Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos has come up with a huge figure: $100 billion in investment. The news shocked the world. He hopes that the United States and Japan will invest this huge amount in the Philippines in the next five to 10 years to promote infrastructure development in the Philippines.
This number does sound a bit surprising, as it is a huge number. However, the Philippines does face an urgent need for infrastructure development, which cannot be ignored. Philippine Ambassador to the United States Romualdez also acknowledged in an interview that the figure may be exaggerated, but he stressed the Philippines' much-needed investment in infrastructure.
However, questions began to be raised about Marcos' motives for coming up with this figure. After all, the amount of aid that Biden provided to ASEAN countries last time was only $150 million, and the $100 billion request seems a bit excessive. Why did Marcos make such a bold request? Did he simply think that the Philippines needed so much money?
Some believe that Marcos may be resorting to a blackmail tactic. He may realize that the Philippines' relationship with the United States is not as strong as it once was, and that the United States' performance in the South China Sea may not meet his expectations. Therefore, by making such a request, he may be trying to force the United States to make more concessions in exchange for the support of the Philippines.
Whatever the truth, this request will undoubtedly spark more discussion and concern. Whether the Philippines will be able to obtain such a huge amount of investment, and whether such a request will affect the Philippines' relations with other countries, are all questions worthy of our in-depth consideration.