Open skies pact among BIMP-EAGA countries forged

CEBU — The Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area (EAGA) agreed yesterday to an "open skies" policy to spur tourism and development in the places covered by the sub-grouping.

EAGA includes the entire sultanate of Brunei Darussalam; 10 provinces in the Indonesian islands of Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, and Irian Jaya; Sabah, Sarawak, and Labuan in Malaysia; and Mindanao and Palawan in the Philippines.

Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudyohono, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi and President Arroyo signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the expansion of air linkages during the BIMP-EAGA summit here.

The MOU designates seven major international airports to be granted fifth freedom traffic rights — Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei, Pontianak and Balikpapan in Indonesia, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching in Malaysia and Davao and Zamboanga in the Philippines.

The MOU also provides for the multiple designation of airlines without restrictions on aircraft type, frequency and capacity and co-terminalization with stop-over rights and code sharing arrangements.

These initiatives are expected to gradually increase the number of air links that will lead to the steady growth of tourism in the sub-region as well as trade, investment and cultural exchanges.  

"There is no limit on capacity and frequencies so it’s literally open skies," Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process and Mindanao Economic Development Cooperation chairman Jesus Dureza said in a press briefing.

The airlines of each country are allowed to operate scheduled and chartered international air services for the carriage of passengers, baggage, cargo and mail.  

Dureza said the leaders also agreed to strengthen security cooperation with the increase in air travel within BIMP-EAGA.

Dureza said Customs, immigration, quarantine and security rules and regulations were also simplified and harmonized among the four countries to ensure the safe movement of people, services and goods.

He said the countries in the BIMP-EAGA region had also improved their police and security coordination to prevent terrorists and militants from crossing borders easily with the sub-region.

Non-traditional charter

Meanwhile, members of the Eminent Persons Group (EPG), tasked by ASEAN leaders to work on the framework of the bloc’s charter, submitted its report and recommendations yesterday and urged the regional grouping to adopt a constitution where they could shed its traditional policy of non-interference on "exceptional circumstances" and impose sanctions for non-compliance to the rules and regulations of the body, particularly in the promotion of democracy, human rights and good governance. — With Pia Lee-Brago