Phl, Indonesia strengthen maritime, defense cooperation

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino and visiting Indonesian President Joko Widodo agreed yesterday to improve maritime, defense and economic cooperation between the Philippines and Indonesia as well as people-to-people exchanges.

In his speech after the meeting with Widodo and the signing of agreements, Aquino said Indonesia and the Philippines were two of the world’s largest archipelagic states and were among the top five countries with the longest coastlines.

“We are both parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and of the Coral Triangle Initiative. Therefore, closer cooperation and coordination between our two countries in maritime affairs is vital,” Aquino said.

Aquino said both sides agreed to coordinate more closely on a number of maritime issues after having found success in delimiting the two countries’ exclusive economic zones.

He said they were now more encouraged to further improve their approach to maritime boundary delimitation, border cooperation and cooperation in combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing under the scope of the Philippines-Indonesia Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation.

Aquino said they also exchanged views on economic cooperation, including how to expand trade and investment between the two countries. The opportunities are certainly there, especially given that Indonesia and the Philippines are two of the fastest growing economies in the region, he added.

He added that the discussions touched on defense cooperation, people-to-people exchanges and possible roll-on/roll-off arrangements between Philippine and Indonesian ports, as well as Indonesia’s continuing role in the peace process between the government and Muslim rebels.

Aquino and Widodo both welcomed the signing of four agreements between the two countries.

Widodo also invited Philippine businessmen to invest in Indonesia’s maritime and fisheries sectors.

Widodo invited Aquino to attend the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Asia-Africa Conference that would be held in Jakarta and Bandung on April 22 to 24 as well as the World Economic Forum on East Asia to be held in Bali.

Four agreements

Aquino said one of the highlights of discussion was the two countries’ meeting of the minds with regard to the protection of migrants and migrant workers, as Indonesia and the Philippines both have a significant number of nationals overseas, “and it is in our mutual interest to work closely with one another to protect our migrants wherever they may be in the world.”

He said the Joint Declaration on the Protection of Migrants and Migrant Workers was aimed at strengthening cooperation between the Philippines and Indonesia in promoting and protecting the rights of migrants and migrant workers and in outlining the measures the two sides would take to assist each other’s nationals through diplomatic missions overseas.

The two countries also signed a memorandum of understanding between the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and Indonesia’s Badan Narkotika Nasional on cooperation in combating illicit trafficking and abuse of narcotics, psychotropic substances and their precursors.

Under the MOU, the Philippines and Indonesia will establish and maintain channels of communication between their agencies to facilitate the rapid and timely exchange of relevant information.

The MOU for cooperation in the field of technical-vocational education and training aimed at harnessing mutual cooperation in education, training and research was also signed.

The MOU seeks to develop benchmarking and comparability of standards and qualifications in priority sectors and conduct capacity-building programs, among others.

Under the MOU, the participants will cooperate on the conduct of joint research, benchmarking and comparability of competency standards and technical qualifications in priority areas: the recognition of education and training credentials and the hosting of symposia, conferences and workshops.

An MOU on cooperation in education, research and training between the National Defense College of the Philippines and the Lembaga Ketahanan Nasional of Indonesia was also signed.

Filipina death convict

The government will exhaust all legal remedies to save a Filipina sentenced to death in Indonesia for drug smuggling, Vice President Jejomar Binay said yesterday.

“We assure everyone that your government will extend all needed assistance to our kababayan,” the Vice President said.

Binay, also the presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers’ concerns, issued the statement as Widodo arrived in Manila last Sunday for his first state visit to the Philippines.

He said the Philippine embassy in Jakarta has been in constant touch with the convicted Filipina. – With Helen Flores