383. Letter From President Magsaysay to Secretary of State Dulles1
My Dear Mr. Secretary: I should like to take advantage of your visit by discussing certain matters which, because of their bearing on Philippine-American relations, I consider of utmost importance and urgency.
As I have said, I do not have to tell you my faith in the United States. Against all odds I have advocated and will continue to advocate closer alliance with your country. There are those here in the Philippines who have fought me on this score. I have repeatedly risked my political fortunes on this issue. I will continue doing so.
However, I wish to call your attention to certain facts. While it is true that I have succeeded so far in defeating the Communists here that success is temporary. The masses of my people expect me to ameliorate their lot. If I cannot show them in a tangible way that their lot is being ameliorated, they will be disillusioned. Disillusionment is dangerous. We must therefore prevent the masses of this country from being disillusioned.
My first problem here is unemployment. It is very acute. I have asked Ambassador Romulo and Governor Cuaderno to get development loans from the United States. We also need interim financing. Ambassador Romulo reports to me that you and your Department have been most cooperative. For this I thank you.
But there are other pending matters with the United States Government that will help my administration more effectively. We have omnibus claims against the United States Government that have been pending all these years.2 Of course, I believe we have made the wrong approach. Our initial negotiations have been with your technical men in the lower echelons. Naturally, these people must stick closely to a strict interpretation of rules and regulations. I believe that time has come when we should take these claims up in the policy-forming level. That is why I am taking this matter up with you today. Once a policy has been laid down by the President and by yourself, the technical men will have to adapt their interpretation [Page 641] to this policy. Some of these claims may not be approved by you. We feel that these claims are legally and morally tenable. I wish, Mr. Secretary, that you would take this matter up personally and lay down a general policy which will make it possible for us to reach a final settlement about these claims.
There is another question that is worrying me. It is my rural development program. This is what will affect the masses of our people. We have no means right now to carry out all the measures that I have for this project. I wonder Mr. Secretary, if it is possible for you to recommend to President Eisenhower that the Philippines be given a share in the President’s fund which, I understand, is for psychological warfare. An amount of ten million dollars from such a fund would go a long way to help me in my rural development program. It is really part of your country’s psychological warfare program to keep our masses here happy and contented to prevent their disillusionment, to strengthen their faith in the United States and in democracy.
Furthermore, I wish to call your attention to the fact that the aid we are receiving from the ICA is not in my opinion, proportionate to the special relationship that exists between your country and mine. The aid we get is quite unimpressive when compared with the aid you have given other countries, including your former enemies. In this connection, I refer to the chart I showed you published by the Chicago Tribune which shows that we in the Philippines receive the least amount of aid from you.
I must say that I am deeply worried about all this. I am placed on a defensive position with my own people. They know that I have stuck my neck [out] time and time again in defense of the United States. This I have done because I believe in you and in your ideals. At the same time it is not unnatural for my people to ask why, since I was inaugurated President of the Philippines, there is nothing I can show them that is really substantial that I got for them from the American Government. You will understand this puts me in a very embarrassing position.
Also, the other peoples of Asia are watching me. They know what I have done and am doing for the United States. For me not to be able to show something really worthwhile that I am getting for my people from the United States will give them the impression that even America’s best friend is ignored and this, I fear, would not have a favorable impact in Asia propaganda-wise.
These are my problems, Mr. Secretary, and I am opening my heart to you because I need your help. Politically, I can maintain myself in power and the recent November elections have shown that I have my people’s support. My one concern is the effect that our economic crisis can have on Philippine-American relations. The disillusionment, [Page 642] I repeat, that the masses will feel, considering that they know my loyal attachment to the United States, must be prevented at all costs.
With the assurance of my highest consideration, I am
Sincerely yours,
- Source: Department of State, SPA Files: Lot 61 D 26, Philippine Attitudes Toward United States. Confidential.↩
- In an aide-mémoire attached to this letter, Philippine financial claims against the United States amounting to just over $860 million were itemized. “These claims,” the aide-mémoire stated, “represent the financial obligations incurred by the United States Government as a result of the special relationship that existed between the two countries and their joint prosecution of the last Pacific War.” The U.S. position on this issue is set forth in a briefing paper prepared for Dulles, PST D–6/8, February 24. (Ibid.,FE Conference Files: Lot 60 D 514, Post-SEATO Trip 1956)↩
- Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩