Envoy: US defense ties to spur US investments

of the billions of dollars of chips investments that may spread out from China and Taiwan.

T he US views the Philippines as a key part of its strategy to prevent China from pursuing military actions particularly in Taiwan, according to Romualdez. The chances of a dangerous encounter in Taiwan “isn’t that high, but it can happen,” he said.

US companies are particularly looking to tap the Philippines to produce semiconductors, Romualdez said. Manila is seen by American firms as a place that they can “trust” with their operations and expansion, he said, following President Joe Biden’s enactment of a law to boost America’s capacity and rival China in the sector. The US will likely dispatch a highlevel trade and investment mission to the Philippines by yearend, according to Romualdez.

W ith neighbors like Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia also seeking investments, the Philippines will have to ease foreign ownership restrictions and provide perks to woo US businesses, the ambassador said.

our relationship between the United States and China.”

At the same time, the Philippines can’t just sit around and look while Chinese vessels intrude into its territories, he said, days after the Philippines reported fresh encounters and “swarming” of Chinese vessels China’s recent actions near an oil and gas-rich area in contested waters may be a prelude to occupation , a Philippine Coast Guard official said over the weekend. Beijing has said its activities were legitimate

A s for Taiwan, the Philippines is “part of that deterrence posture that the US would like to have with China,” Romualdez said. “It’s very important not only for the US but also for all like-minded allies in the Indo-Pacific region that the Philippines plays a role.” and EU, Rodolfo said after this step, a formal negotiation would start for the FTA. He also noted that scoping includes the terms of reference for FTA negotiation.

Calling it a “substantial” progress, Rodolfo welcomed the anticipated scoping discussion because “so many things have already happened between the last negotiating round and more so during the last scoping.”

According to the website of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the exploratory FTA scoping meetings between Philippines and the EU started in 2013.

Th e trade department said it included discussions on the objectives, key principles, and scope of the FTA negotiations.

The scoping negotiations were concluded during a meeting between Philippines and EU Trade Ministers in Brussels on October 2, 2015.

The launch of the FTA negotiations was subsequently announced by both sides on December 11, 2015.

The first round of FTA negotiations was held on May 23 to 27, 2016 in Brussels, while the second round of negotiations was held last February 13 to 17, 2017 in Cebu. R odolfo said that with the talks on FTA halted at the second negotiating round, “most likely, maybe there is still no exchange of product requests and offers.”

W ith this, he welcomed the progress on kick starting scoping discussions given the recent global developments.

Andrea E. San Juan

Solon: Enforce drunk driving law tightly

Continued from A18

Under HB 7968, the LTO is also tasked to regularly conduct random inspections in public utility vehicle (PUV) terminals and do quick random drug tests among PUV drivers.

The measure says that “should a driver be found positive for drug use, appropriate action shall be undertaken and the operator shall likewise be made liable if found to be non-compliant with the guidelines of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on drug-free workplaces.”

U nder HB 7988 which Yamsuan filed with Camarines Sur. Rep. LRay Villafuerte, the PNP, MMDA and the local traffic enforcement officers of LGUs must annually submit a list of law enforcement officers that may be deputized to enforce the law against drunk and drugged driving, “without prejudice to the qualifications and guidelines that the LTO may impose.”

Yamsuan recalled that the Department of Transportation had recently expressed concern over the 11,000 deaths recorded annually in the Philippines because of road crashes due to drunk driving, overspeeding, texting while driving and human error. The DOTr was citing United Nations data.

Data from the PNP Highway Patrol Group, Yamsuan said, showed the number of road accidents caused by drunk drivers rose to 59 incidents or at least 90 percent in November 2022, compared to 31 recorded in the previous month of the same year. This is even higher by 210 percent compared to 19 road crashes attributed to drunk driving in September 2022.

E arlier from January to August 2022, the LTO’s Law Enforcement Service-Anti-

Drunk and Drugged Driving Enforcement Unit responded to 402 road crash incidents, where 353 of the drivers involved tested positive for alcohol intoxication.

T hese drunk driving-related accidents led to 15 deaths and 232 cases of physical injuries.

Currently, RA 10586 penalizes drivers found guilty of driving while drunk or drugged with fines from P20,000 up to P500,000, and with imprisonment if the accident leads to physical injuries or homicide. One’s license shall also be confiscated and suspended for 12 months or perpetually revoked if found guilty.

The basis for better economic ties with the US now is our relationship on the defense side,” which Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez described as “clearly balanced” under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. compared to periods in the past when the US may have taken the relationship for granted.

If we are able to get a large portion or even at least a slice of that American pie, that will be significant for us,” Romualdez said in a Zoom interview on Monday, referring to investments. “I’ve not seen this enthusiasm for the Philippines from US investors. It’s a consequence of our enhanced defense ties,” said the envoy. A t stake for the US’ oldest ally in the Indo-Pacific region is its domestic security and sovereignty amid China’s encroachment over disputed waters and as tensions over neighboring Taiwan rise. The Philippines, one of Asia’s fastestgrowing economies, is also competing with neighbors for a share

T he Philippine envoy lashed out against critics of Marcos’s foreign policy especially against the backdrop of elevated tensions over the South China Sea that has prevented Filipino fishermen from venturing out to the sea.

Some people may have the wrong notion that the President is siding with one side to the detriment of the other,” Romualdez said of Marcos’s foreign policy. “Not true at all. He is trying his best to balance

Marcos’s government earlier this year granted the US expanded access to military sites, including those near Taiwan, as part of efforts to strengthen a longstanding alliance that was strained during the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte. Th e US—which has allocated more than more than $100 million to upgrade military sites—is committed to developing these areas, Romualdez said. It’s also working on maritime patrols with the Philippines in the South China Sea hopefully within the year and will also help Manila buy hardware to strengthen its military, he said. The foreign policy that we have right now in my view is the right move,” Romualdez said. “We’re not looking for trouble; we are looking for business. Now, who is the one that’s making trouble?” Bloomberg