What should be the correct approach to strengthen the bilateral relations between the Philippines and China?
The two sides are correct in pointing out that “contentious maritime issues are not the sum total” of their bilateral relationship.
We believe that finding common ground, instead of emphasizing differences, could be the key to resolving territorial claims in the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea.
During the recent one-day meeting in Manila of the bilateral consultation mechanism (BCM)—the second such meeting between the two sides since the improvement of relations between the two Asian neighbors in 2016—they said the talks had been “positive, fruitful and productive,” and expressed the hope that the mechanism “would continue to contribute to the stable growth of bilateral relations.”
What’s been achieved by the two sides so far?
One, they agreed on the full and effective implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in its entirety, and to begin negotiations on a Code of Conduct on the South China Sea early next month.
Two, they also agreed to maintain and promote “peace and stability, freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea, freedom of international commerce and other peaceful uses of the sea, addressing territorial and jurisdictional disputes by peaceful means, without resorting to the threat or use of force.”
Three, they agreed to continue “friendly consultations and negotiations by sovereign states directly concerned, in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law,” including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
And four, they agreed “to continue discussions on confidence-building measures to increase mutual trust and confidence and to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities in the South China Sea that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability.” Among these confidence-building measures is the possibility of conducting several joint initiatives in the waters, which include oil and gas cooperation and marine scientific research.
The second round of talks achieved significant agreement in principle on key issues. The way forward, of course, is for them to tackle specific issues in detail. We hope the discussions proceed without any hitches or obstacles in the years ahead.
Opening the floodgates to corruption
The legislature shouldn’t be “stampeded” into approving a bill granting emergency powers to the Duterte administration to solve the traffic crisis in Metro Manila.
House Senior Deputy Minority Leader Lito Atienza believes that House Bill 4334, or the proposed Traffic Crisis Act—proposed as the solution to horrible traffic congestion in Metro Manila—could open the floodgates to corruption.
“This is not the solution. This would only aggravate the situation since it does not address the real cause of the traffic gridlock in Metro Manila and other urban cities—
corruption!” he said.
The lawmaker is convinced that emergency powers that would suspend laws on bidding and procurement might only lead to more corruption.
For the former Manila mayor, what would work is “efficient and honest-to-goodness enforcement of existing laws.”
We agree wholeheartedly.
Take the case of the retail business hub in Manila—Divisoria—where the traffic situation is total chaos at any time of the day.
Here, jeepneys load and unload whereever they please, tricycles and pedicabs jostle for position with public-utilily vehicles and private cars on narrow streets, people cross the street whenever they want to and vendors spill out into the streets to sell various wares, forcing people to walk out in the streets instead of on the sidewalks. Lately, the city government also fielded hundreds of electric-powered tricycles, thus contributing some more to already chaotic traffic.
It is true that the government has not been enforcing traffic rules and regulations at all, nor evenhandedly. Traffic enforcers merely look the other way while drivers violate all traffic rules with impunity.
In other parts of Metro Manila, public-utility buses also load and unload passengers without any regard for traffic rules, while illegal jeep and tricycle terminals take over already narrow streets.
With traffic congestion in Metro Manila this bad, would giving government blanket authority to exercise emergency powers be the answer? We certainly don’t think so, as this woud give the corrupt and the unscrupulous all the opportunity to laugh all the way to the bank without making any real dent in alleviating the chaos in our streets.
E-mail: ernhil@yahoo.com.