Former President Fidel Ramos said what the country needs is to push for

“interdependent foreign policy” and not “independent foreign policy.”

Speaking at the Manila Overseas Press Club which honored departing US Ambassador Philip Goldberg, Ramos said “ it is not an independent foreign policy anymore that counts for the Philippines. It is an interdependent foreign policy where densely intertwined by so many common interests, climate change, more export and import, a stable monetary currency and cultural exchange.”

Ramos said maintaining peace should be the global leaders’ top priority because “the world will be obliterated in 25 minutes because of these weapons of mass destruction.”

In an ambush interview, Goldberg agreed with Ramos that the “interdependent foreign policy” he was proposing that the Philippines should adopt will be good for the stability and development of the entire world.

“I think that the Philippines should have a good relationship with its neighbors. It should have good relationship with China. It should have a good relationship with all countries. that is something we support [because] that is good for security, that is good for United States also,” Goldberg said.

Martin Romualdez, president of the Philippine Constitution Association, and former Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez presented separate plaques of appreciation to Goldberg for helping Tacloban City and other areas walloped by Typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

“We can’t forget his (Goldberg) help after the super typhoon Yolanda destroyed most of our regions. It’s (plaque) appreciative gesture we made tonight (Tuesday),” said Martin Romualdez. DMS