Manalo bats for stable security in Indo-Pacific

By Rey E. Requejo

FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Enrique

Manalo on Tuesday urged Japan to ensure that the security architecture in the Indo-Pacific would maintain trust and confidence among parties as the USChina rivalry rages.

In a speech at a forum in Japan, Manalo stressed that such regional architecture “must empower diplomacy and the rule of law to prevail over any influence engaging in coercion, intimidation, the use and threat of use of force in violation” of the United Nations Charter.

The country’s top diplomat made the appeal as he said the Philippines and Japan, along with South Korea, “share a commonality which no other nation in Asia possesses.”

“Our treaty alliance with the United States, our historic and important relationship with America stands alongside our huge economic relationship with China,” he said at the forum held upon the invitation of Japan’s National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS).

Manalo counts on Japan to work with the Philippines to continue engaging both China and the United States “constructively,” as well as “support calls for Beijing and Washington to responsibly manage their strategic rivalry.”

“Whilst every now and then, current and future challenges and transformations may make it seem that the relationship is treading on unfamiliar ground, the Philippines and Japan can always draw on the strength of our enduring values underpinning our Strategic partnership,” he stressed.

“Thus, [it can] chart a solid course towards mutual benefit, peace, and prosperity for our peoples in the years and decades to come,” Manalo said.

Marcos confers rank of Datu to S’porean envoy

By Vince Lopez

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos

Jr. conferred the rank Datu (Grand Cross) to outgoing Singaporean Ambassador Gerard Ho Wei during the diplomat’s visit to Malacanang on Tuesday.

The President also cited Ho’s achievements in further strengthening ties between the two countries, and conveyed his “heartfelt appreciation” for all that Ho has done for the Philippines during his stint in Manila.

The Chief Executive particularly noted the increase in trade and investment from Singapore that were palpably felt in the Philippines during Ho’s tenure.

Marcos conferred on Ho the Order of Sikatuna with the Rank of Datu (Grand Cross) Silver Distinction in recognition of the envoy’s “significant contributions in strengthening the partnership and overall relations between the Philippines and Singapore.”

Among Ambassador Ho’s notable contributions as read in the citation include his support and facilitation of numerous governmentto-government cooperation agreements in the areas of economic, security and people-to-people; his efforts to obtain and provide humanitarian assistance to the country in times of naturaldisasters and during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic; and his initiatives to foster amity and mutual appreciation between the peoples of the Philippines and Singapore, among others.