Phl, Vietnam to address unregulated fishing

MANILA, Philippines - The governments of Vietnam and the Philippines have expressed willingness to address the recurring problem of unregulated fishing by Vietnamese fishermen in Philippine waters based on existing fisheries laws in the country, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said on Wednesday.

Del Rosario made the statement as he confirmed the release of 120 Vietnamese fishermen who were caught poaching by Philippine authorities.

He also said that the release by the government of seven fishing vessels that were engaged in the same unregulated activity were in accordance with the willingness of President Aquino to resolve the issue, “as a manifestation of goodwill” to the government of Vietnam.

“We did say that we need to address the fact that we do have a fisheries law and that there’s a legal process that we must observe if similar incidents are experienced by us in the future,” Del Rosario told reporters in a chance interview at Malacañang’s Reception Hall after the joint statement of Aquino and Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang, who began his state visit last Wednesday. He ends his state visit today.

Responding to the Philippine government’s stand on the issue, Del Rosario said Vietnam has “acquiesced to the fact that we are governed by laws and maybe in the future this unregulated fishing will have to be reviewed by both countries.”

Del Rosario cited Aquino’s position that despite the generosity extended by the Philippine government to the fishermen of Vietnam, their poaching activities on Philippine waters “cannot go on.”

“I think that was implied when he said that we need to take a good look at this because this unregulated fishing is really subjected to a legal process that we need to inject in future incidents,” Del Rosario said.

On the second day of his visit yesterday, Sang, joined by his official delegation and several members of the Aquino government, led the unveiling of the bust of the late Vietnamese President and National Hero Ho Chi Minh at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Park in Intramuros, Manila.

Upon his arrival, Sang was welcomed by Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ricky Carandang, Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez and Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala.

Also in attendance were other government officials led by Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim.

During the event, Lim presented President Sang with a symbolic key to the City of Manila as an expression of the warm welcome to the city and the country and the strengthened relations between the two countries. Lim also gave the Vietnamese leader tobacco grown in the country.

In his message, Lim highlighted Ho Chi Minh’s love for his country that served as his legacy to the Vietnamese people.

The ceremony was highlighted by the rendition of songs that includes “Praising Ho Chi Minh” and “You’re the victory faith” sang by Vietnamese artists Anh Bang and Thanh Tuy.

The Vietnamese government through Ambassador Vu Tu expressed sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Philippine government for the warm hospitality accorded them, especially for the realization of the project honoring their national hero.

Born in Nguyen Sinh Cung on May 1890, Ho Chi Minh was a Vietnamese Marxist-Leninist revolutionary leader who was prime minister (1945-55) and president (1945-69) of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam). He was a key figure in the formation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945, as well as the People’s Army of Vietnam and the Vietcong during the Vietnam War until his death in 1969. He led the Viet Minh independence movement from 1941 onward, establishing the communist-governed Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945 and defeating the French Union in 1954.

Earlier, Sang also paid his respects to Filipino national hero Dr. Jose Rizal at his monument in the Luneta in Manila. The Vietnamese leader was joined by his fellow officials and members of the Vietnamese media delegation in offering flowers to the Filipino national hero.

During the wreath-laying ceremonies, Sang was welcomed by Lim and Presidential Protocol Chief Ambassador Miguel Perez-Rubio.

Later, Sang visited the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Baños, Laguna.

Sang expressed theVietnamese peoples’ gratitude to the global rice research body for its contribution to Vietnam’s rice production.

At the same time, Sang, who was joined by Alcala, likewise voiced his interest for a wider collaboration between IRRI and Vietnam in rice research for the benefit of Vietnamese farmers.

According to IRRI, new rice varieties connected to IRRI are released in Vietnam every year which become popular with Vietnamese farmers, particularly in southern Vietnam.

An example is IR64, an IRRI-bred rice variety, known in Vietnam as OM89, planted from 1988 to 2009, and which reached the largest area planted of 4,500,000 hectares. This variety not only gives high yield but also resists a number of diseases and pests, IRRI said.

IRRI has been collaborating with Vietnam since 1963 and in 2010, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung presented IRRI with a prestigious First Class Friendship Order, one of the highest honors Vietnam bestows on an international organization.

Also, nine IRRI scientists were presented with Merit Medals for the cause of science and technology development of Vietnam and another six received Merit Medals for the cause of agriculture and rural development of Vietnam.

Until today research collaboration between IRRI and Vietnam is ongoing and this includes pest and disease management, sustainable farming systems, and conserving the genetic diversity of rice, with breeding new rice varieties remaining a priority.

Vietnam and IRRI have been working on the development and use of material for high yield, good grain quality, and tolerance of biotic and abiotic stresses such as drought, salt, and submergence.

IRRI has hosted numerous training courses and workshops on rice technology transfer systems for key extension people in Vietnam to expose them to new technologies and effective technology transfer.

There is also a strong tie up between Vietnam and IRRI for conserved rice genetic diversity. Throughout this year, Vietnam is expected to contribute 2,979 types of rice to IRRI’s International Genebank for its conservation.

In turn, IRRI has released a total of 2,384 rice samples to Vietnam for use in breeding and other researches.