José Abeto Zaide By José Abeto Zaide   I may have said a mouthful last week when I wrote (with suppressed expectation) about the time when former President Fidel V. Ramos was getting along swimmingly with the then Prime Minister Mahatir Mohammed, who at 92 years is just on his second wind as PM of Malaysia. One who didn’t think it a misplaced optimism was our former Ambassador to Malaysia Alberto Encomienda, the man at the right elbow of President Ramos when he made his official visit to Kuala Lumpur on 29 January 1993. Mahatir would return the visit to Manila on 3 February 1994. From his body English in his narration of the exchanges between the two-like minded leaders, Encomienda was nostalgically hopeful. Encomienda recalls that the first Ramos and Mahatir meeting was under four eyes for two-and-half hours, after which the two leaders emerged and announced a new baby named BIMP-EAGA. After the Ramos visit in Malaysia, Mahatir told his cabinet to open all doors to the Philippines. The chemistry was contagious, and we were probably closest to a solution to the Sabah issue by bridging sovereignty with cooperation. A defining moment in bilateral relations. In welcoming the return visit of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahatir, Ramos quickened the pace: “We cannot change history. But we, as leaders, can change its future course. We cannot change the history that tore our countries apart. But we can shape the history that is bringing us together again.” Both leaders set aside the things that hampered relationship and transformed their relations into a new partnership in which the relative significance of the difficulties between the two sides could be more easily finessed. They converted problem into opportunity, .turning their partnership into a force for the security of both countries, the prosperity of their peoples, and the peace and stability of the region. Results manifested almost immediately. Philippine-Malaysian relations, anchored on mutual interest in the strengthening and consolidation of ASEAN and expeditious achievement of the ASEAN Free Trade Area, were fundamentally transformed. Solidarity was a vital force for peace and progress in the region. Waves of Malaysian businessmen would come to Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao, to Subic and Davao. Exchanges among our parliamentary, cultural and information sectors. Growth area in East ASEAN East ASEAN growth area: Mindanao, East Malaysia, East Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, and Eastern Indonesia, encouraged by their national governments Their assets and strengths linked by modern communication and by vastly improved air and sea transportation, goods and capital flowing freely among them. (Malaysia Airlines flying to Cebu, and Philippine Airlines between Zamboanga and Labuan.) The Joint Commission charted fruitful cooperation in agriculture and fisheries, science and technology, tourism and culture, and trade and industry. Fisheries cooperation in the maritime area, where there are overlapping claims. (This is consistent with 1992 Manila Declaration for cooperative endeavors in the South China Sea and peaceful approach to the disputes in the area). Joint Committee on Border Cooperation for the movement of people and goods across common border effectively facilitated and regulated. There was the initiative to accredit the 11 heirs of the Sultan of Sulu. Besides the challenge of bringing the 11 families to agree, many others wanted a piece of the action. There was UP Prof Nur Misuari whose wife’s lineage had a claim; and Misuari himself, as descendant of a grandfather who fought for the Sultan of Brunei, was eligible as beneficiary of the largesse on Sabah. Mahatir’s answer to cover all claimants was to provide a foundation to benefit not only the heirs but to extend the benefits to the largest number. BIMP EAGA was conceived to address the social and economic development of the less developed and remote territories on the eastern side of the ASEAN. There were initially four strategic pillars – Food Basket, Connectivity, Tourism, and Environment. A fifth pillar, Socio-Cultural and Education, was added in 2015. The focus areas covered the entire sultanate of Brunei Darussalam; the provinces of Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and West Papua of Indonesia; the states of Sabah and Sarawak, and the federal territory of Labuan in Malaysia; and Mindanao and the province of Palawan in the Philippines. Fast forward to PDu30. At President Rodrigo Duterte’s visit to Malaysia on November 9-10, 2016, DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez met with business leaders and government officials to strengthen trade ties between the two countries. Sec. Lopez identified increased collaboration in tourism, halal industry, and Islamic banking among key areas for cooperation between Manila and Kuala Lumpur. Good initiatives, but just scratching the surface. If PDu30 were to give a fillip to the promise of BIMP-EAGA’s 1.5 million square kilometers of land with 70 million people, there is perhaps no better duo who can do this than the elder statesmen who were there at the birthing of the BIMP-EAGA. Mahatir has his hands full as prime minister of Malaysia; but he can be depended on as steadfast supporter of the initiative. Ramos sees the ASEAN economic community move toward a single market and production base, evolving into a competitive economic region with the freer flow of goods, services, investment, capital, and skilled labor towards greater engagement in the larger ASEAN Community. It is also just a short step to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Postscript. To make this happen, Ambassador Encomienda adds, “We need a Joey Concepcion to fill in the private sector role which can give a second wind to the BIMP EAGA in the ASEAN program.” * * * “COMFORT WOMAN”. Manila City Administrator Jojo Alcovendaz said that Manila will get back the statue undergoing repair — but not at its original site on Baywalk area on Roxas Boulevard. The reason? DPWH will construct a footbridge in the location. (Gabriela, which champions the cause of women, wants to fathom the real reason for the relocation of the “Comfort Woman” statue. I hope they don’t put it next to the comfort room.   FEEDBACK: [email protected]