It’s been over a week since the APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit, but we still hear sectors questioning the benefits we gained, or at least stand to gain from this recently-concluded economic summit. Indeed, the amount spent for this landmark event, a staggering P10 billion is indeed mind-boggling for most of us. What could P1 billion do for many of us ordinary citizens? Multiply that 10-fold and yes, it could mean homes for the homeless, more school buildings, better bridges and mass transport and, yes, good roads. But that is also a simplistic way of putting the APEC Summit in context.
The member countries who honored us with their participation in this summit came with open minds. On the side lines, leaders of the 12-member countries of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) expressed support for the Philippines’ bid for membership in the TPP which US President Barack Obama chairs. The 12 countries include Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, United States and Vietnam. We failed to be included in this first wave, but the DTI is already working on this and, hopefully we can make it to the second wave.
South Korea and Indonesia are also seeking membership in the TPP. Together with the Philippines, the 12-member countries are also supporting their membership bids. It was during the APEC meet that negotiations on the TPP agreement were concluded. What is interesting is that for any applicant-country to be accepted into the organization, they need to present their positions and justify their bid to each of the members of the organization. On our part, the DTI (Department of Trade & Industry) reported they have already started to conduct their technical discussions with six of the 12 TPP member-countries.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership, a model of trade, will integrate the economies of the members of their organization which can only mean a symbiotic relationship among these countries, but there is still no realistic timeline for the implementation of the agreement because each and every government needs to ratify the agreement before it can be implemented. There is much to be done internally for any government setting out to do this. In our case for instance, there are many sectors in business that could be impacted by the agreements in the TPP. The manufacturing and agricultural sectors’ fears on the impact of the TPP on their domestic business need to be allayed because, like it or not, there are huge adjustments to be considered in these sectors. The TPP agreement has already been released and now awaits approval from the individual country-members so it can be implemented.
Also on the side lines of the APEC, the Philippines and Chile agreed to enhance bilateral ties and start negotiations on a free trade agreement. The Letter of Intent on Enhancing Trade Relations, aimed at creating a mutually beneficial trade agreement between the two countries, was signed by Chile President Michelle Bachelet and President Benigno Aquino. Our DTI was tasked to promote and diversify trade relations between Chile and the Philippines and start working on this in early 2016.
Another significant agreement reached between Presidents Bachelet and Aquino was the memorandum of understanding signed by both to institutionalize cooperation between the two governments on disaster risk reduction and management which includes response and rehabilitation when natural calamities strike.
Both countries also agreed to enhance cooperation and coordination between the two governments’ law enforcement agencies in fighting transnational crimes.
Incidentally, a Filipino company called the Energy Development Company has entered into a strategic partnership with a Chile-based Canadian power company called Alterra Power Corporation. This partnership will explore geothermal energy in the Maule region, and both the Chilean president and our own P-noy hope there will be more Chile-Philippine business partnerships that will be forged after this.
While this is no longer connected to APEC, we are happy to note the Philippines and Taiwan have reached an agreement on fisheries law enforcement. We have overlapping exclusive economic zones in the West Philippine Sea with Taiwan and because of this, there are always risks when Taiwanese fishing boats stray into these areas. Remember that incident with a Philippine Coast Guard patrol boat and a Taiwanese fishing boat where a Taiwanese fisherman was killed in the high seas within the overlapping exclusive economic zones that we share with Taiwan? That was a major diplomatic incident that thankfully did not escalate.
The Facilitation of Cooperation on Law Enforcement in Fisheries was signed last Nov. 5 in Taipei by Antonio Basilio of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office in Taiwan and Gary Song Huann of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines. Among the salient points of the pact are the protection of the rights and interests of Taiwanese fishermen who are deemed to operate within the law. If the fishing vessel is deemed to operate illegally, the law enforcement agency is required to give a one-hour advance notice to the other’s fisheries and coast guard agencies. In case the coast guard deems it within its rights to detain the fishing vessel because it has violated the law, the vessel and its crew must be released within three days after posting a reasonable bond or payment as prescribed by the existing laws of the arresting party’s government.
With the provisions clearly spelled out in this new accord, we hope no more untoward incidents will take place in the West Philippine Sea. While we need to uphold the provision of this pact, it is also the duty of our Philippine Coast Guard to uphold our own interests in the high seas.
Mabuhay!!! Be proud to be a Filipino.
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