A UN seat worth taking

By Herman M. Lagon

Fans of the John Wick films will remember a recurring phrase: “a seat at the table.” In that fictional underworld, the High Table is where power sits. Those who have a seat help shape the rules. Those who do not are forced to live with them. It is a dramatic way of saying something simple: Presence matters.

That idea quietly surfaced during a Senate hearing when Sen. Rodante Marcoleta asked what the Philippines would gain from seeking a seat on the United Nations Security Council. Inside the chamber, the question sounded practical enough. Outside, however, the reaction turned lively. Memes came first, followed by sarcasm and thoughtful pushback. The senator’s question focused on immediate gain. Many citizens asked a different one: Why would a country stay away from the table where the world’s hardest security decisions are debated?

The UN Security Council is imperfect, but it remains the world’s main forum for decisions on conflict, peacekeeping, sanctions and crises. Fifteen countries serve there — five with veto power and 10 rotating members who still debate and vote. For countries like ours, the seat is not simply prestige. It is participation. It is the chance to speak while the rules of global security are being discussed.

Critics sometimes frame international diplomacy the way people evaluate a small household purchase. If a refrigerator costs PHP 30,000, the buyer asks what immediate benefit it brings. The logic works well in the appliance store. It becomes shaky when applied to foreign policy. Influence does not arrive in neat receipts. Many scholars argue that middle powers expand their influence through diplomacy rather than military strength (Keohane, 2012). Countries such as Canada, Norway and Singapore regularly invest time and resources in international forums because presence matters. It creates alliances and builds trust. Our country operates in the same diplomatic landscape. Silence does not equal neutrality. It often just means fading from the conversation.

Consider a simple example familiar to teachers. In a faculty meeting discussing a controversial policy, the quiet teacher may stay silent even while disagreeing. The meeting ends, the decision stands, and the silent teacher must still follow it. International politics works much the same way. Decisions about peacekeeping, sanctions or humanitarian aid move forward regardless. Being on the Security Council will not transform the Philippines into a global power, but it does place the country where discussions unfold.

This matters especially when one looks at the West Philippine Sea. The 2016 arbitral ruling affirmed Philippine rights under international law. Yet it often relies on diplomatic reinforcement. A Security Council seat will not solve the dispute overnight, but it gives us another platform to remind the world that the ruling exists.

There is also the quieter advantage of diplomatic proximity. Serving on the council brings frequent interaction with ambassadors and negotiators from many countries. These relationships often grow in informal conversations rather than official speeches. Scholars describe this as diplomacy’s network effect — trust and influence develop through repeated contact. A country that remains absent from key forums loses opportunities to cultivate those relationships. In practical terms, it means fewer allies when future crises arise.

Some kept the argument simple. Joining the Security Council means the Philippines brings its own peace-building story. One example is the negotiated transition that created the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Malacañang highlighted it at the UN as evidence that inclusive dialogue can resolve even long conflicts (Valmonte, 2022).

Of course, Marcoleta’s question also deserves fair consideration. Skepticism toward international institutions is not inherently foolish. The Security Council often moves slowly. Permanent members sometimes block resolutions that threaten their own interests. Scholars have criticized the council’s structure for decades, arguing that its veto system reflects the power dynamics of 1945 rather than those of the 21st century (Weiss, 2018). A senator asking whether smaller nations truly influence outcomes is therefore not entirely unreasonable. The challenge lies in stopping the shallow analysis there. Imperfect institutions remain arenas where diplomacy unfolds. Walking away from them rarely strengthens a country’s voice.

Another layer of the public reaction speaks less about foreign policy and more about national mindset. Many interpreted the senator’s remark as reflecting a small-state mentality. It is the familiar hesitation that asks whether a developing nation should even bother competing in global spaces dominated by giants. History reminds us otherwise. Carlos P. Romulo, who once headed the United Nations General Assembly, gained respect because he refused to accept that smaller countries should remain silent. For him, dignity meant speaking up for principles.

Even the playful online comments revealed something encouraging. Beneath the memes was a recognition that voice itself carries weight. In global politics, influence is not only measured in tanks or missiles. It also appears in persuasion, legal reasoning and alliances (Nye, 2011).

That is why the debate eventually turned into something larger than one senator’s remark. It became a reflection on how we see our place in the world. The country has already served on the Security Council several times — 1957, 1963, 1980 – 1981, and 2004 – 2005 — using those moments to advocate for international law and peaceful dialogue. Those moments did not solve every global conflict. They did something quieter yet important: They reminded the world that the Philippines was paying attention.

Perhaps the better question is not what the country will instantly gain from sitting at the Security Council table. The better question is what it risks losing by deciding its voice does not belong there. Reducing diplomacy to a lazy and quick “What do we get from this?” may work in a gadget sale or a mall bargain, but foreign policy rarely comes with receipts printed at the cashier.

Fans of the John Wick films may recall the phrase “a seat at the table.” In that fictional underworld, the High Table writes the rules. Those with a seat influence them. Those without one simply live with the consequences.

Global politics is far less cinematic, but the lesson travels well. When powerful countries already dominate the room, declining a seat does not protect national interest. It only guarantees that someone else will speak while you wait outside the door.

For a country navigating contested waters and uncertain alliances, a chair at that table may not look glamorous. Yet sometimes the most valuable thing a nation can claim is exactly that: a seat at the table when the future is being discussed.

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Doc H fondly describes himself as a ‘student of and for life’ who, like many others, aspires to a life-giving and why-driven world that is grounded in social justice and the pursuit of happiness. His views here do not necessarily reflect those of the institutions with which he is employed or connected.