The Mindanao Daily Mirror

THE NATION MDM

P8 thursday | FEBRUARY 27, 2020

By JON JOAQUIN

Cayetano to gov’t: Speed up infraprojects to offset COVID effects

DAVAO CITY — House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano has urged the government’s economic and infrastructure team to fast-track infrastructure projects to help cushion the effects of COVID-19 on the economy and the tourism industry.

“My appeal to the economic and infrastructure team is to hasten the release

and the implementation of infra projects while there is still uncertainty from COVID-19 and its effects on international tourism,” Cayetano said in a statement.

During the past hearing of the joint House Committee on Economic Affairs and Tourism, the Department of Tourism

(DOT) reported that the local tourism industry is expected to lose an estimated P42.9 billion from February to April this year.

Cayetano said the construction projects lined up under the Build, Build, Build program as well as small, scale, medium and large infrastructure projects

can create jobs in various parts of the country and boost the local economy.

He said he hopes these can help absorb possible “temporary displacement” in tourism-related jobs during this “uncertain period” while there is still a threat of a COVID outbreak.

Cayetano said while the

virus poses a big challenge, there is “always a silver lining” if the government pump-primes the economy “by focusing on some infra projects, both small, medium, and large scale.”

He also urged local government units to coordinate with the national government on matters

related to budget alignment to prevent delays in the implementation of projects.

“God willing, after the second half of this year, there will be no more COVID-19 or it would be under control so tourists will start coming in. So in the meantime, in these first two quarters we should build, build, build,” he said.

PH, Russia bat for 'equal, robust' partnership

Russian Ambassador Igor Khovaev

MANILA — Rather than a military alliance, the Russian government is pushing for a robust partnership with the Philippines, Russian Ambassador to the Philippines Igor Khovaev said Monday.

"I would like to point out that the goal of our common work here is not trying to contain someone or to create some sort of alliance. In Russia, we have no appreciation of military alliances because in the best case, they provide security for a selected few member states at the expense of others," he said during a speech on the occasion of the Russian Armed Forces Day in Makati City.

Khovaev said Russia prefers establishing "equal partnerships" in the region where a "fair system" is in place to guarantee the same level of security for all the players in the international arena.

"Any other country can

ASF TALK. President Rodrigo Duterte talks with local government officials during a meeting at the Malacañan Palace on February 25, 2020 to discuss updates on the African Swine Fever (ASF) that has hit several areas in the country. RICHARD MADELO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Locsin lauds AFP deployment of 2 ships

for Mideast repatriation

PH CONTINGENT IN OMAN. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. is given arrival honors during his visit to the two Philippine Navy ships docked in Oman on Tuesday (February 25, 2020). The BRP Davao Del Sur (LD-602) and BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS-16) are currently docked at Port Sultan Qaboos in Muscat to repatriate Filipinos affected by recent tensions in the Middle East. PHOTO COURTESY OF NAVAL PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE

MANILA — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Tuesday lauded the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for heeding the call to deploy two naval ships to help in the interagency efforts to repatriate Filipinos affected by tensions in the Middle East.

He made this statement after visiting BRP Davao Del Sur (LD-602) and BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS-16) who are currently docked at Port Sultan Qaboos, Muscat, Oman.

In a brief address to personnel, Locsin expressed his appreciation of the “fact that the Armed Forces of the Philippines heeded the call to send two Navy ships to Muscat to assist our fellow Filipinos in the event of mass repatriation in the region”.

This mission is part of the AFP Joint Task Force “Pagpauli” headed by AFP vice chief-of-staff, Vice Admiral Gaudencio Collado Jr. who is also in Oman now to personally oversee the situation there, Philippine Navy (PN) public affairs office chief Lieutenant Commander Maria Christina Roxas said.

Locsin also recognized

the goodwill of the Omani government "for opening Muscat and allowing the PN ships to have a temporary home in the region” which he said is a testament of the Philippines-Oman relations.

Roxas said while awaiting orders from Manila on the specifics of repatriation, Naval Task Force 82's contingent, along with Collado's party, engaged the Filipino community in Oman in a two-day open ship tour and visit in Philippine School Sultanate of Oman, as well as promoting naval diplomacy through the courtesy call to the Royal Navy of Oman chief, Rear Admiral Abdullah Bin Khasim Al Raisi.

The mission to Oman is the further voyage the PN had in its recent history and the likelihood the longest mission it can sustain and is a sign of advancing and transforming Navy, Roxas added.

The two ships along with Task Force 82 left Pier 13, Manila South Harbor last January 13 and after refueling and reprovisioning stop in Colombo, Sri Lanka a few days later. It arrived at Muscat, Oman on February 5. PNA

agree with us or disagree. We don't criticize other countries for their decision to build a military alliance, that's their sovereign rights, but as for us Russians, we always offer a robust equal partnership, not a military alliance," he said.

At present, he said Manila and Moscow have already

developed ties that could serve as a foundation for an "effective" defense partnership in the future.

"Now our two nations have very favorable preconditions to build a robust strong partnership for many years ahead for the future generation. It's a unique chance in the history of our

bilateral relationship and this chance must not be missed. Once again, we are talking about the partnership between two equal sovereign independent states — the keyword is equal," he said.

In the past few years, the two nations have conducted joint military drills and have also witnessed a number of port calls both by Russian and Philippine navy ships.

High-level delegations from the Department of National Defense have also attended significant military events and fora in Russia, said Khoveav.

"We have already initiated a number of joint military-technical projects but to tell you the truth, the full potential of our cooperation has yet to be explored. It is indispensable because we have common threats and challenges including terrorism, international drug trafficking, and piracy at sea," he said. PNA