Palacio ng Pilipinas, Manila, PhilippinesThe war had ended and to the victors go the spoil. It had been a year since the signing of the Bangkok treaty which ended the Pacific war. Millions of lives lost around the ring of fire and most of their names would be forgotten by history. The world after the war was far off worst then when it had began. Now two empire fought for influence over those nations still free and one of those empires was under a dictatorship hell bent on controlling the world.
In the Philippine capital city of Manila, the Filipinos were showing the new superpowers that the country would not go down without a fight. The proud people of the Philippines were showing off their military might through a military parade. When it came down to the technicalities, the Philippines was severely outgunned and outnumbered but that hasn't stopped them before. With the United States but a shadow of it's former self, the Filipino people have claimed the title of being the center of the free world. The republic may have changed but it was still a democracy, albeit a very fragile one. Of course everything after the war was and still very much is fragile. The Philippine economy, was no such exemption. It had almost collapsed during the war. Cities, industries, farm lands and other sources of income to the nation went up in smoke during the liberation wars. The Filipino consuls were going to work hard to get it up started again.
From a high marble tower on the
Palacio ng Pilipinas (Philippine Palace), the newly elected members of the Philippine senate watched as the Philippine legions marched on the newly paved roads of the country's capital. They carried the standard issue AR-15 rifle, an oudated gun used 2 centuries back. It may not have been as fancy as some of the newer weaponry, but it did the job. The M1 Abrams came next. They too were outdated but they looked marvelous in the jungle-camo paint that they used. The army followed by the air force followed by the navy and the marines. The constabulary kept a keen and strict eye on the event, to prevent any would-be saboteurs on ruining the event. The Filipinos of Manila, foreign dignitaries and spies were treated to a show of force by the country's best.
After the event was concluded and the nation's enemies got a sight of what they would go up against, the consuls, John Mark Soriano and Dylan Dela Cruz called a meeting of all the senators. It involved the future of the South-East Asian region and the future of the Pacific region in general. Their meeting place was the senator's forum, deep underneath the palace itself in an underground bunker able to withstand a nuclear blast.
"Mga senador ng makabagong republika, lahat tayo ay mag sitayo para sa pambangsang awit." Said John Mark Soriano, one of the consuls, asking for the senators to stand up for the national anthem.
The senators stood up in unison and sang the national anthem, the anthem of the old republic and still it's anthem today, the "Lupang Hinirang". A band was brought in to play the tune of the anthem and it reverberated throughout the halls outside. After the national anthem was sung, the formalities and opening ceremonies followed. Then, they discussed the issues troubling the new republic.
"Isang taon na ang nakaraan mula ng katapusan ng huling pandaigdigan gera. Naging mahirap ito para sa ating munting bansa pero nagwagi parin ang mga Filipino kahit na lumaban tayo sa hindi patas na logro. Naging mahirap ang mga nakaraan na araw para sa atin. Hindi madali para sa mga anak ng Pilipinas na mabawi and dating lakas, determinasyon at sigasig na nawala noong pakikipaglaban natyin sa mga Tsino. At dahil ayaw kung maulit ang masakim na kapalaran na natanggap natin sa ating mga naging kalaban, may ipapanukala ako sa inyo para makamit natin ang kapayaan na matagalan. Kailagan natin palakasin ang ating relasyon sa ating mga bansang kapitbahay."
There were some whispers and senators began talking secretively to one another. One of the senators decided to speak.
"Bansang kapitbahay? Ang Indonesia at Malaysia? At papaano kung dinimanda nila ang Borneo?"
"Hahatiin natin ang Borneo parasa ating tatlong bansa." Consul Dela Cruz stated. There was then an uproar from the senators. They shouted and they protested that Borneo belonged to the Philippines and to nobody else. Arguing between senators erupted into heated debates and the two consuls screamed from the top of their lungs for law and order in the forum. The Praetor, General John Phillip Ignacio, fired a round at the ceiling with his Colt magnum. The forum went deaf silent. Consul Soriano thanked the man by nodding his head.
"Aking mga kapwang senador, kung maari sana'y makinig kayo sa boses ko." Consul Dela Cruz noted. "Kung hindi tayo magkaisa, ang ating mga kaaway ay kukunin itong oportunidad para muling lusubin tayo. Kailagan nating tumayo ng isa para hindi tayo mapataob ng mga kalaban."
The senators soon calmed down and decided to listen to reason. The consuls explained their proposed plan to the senators. After it was explained, a vote was held whether to withhold or deny the plan. Out of the 200 senators that voted, 197 voted yes to the plan. A telegram was then sent to the leaders of Taiwan, Singapore and the rest of the South-East Asian countries.
Sir/madam,
Greetings from the Neo-Republic of the Philippines. As most of you well know, after the end of the prior world war which has killed countless amounts of men, women and children and has brought the world to it's knees, new superpowers have emerged and they are sadly imperialistic. The two main empires that are also staunch enemies are the British empire and the Canadian empire. They have already claimed and dominated many other formerly free nations in their quest to annihilate each other. Our nations are at threat of this two superpowers as they would want to claim our lands for their own and destroy our sovereignty. We must unite together to combat this treat. We, the consuls of the Neo-Republic of the Philippines, would want to arrange a conference with you so that we may form a defensive treaty against outside threats. The conference will be held at the Philippine capital of Manila and we will do everything in our power to insure your safety and your comfort on your stay here.
May you, your people and your nation prosper and please do consider our proposal.
Honorable Consuls John Mark Soraino and Dylan Dela Cruz