PH, US to focus on economic, environment, health concerns
By Raymund Antonio and Raymund Antonio
Published Apr 12, 2023 03:49 am
The Philippines and the United States (US) will advance partnerships and exchanges on varied issues involving economic and environmental security, chief among them are public health emergency resiliency, virology and vaccines, renewably energy, marine protection, and food security.
Philippine and American flags (Photo from US Embassy in the Philippines)
This was revealed during the PH-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue attended by Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. In a joint press statement sent by the Philippine Embassy in Washington, the parties acknowledged “that the Alliance must be able to address security in its broadest sense and deliver direct, substantial and tangible benefits to our peoples and future generations.” The officials, the statement added, are “committed to exploring additional avenues to enhance economic engagement.” Both sides plan to chart “new ways to become more resilient for future health emergencies, including by improving the shared ability to prevent, detect, and respond to outbreaks of infectious diseases” as it builds on their “successful cooperation” during the Covid-19 pandemic. In support of this, the countries would convene this year a kick-off planning session for the first meeting of the Joint Committee under the 2019 Science and Technology Agreement, where virology and vaccines, combating non-communicable diseases, and ridge-to-reef cooperation would be part of the discussions. The agreement is “a tool to promote scientific collaboration, build relationships between U.S. and Philippine scientific institutions, and provide opportunities to exchange ideas and information to advance scientific and technological endeavors of mutual interest.” The statement also highlighted how the Philippines and the US plan to maximize the US-Philippines Food Security Dialogue by exchanging best practices “for agricultural innovation, sustainability, and transforming food systems by adapting nutritious crops to climate change, improving soil health, and strengthening value chains.” Such moves would ensure reliable access to a safe food supply. The dialogue centered as well on environmental protection and the climate crisis, where both countries must “identify opportunities for future collaboration in enhancing disaster preparedness, and for the protection and conservation of the Philippines’ rich coastal and marine resources.” There must be an enhanced cooperation to address the climate crisis and prevent its impacts, especially on vulnerable population, the statement said. “To this end, the Secretaries further committed to collaborate on assessments of climate threats, and incorporating these assessments into joint planning, innovation, training, investments and financing to accelerate and increase renewable energy capacity as well as the grid expansion needed to facilitate its deployment, in support of the Philippines’ clean energy transition,” it added.
(From left) Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (Photo from the US Embassy in the Philippines via Facebook)
As both sides welcomed the recent launch of the US-Philippines Offshore Wind Development Partnership and discussed climate transition financing, they also agreed to launch the Energy Policy Dialogue. The dialogue would be a high-level platform that aims to develop new forms of energy cooperation, including on short- and long-term energy planning, offshore wind development, rooftop solar capabilities, nuclear energy for electricity generation, and grid stability and power transmission. There would also be negotiations for a “potential” US-Philippines Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, or 123 Agreement. It would “provide a legal framework for possible nuclear cooperation between the United States and the Philippines, as well as continue capacity building efforts on small modular reactors as potential clean energy solutions under the Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST) Program.” The two countries plan to hold their first civil space bilateral dialogue in Washington by July 2023 in promotion of a “space-based technology” that would open opportunities for the Philippines to use remote sensing and Earth observation applications in its climate resiliency response. Aside from environmental protection, both sides also agreed to work on shared economic goals, including the development of the Philippine and US semiconductor industries and the strengthening of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII), the Blue Dot Network, and Transaction Advisory Fund (TAF). Modernizing the Philippines’ infrastructure would include “a feasibility study on airport security screening at the Manila International Airport, a Smart Grid Reverse Trade Mission to bring Philippine grid operators to the United States, and a healthcare workshop in the Philippines focused on medical device regulatory frameworks.” They would also like to “pursue further cooperation, to build the Philippines’ capacities to effectively implement its trade and investment reform agenda, including to strengthen Philippine investment screening and countering proliferation finance mechanisms.” In the statement, both parties also agreed to deepen bilateral trade and investment relationship through the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF).
Philippine and American flags (Photo from US Embassy in the Philippines)
This was revealed during the PH-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue attended by Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. In a joint press statement sent by the Philippine Embassy in Washington, the parties acknowledged “that the Alliance must be able to address security in its broadest sense and deliver direct, substantial and tangible benefits to our peoples and future generations.” The officials, the statement added, are “committed to exploring additional avenues to enhance economic engagement.” Both sides plan to chart “new ways to become more resilient for future health emergencies, including by improving the shared ability to prevent, detect, and respond to outbreaks of infectious diseases” as it builds on their “successful cooperation” during the Covid-19 pandemic. In support of this, the countries would convene this year a kick-off planning session for the first meeting of the Joint Committee under the 2019 Science and Technology Agreement, where virology and vaccines, combating non-communicable diseases, and ridge-to-reef cooperation would be part of the discussions. The agreement is “a tool to promote scientific collaboration, build relationships between U.S. and Philippine scientific institutions, and provide opportunities to exchange ideas and information to advance scientific and technological endeavors of mutual interest.” The statement also highlighted how the Philippines and the US plan to maximize the US-Philippines Food Security Dialogue by exchanging best practices “for agricultural innovation, sustainability, and transforming food systems by adapting nutritious crops to climate change, improving soil health, and strengthening value chains.” Such moves would ensure reliable access to a safe food supply. The dialogue centered as well on environmental protection and the climate crisis, where both countries must “identify opportunities for future collaboration in enhancing disaster preparedness, and for the protection and conservation of the Philippines’ rich coastal and marine resources.” There must be an enhanced cooperation to address the climate crisis and prevent its impacts, especially on vulnerable population, the statement said. “To this end, the Secretaries further committed to collaborate on assessments of climate threats, and incorporating these assessments into joint planning, innovation, training, investments and financing to accelerate and increase renewable energy capacity as well as the grid expansion needed to facilitate its deployment, in support of the Philippines’ clean energy transition,” it added.
(From left) Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (Photo from the US Embassy in the Philippines via Facebook)
As both sides welcomed the recent launch of the US-Philippines Offshore Wind Development Partnership and discussed climate transition financing, they also agreed to launch the Energy Policy Dialogue. The dialogue would be a high-level platform that aims to develop new forms of energy cooperation, including on short- and long-term energy planning, offshore wind development, rooftop solar capabilities, nuclear energy for electricity generation, and grid stability and power transmission. There would also be negotiations for a “potential” US-Philippines Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, or 123 Agreement. It would “provide a legal framework for possible nuclear cooperation between the United States and the Philippines, as well as continue capacity building efforts on small modular reactors as potential clean energy solutions under the Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST) Program.” The two countries plan to hold their first civil space bilateral dialogue in Washington by July 2023 in promotion of a “space-based technology” that would open opportunities for the Philippines to use remote sensing and Earth observation applications in its climate resiliency response. Aside from environmental protection, both sides also agreed to work on shared economic goals, including the development of the Philippine and US semiconductor industries and the strengthening of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII), the Blue Dot Network, and Transaction Advisory Fund (TAF). Modernizing the Philippines’ infrastructure would include “a feasibility study on airport security screening at the Manila International Airport, a Smart Grid Reverse Trade Mission to bring Philippine grid operators to the United States, and a healthcare workshop in the Philippines focused on medical device regulatory frameworks.” They would also like to “pursue further cooperation, to build the Philippines’ capacities to effectively implement its trade and investment reform agenda, including to strengthen Philippine investment screening and countering proliferation finance mechanisms.” In the statement, both parties also agreed to deepen bilateral trade and investment relationship through the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF).