MANILA, Philippines - Former President Fidel Ramos on Monday expressed hope that President Aquino would be properly advised by the right officials before he goes to the United Nations during his visit to the United States in September, “where hardball international politics is the name of the game.”

Asked who should advise the President, Ramos said they could be the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, the Philippine ambassador to South Korea, the National Security adviser and the Defense secretary.

He said the Philippines, though not central as that of North and South Korea, is vital enough, since it “stands astride the two great routes of international commerce and naval access—the China Sea and the Pacific Ocean.”

Ramos added that being the northernmost of the Asean members, “the Philippines provides the best staging areas for the extension of maritime capabilities by the major powers.”

“That’s the importance of all of this. The importance of the Philippines as part of the first island chain,” he said, identifying the second chain as starting with Guam, with other small Pacific islands such as Fiji and Samoa.

“I hope the President will see the big picture,” he said, noting that there is an ongoing power play between the United States and China, and the Philippines could suffer collateral damage in the process.

“But we must emphasize peace, there’s no point in this power play,” he said, noting that economic development, foreign direct investments and tourism would be greatly affected if there is going to be war.

“Of course, South Korea will be the most victimized but all of us in the neighborhood will also suffer the fallout because commerce will be paralyzed, travel will not move, we will not have passengers in our airports, no tourists, no trading....And since we’re nearest, then we will probably get the biggest collateral effects.”

However, Ramos allayed fears of an imminent war, noting the Americans and the Chinese do not want war because it is an extra burden on the taxpayers of both sides. “The money for development, jobs, highways, people’s livelihood are going to be devoted to arms buildup by the hundreds of trillions of dollars and yuans.”

Ramos said that the US continues to sell arms to Taiwan despite the objection of China, which, according to news reports, has targeted, meanwhile, additional missiles on Taiwan. But he said the attempts to defuse the situation appears to be progressing.