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The Philippines will work with its Asian neighbors in realizing its infrastructure and transport projects, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista says
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Bautista also assured the country’s continued support for the successful implementation of the ASEAN transport cooperation roadmaps with dialogue partners China, Japan, and South Korea
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The country will also push for agreements and areas of partnership that will further develop the ASEAN region’s transportation potentials
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Bautista has met with Singapore with the aim of intensifying bilateral ties in transport partnership
The Philippines will work with its Asian neighbors to push for the successful implementation of infrastructure projects and transport initiatives that will benefit the Filipino people, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said.
Addressing the recent 28th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Transport Ministers Meeting, Bautista assured the country’s continued support for the successful implementation of the transport cooperation roadmaps with dialogue partners China, Japan, and Republic of Korea (ROK).
The transport chief said the Philippines supports the implementation of transport projects and activities under the 2021-2025 Revised Strategic Plan for ASEAN-China Transport Cooperation, ASEAN-Japan Transport Partnership, and ASEAN-ROK Transport Cooperation Roadmap.
The ASEAN-China Transport Cooperation includes feasible projects and activities of common interest that are aligned with ASEAN’s goals and actions stated in the Kuala Lumpur Transport Strategic Plan 2016-2025 as well as in China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
The ASEAN-Japan Transport Partnership carries out mutually beneficial programs and activities to reinforce transport cooperation, implemented under the four policy pillars of transport facilitation, infrastructure, quality and sustainable transport, and human resource development.
The ASEAN-ROK Transport Cooperation Roadmap 2021-2025, meanwhile, sets out the potential projects and activities of cooperation in the areas of human resources development, development consulting, infrastructure feasibility study, as well as technology and management.
In his first ASEAN Transport Ministers Meeting attendance, Bautista said the country will push for agreements and areas of partnership that will further develop the region’s transportation potentials.
These agreements include the recently signed ASEAN-European Union Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement (ASEAN-EU CATA) and the ASEAN Agreement on Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue Cooperation.
READ: ASEAN, EU sign air transport agreement
The ASEAN-EU CATA is the world’s first bloc-to-bloc air transport agreement that will provide greater opportunities for their airlines to operate passenger and cargo services between and beyond both regions.
The ASEAN Agreement on Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue Cooperation, meanwhile, is expected to strengthen cooperation in the areas of aeronautical and maritime search and rescue operations, including information exchanges, sharing of best practices, and conduct of joint training and exercises among ASEAN member states.
Bautista expressed the Philippines’ support for other transport initiatives such as adoption of the Annual Priorities/Key Deliverables for 2023, the ASEAN Guidelines on Airport Environmental Management System, the Guiding Principles for the Regulation of Application-based Mobility Services for Passenger Transport in ASEAN, and the Implementation Framework to Enhance Regional Container Circulation.
On the sidelines of the Transport Ministers Meeting, Bautista met with Singapore Minister for Transport S. Iswaran on October 16 to discuss bilateral ties and partnership in transport projects. Bautista, in particular, sought additional Singapore support for the Metro Manila Subway Project and other rail projects in the country.
For the aviation sector, both parties tackled ways to enhance their air service agreement and partnership in airport projects. They also discussed ways to go forward with aviation projects, particularly the use and promotion of sustainable aviation fuel.
Several project proposals to modernize the country’s road-based transport system were put forward by Bautista, including the privatization of projects towards greener land transport.
