As a protocol, a top-ranking government official is assigned to oversee and take-official-care of a visiting dignitary.
During the recently concluded two-day visit of Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista was designated as the official Cabinet escort.
This is the reason behind the presence of the transportation secretary, who goes and is pretty much known in the business community as JJB, in virtually all of the photos of the visiting dignitary.
JJB along with senior partner of DivinaLaw Jose Layug, Jr. and Research Fellow Dr. Kris Francisco of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies graced the Economic Journalist Association of the Philippines (EJAP) gathering Monday.
EJAP’s last forum for the year held at the iconic Ayuntamiento with San Miguel Corporation as its platinum sponsor delved on the importance of infrastructure development to maximize the country’s economic growth potential.
Because I was relatively early, I had the privilege to huddle with him and the two speakers, who were, likewise, several minutes earlier than the appointed time at 9 a.m.
After the pleasantries, JJB virtually held the fort as he shared his experience of being the official escort. “I was designated as the official yayo (nanny),” he seemingly bragged.
He animatedly narrated being the official escort of the Prime Minister from the time he welcomed him at the tarmac, to the laying of the wreath at the monument of National Hero Jose Rizal in Luneta. Rizal was a frequent visitor of Japan.
And here’s the thing: the most memorable event for JJB was the visit of the Japanese official to the Philippine National Railway (PNR) where he had simulator experience. “I was beside him,” shared this soft-spoken, be-dimpled grandfather of two.
The cutting-edge, state of the art simulator facility of the Philippine Railway Institute was donated by the Japanese government. It is used in training engineers, technicians and operators at the Institute in preparation for MRT-7 that is scheduled to be running sometime in 2025.
And, it was during his narrative that I’ve learned and I’m pretty sure not many of us are aware that the transportation department has had supervisory powers on the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) since 1998.
This uniformed armed service government agency, which used to be under the Department of National Defense, implements and enforces all national international maritime safety, security, search and rescue as well as marine environmental protection.
Aside from hands-on PNR simulator experience, JJB accompanied the Prime Minister in his visit to the Japanese-built BRP Teresa Magbanua, a PCG patrol ship docked at the Manila harbor.
From what I heard, the inter-agency Investment Coordination Committee is set to endorse, as I write this, to the NEDA (National Economic Development Authority) Board chaired by the President the acquisition of additional boat patrol to strengthen PCG in its maritime and environmental border patrol.
The financing will come from the Japanese government’s official development assistance. Six additional vessels will be acquired at a cost of roughly P5 billion each.
This is over and above the official security assistance grant worth 600 million yen that was committed during the visit for coastal radar system aimed to improve Philippine Navy’s maritime domain awareness capabilities.
Nanny job well done, JJB.
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