visited by more foreign tourists or world tourists, especially Chinese tourists, who were biggest spenders at US$12 billion.
He said that Chinese tourists are also projected to be the biggest tourist spenders for the next 10 years.
He added that Philippines to Malaysia, which only entails a two-hour air travel, and Malaysia is granting visa-free tour to China.
Ong cited that Chinese six-year old students are already being taught with AI (Artificial Intelligence).
He said that the GDP of China is equivalent to the the whole economy of the Philippines.
“Many analysts see China as a ‘work in progress’. Singapore is getting 10 times more tourists than us. Let us capitalize on our strength,” Ong said.
“Tourism is actually an economic multiplier in direct fusion to the economy,” he added. ###
