Philippines, Vietnam agree to boost defense cooperation

MANILA, Philippines - Defense officials of the Philippines and Vietnam have agreed to explore ways to boost the defense cooperation between their countries.

The Defense department said Wednesday that the matter was discussed during the meeting of the Joint Defense Cooperation Working Group of the two countries last week in Manila.

“The meeting served as a mechanism for reviewing bilateral defense cooperation leading to a discussion of specific proposals on how to enhance defense cooperation between the two countries,” the department said in a statement.

“With a Memorandum of Agreement on Defense Cooperation signed in 2010, both sides identified mechanisms to substantiate the agreement,” it added.

The mechanisms include “practical cooperative activities” in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) and the east that seek to enhance confidence among their respective personnel.

The West Philippine Sea has been the subject of a long-standing territorial dispute in the region. China claims virtually the entire area while the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims.

Other mechanisms being considered include defense and military officials exchanges, personnel exchanges, information-sharing, analyst-to-analyst exchanges.

The two countries also exchanged updates on the situation in the West Philippine Sea and other regional issues.

“The Philippines emphasized the importance it accords to the peaceful approach to the issue and stressed that it is principle that underpins the country’s decision to bring the matter to the International Arbitral Tribunal of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas,” the Defense department said.

Defense Assistant Secretary Raymund Quilop led the Philippine delegation while Maj. Gen. Vu Chien Than, director of the foreign relations department of Vietnam’s Ministry of Defense headed the Vietnamese contingent.

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Alexis Romero | The Philippine Star | March 6, 2013 | Article Link

Manila, Rome to enhance defense ties after Philippines eyes purchase of Italian warship

The Philippines and Italy are set to further strengthen their defense partnership, Manila's Ambassador to Rome Virgilio Reyes Jr. said on Wednesday. 

The announcement came roughly two months after the Philippines' Defense Department disclosed plans of acquiring a third warship from Italy after purchasing two from the United States. 

Officials of both countries' defense departments will hold an exchange of visits to enhance their strategic defense ties, Reyes said in a statement on Wednesday. 

“[We are] committed to its effective concrete implementation,” Reyes said.

In May, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin raised the possibility that the country may acquire another warship from Italy. The Philippines has two warships, the first, the BRP Gregorio del Pilar, was acquired from the US Coast Guard last year. The second may arrive in November, Gazmin said. 

Speaking at the 65th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between both countries, Reyes also asked the Italian Ministry Foreign Affairs to sign two pending agreements--the Draft Executive Cultural Program between the Philippine and Italy and the Draft Protocol to Amend the Bilateral Convention on the Avoidance of Double Taxation.

Manila and Rome established diplomatic ties since July 1947, a relationship that has been marked by several cooperation agreements over the past years.

In his speech, Reyes also thanked Italy's foreign ministry for allowing Filipinos to promote their own food in Italy, including mango rum liquor, and for permitting Filipino artists showcase their artworks. 

"[During] the end of June, the Philippine Tropical Fruit Business Mission to Italy had a productive visit around markets of Rome and Bergamo and [held] important exchange of discussion with the Italian fruit growers and importers in the Centro Agroalimentare di Roma (CAR)," Reyes said.

"I would like to expresse my gratitude to the government of the Italian Republic for its gracious hosting of the Filipino community in Italy with the assurance that Filipino nationals will contribute positively to the Italian society and economy," Reyes stressed.

Reyes then expressed the Philippine government’s commitment toward upholding, protecting, and promoting the rights and interests of the Filipino community in Italy. Some 131,000 Filipinos work in Italy as maids, nurses, or service workers.

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Pots de Leon | InterAksyon.com | July 11, 2012 | Article Link

Maritime security tackled in PNoy-Bryce meet

MANILA, Philippines - Defense cooperation and maritime security were among the wide range of issues discussed in the meeting between President Aquino and Quentin Bryce, the Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia. 

In her press statement, Bryce said that Australia and the Philippines share a common interest in ensuring maritime security “in accordance with international law.”

“We talked about the productive cooperation we enjoy on defense and security matters. We also discussed bilateral trade and investment ties which both countries agree has potential to expand,” Bryce said.

“We noted the fact that Australia and the Philippines share many common interests in the region including to ensure maritime security in accordance with international law and to strengthen economic integration,” she added. 

But presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the standoff between the Philippines and China at the Scarborough shoal was not specifically discussed in the meeting of the two leaders. 

Lacierda said there were discussions about the status of forces agreement between the two countries and that the Philippines is eyeing Australia as a “strategic partner” similar to the United States and Japan. 

“Australia is being eyed as a strategic partner,” Lacierda told reporters. 

In the meeting, President Aquino also apprised Bryce of the progress the Philippines has made in attaining the millennium development goals, saying the country is “well on track” in reducing hunger, bringing down the mortality rate among infants and children under five years old, and increasing the number of households that have access to safe water supply and sanitation facilities, among others.

Aquino said the government is “intensifying efforts” to eradicate poverty, provide universal primary education and improve maternal health. 

Aquino acknowledged the technical and financial help that Australia has given the Philippines in achieving the MDGs through AusAID.

Aquino noted that Bryce is also known as an active promoter of women’s rights. 

“I proudly related the Philippines is on track in providing education opportunities for young women and increasing the share of women in wage jobs in the non-agricultural sector. We sought the governor general’s support and cooperation in speeding up the achievement of the millennium development goals for Filipino women particularly in their economic empowerment, occupational health, and capacities for climate resiliency,” Aquino said. 

Bryce said Australia has aligned its aid program with Aquino’s priorities, focusing on infrastructure, economic governance, and poverty reduction. 

She also expressed Australia’s commitment to help the Philippines in its disaster preparedness, expressing her condolences to the Philippines for the devastation caused by tropical storm Sendong. Australia offered assistance in the aftermath of the tragedy. 

Bryce noted the contributions of Filipinos in Australia, now numbering more than 200,000 and still growing. 

“This is a very welcome development. Filipino-Australians have made excellent contributions to their adopted nation including in the fields of academia, the arts, sports, and politics and they play a key role in strengthening the bonds of friendship between our two countries,” she said. 

President Aquino confirmed that he is going to visit Australia in the next half of the year. Lacierda said the details and schedule of the trip are being ironed out by the Department of Foreign Affairs. 

Bryce said Australia is looking forward to Aquino’s visit. 

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Willard Cheng | ABS-CBN News | April 12, 2012 | Article Link