Duterte completes ASEAN visits

 Entertainment
Mar 252017
 
Pres. Duterte, PHL delegation hold plenary meeting with top Thai officials: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and members of his delegation hold a plenary meeting with top government officials of Thailand led by Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-o-chan at the Thai Koo Fah Building in Bangkok, Thailand on Tuesday (March 21, 2017). (Photo by King Rodriguez/PPD Malacanang)

Pres. Duterte, PHL delegation hold plenary meeting with top Thai officials: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and members of his delegation hold a plenary meeting with top government officials of Thailand led by Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-o-chan at the Thai Koo Fah Building in Bangkok, Thailand on Tuesday (March 21, 2017). (Photo by King Rodriguez/PPD Malacanang)

BANGKOK, Thailand, March 22 (PNA) – Foreign Affairs Acting Secretary Enrique Manalo praised the completed ASEAN visits of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte by emphasizing the importance of agreements between countries, including a framework on code of conduct, to promote cooperation, stability, and sustainability during a press briefing held Wednesday at the Mandarin Oriental.

“The purpose of the Code is to see how we can manage disputes carefully, not to raise tensions, not to escalate tensions,” Manalo said.

The details of the framework will be under continuing negotiations and discussions, to be based on the “key principles of mutual respect and mutual benefit.”

Manalo summarized the positive results of President Duterte’s official visits to Myanmar and Thailand, which caps the ASEAN-wide introductory visits he has made since assuming office in July 2016.

Joining Manalo in the panel were Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo, Executive Director Arnel del Barrio of the Philippine Carabao Center of the Department of Agriculture, Sen. Allan Peter Cayetano and Communications Secretary Martin Andanar who led the briefing.

The meetings in Myanmar with President U Htin Kyaw and other officials such as State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, said Manalo, “reaffirmed the friendship and excellent relations” between the two countries, spanning six decades.

Synergy

In Bangkok, President Duterte issued a joint statement with Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha, recognizing “the synergy to further deepen and expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest and to work together to strengthen the ASEAN Community.”

Common areas of cooperation identified with the two countries are on trade, tourism, agriculture, defense and security, intelligence, science and technology, cultural exchange, education, energy, and humanitarian assistance and development cooperation programs.

On a more specific note, Del Barrio shared that the Philippines and Thailand reached an understanding “to establish and promote cooperation and exchange in the areas of swamp and dairy buffalo.” The cooperation gives a boost to researchers and scientists to expand collaborative opportunities to exchange knowledge and techniques that will mutually benefit both agricultural countries.

Teo, meanwhile, is eyeing to improve the marketing and promotion of the Philippines in relation to Thailand.

“I would like to see more Thai people coming to the Philippines,” the Tourism Secretary said. Thailand has promised to start flying its airline to Cebu and Davao and back to Bangkok.

Balance

Trade Secretary Lopez shared the good news that Thailand made a commitment “to help us balance the trade” between Thailand and the Philippines. Currently, Thailand is the country’s sixth largest trading partner.

“But they have a trade surplus. In other words, mas malaki po ang export nila sa atin, kaysa ‘yung export natin sa kanila,” Lopez explained to illustrate the need to balance trade between economies.

Myanmar hosts some 800 Filipinos as overseas workers. Thailand has more than 14,000 Filipinos, with a number working as English teachers, engineers, and other professionals.

In Myanmar, President Duterte extended a pledge worth USD 300,000 to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as humanitarian assistance to Myanmar’s Rakhine State, the Foreign Affairs Acting Secretary confirmed.

Asked about whether the Philippines is going to file a protest against China on its planned construction of an environmental monitoring station, Manalo said that the Philippines is seeking clarification with China, but at the same time is “maintaining a regular close watch over Scarborough Shoal.”

Cayetano explained the diplomatic stance of the President who in a statement expressed cognizance that “the respect for freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea is in the interest of all countries within and outside the region.”

Both Myanmar and Thailand reiterated full confidence and support to the Philippines as host of the ASEAN Summit this year.

Manalo is aware that the negotiations among the countries may not be always easy, considering the differences in each country’s background, history, and present needs.

“But I think with enough will, I think we can move forward,” he said.

 

Envoy: US to stand by PHL amid ‘threats’

 Entertainment
Apr 112014
 
Envoy: US to stand by PHL amid ‘threats’

President Benigno S. Aquino III troops the line during the 72nd commemoration of the Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) at the Dambana ng Kagitingan, Mt. Samat Shrine in Pilar, Bataan on Wednesday (April 09, 2014). This year’s theme is “Balik-Tanaw sa Sakripisyo ng Beterano, Gabay sa Landas ng Pagbabago”. (MNS Photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – The United States on Wednesday reiterated its commitment to stand by the Philippines, its long-time ally, in the face of threats –  a statement that could have extra meaning in light of recent developments in the territorial dispute between Manila and Beijing. “As treaty allies, when the Philippines faces threats or natural disasters, so do we,” said US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg during his speech at the commemoration of the Araw ng Kagitingan in Bataan. Goldberg did not mention specific threats, but his speech came at the time of increasing tensions between the Philippines and China over overlapping claims in the South China Sea. Relations between the two Asian neighbors hit a low point when the Philippines sought arbitration in January 2013 to try to declare as illegal China’s massive claim over the South China Sea because it overlaps with Manila’s territories. In his speech, Goldberg instead explained that the shared “history of sacrifice” between Filipino and American troops during World War II “forges the special relationship” of the two countries. “As shown in history and present until this very day, we can and will continue to work together shoulder to shoulder to Read More …

Can’t force China to comply–Palace

 News
Apr 102014
 
Can’t force China to comply–Palace

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr.: Can’t force China to comply. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—Even if a United Nations arbitration tribunal were to rule in its favor on the West Philippine Sea dispute, the Philippines cannot compel China to comply with the ruling, Malacañang said on Thursday. Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the country’s main purpose in filing the case is to prove that its claim to certain territories in the South China Sea is sanctioned by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), and not to enforce compliance from China. “The primary objective is to prove that what we claim as part of the West Philippine Sea is based on a prevailing law, and that law is the Unclos,” Coloma said in the briefing. “The primary objective is not to make a country comply,” he said. “It’s not within our power to dictate what they (China) should do. What’s within our power is to protect our national interest,” Coloma told a Palace briefing. Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza earlier said that the Philippines has always believed that China, as a member of the international community of nations, was “legally bound” to accept and implement the ruling of the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (Itlos). The Philippines’ filing of the case drew a sharp rebuke from Chinese officials, which accused the Philippines of seriously damaging the two countries’ relations and shutting the door to negotiations. Beijing, which claims virtually the entire West Philippine Sea, Read More …

Palace maintains diplomatic approach in South China Sea dispute

 Entertainment
Mar 132014
 
Palace maintains diplomatic approach in South China Sea dispute

Photographed through the window of a closed aircraft, an aerial view shows Pagasa Island, part of the disputed Spratly group of islands, in the South China Sea located off the coast of western Philippines Wednesday July 20, 2011. China protested a trip made by Filipino lawmakers to disputed areas in the South China Sea to assert the claim of the Philippines. Ethan Sun, spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Manila, said the trip scheduled was ‘against the spirit’ of a code of conduct signed by claimants to the areas in 2002. The Spratlys, believed to be rich in oil, mineral and marine resources, are also claimed in whole or partly by Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan. (AP Photo/Roley Dela Pena, Pool) MANILA  (Mabuhay) — The Philippines is still seeking a peaceful resolution to the territorial dispute in the South China Sea despite the recent incident of harassment involving Chinese vessels. “We believe in the [principle that] what is ours is ours, and so we will continue to push that, and we’re doing that diplomatically,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said during a press conference Wednesday. The Philippines has filed another diplomatic protest against China — its second in two weeks — after Chinese vessels allegedly prevented two Filipino vessels carrying supplies and personnel from going to Philippine-controlled Ayungin Shoal off the South China Sea last Sunday. On Feb. 25, the Philippines also accused China of harassing a group of fishermen off the Scarborough Shoal, another Philippine-claimed area in the South China Read More …

US hits 'provocative' China move on Philippine ships

 News
Mar 122014
 
US hits 'provocative' China move on Philippine ships

WASHINGTON – The United States on Wednesday accused China of raising tensions by blocking two Philippines vessels as it urged freedom of navigation in the tense South China Sea. The United States, a treaty-bound ally of Manila, said it was “troubled” by Sunday’s incident in which China prevented movement of two ships contracted by the Philippine navy to deliver supplies and troops to the disputed Second Thomas Shoal. “This is a provocative move that raises tensions. Pending resolution of competing claims in the South China Sea, there should be no interference with the efforts of claimants to maintain the status quo,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. The Philippines on Tuesday summoned China’s charge d’affaires, accusing Beijing of a “clear and urgent threat” to Manila’s interests. Beijing countered that the ships “infringed China’s territorial sovereignty” and violated a 2002 declaration of conduct in the South China Sea. The United States rejected China’s stance, saying that countries had the right to “regular resupply and rotation of personnel” to locations before the 2002 declaration. The Second Thomas Shoal, which sits around 200 kilometers (125 miles) from the western Philippine island of Palawan, is claimed by the Philippines, China and Taiwan. Beijing calls it Ren’ai Reef. Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam claim other parts of the Spratly islands, which lie near vital sea lanes and rich fishing grounds and are also believe to sit on vast mineral resources. The United States, while saying it takes no position on the sovereignty of disputed territories, has Read More …

Philippines has ‘right’ to defend its territory like China – Palace

 News
Mar 092014
 
Philippines has ‘right’ to defend its territory like China – Palace

MANILA – The Philippines also has the right to defend every inch of its territory, President Benigno Aquino’s spokesman said on Sunday, after China made a similar warning. Spokesman Herminio Coloma’s remarks came after China’s foreign minister Wang Yi said on Saturday said his country would vigorously defend its sovereignty against “unreasonable demands from smaller countries”. Although he was referring to Japan, which has its own territorial dispute with China, his remarks could also cover China’s other territorial dispute with the Philippines and other countries over parts of the South China Sea. “It is the right of every country to defend its national territory. That is also the principle we are following,” Coloma told reporters, commenting on the Chinese minister’s remarks. Coloma added that the Philippines was basing its position on the principles of international law like the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS. The Philippines and China, along with Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam are all claimants to parts of the South China Sea, a major sea lane and rich fishing ground which is believed to sit on vast mineral deposits. The Philippines has also expressed growing concern at the increased aggressiveness of the Chinese in pressing their claim to almost all of the waters, even up to the coasts of its neighbors. The Philippine government has sought UN arbitration under UNCLOS to settle the dispute but China has rejected the move. Last month the Philippines lodged a protest after the Chinese coast guard Read More …

2 Coast Guard ships ready to guard Panatag Shoal on gov’t go-signal

 News
Mar 032014
 
2 Coast Guard ships ready to guard Panatag Shoal on gov’t go-signal

AFP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — Not a single Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel has been deployed to Panatag Shoal (Scarborough Shoal) since PCG ships and their Chinese counterparts faced off in the West Philippine Sea rock formation for two weeks in mid-2012. But Commander Armand Balilo, PCG spokesperson and chief of the public affairs office, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Monday, that at least two Coast Guard ships—the search-and-rescue vessel BRP Corregidor (001) and the buoy tender BRP San Juan (AE-391)—were “on standby” at the PCG headquarters in Port Area, Manila and could be sent to the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) rock formation “if ordered by the higher-ups.” Balilo was referring to “Malacañang through the DOTC,” not the Western Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, tasked by the government to oversee security in the West Philippine Sea. The 540-ton Corregidor is 56 meters long, has a cruising speed of  26 knots and a range of more than 1,000 nautical miles. Built by the Australian shipbuilding firm Tenix, the multi-role vessel was commissioned by the PCG in June 2002. In November, it was one of several PCG vessels that ferried relief goods to Eastern Visayas provinces ravaged by Super Typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan). The 730-ton San Juan, nearly 57 meters long, was built by Niigata Engineering, a Japanese shipbuilding company. It runs at a slow 12 knots but has a cruising range of over 2,000 nautical miles. The ship was commissioned in February 1998 by the Read More …

Aquino likens China’s rulers to Hitler

 Entertainment
Feb 052014
 
Aquino likens China’s rulers to Hitler

“You may have the might, but that does not necessarily make you right,” Philippine President Benigno Aquino said as he warns China’s efforts to claim disputed territories are like Nazi Germany’s before World War II. By Karl MALAKUNAS MANILA, February 5, 2014 (AFP) – Philippine President Benigno Aquino has warned China’s efforts to claim disputed territories are like Nazi Germany’s before World War II, drawing a fierce Chinese response on Wednesday branding him ignorant and amateurish. In an interview with the New York Times, Aquino called for world leaders not to make the mistake of appeasing China as it seeks to cement control over contested waters and islands in the strategically vital South China Sea. “At what point do you say: ‘Enough is enough’? Well, the world has to say it – remember that the Sudetenland was given in an attempt to appease Hitler to prevent World War II,” Aquino told the New York Times in Manila on Tuesday. Aquino was referring to the failure by Western nations to back Czechoslovakia when Adolf Hitler-led Nazi Germany occupied western parts of the European nation in 1938 ahead of World War II. Aquino’s comments come less than two weeks after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe raised the temperature in a parallel territorial dispute with China by appearing to compare Sino-Japanese relations with the run-up to World War I. Japan and China are at loggerheads over the sovereignty of disputed islands in the East China Sea, raising fears about a military confrontation between Read More …

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