PRESIDENT MARCOS: We are just attending the state dinner that will be given by the President [unclear] for myself and for the delegation. And it has been a very productive visit considering that we are in here [unclear] for 24 hours. But this has been a product of a great deal of discussion and hard work on both sides, on the Philippines’ side and on the Viet Nam side. Ang–nagsimula ito dahil lagi kong nakikita at nakakasama si Prime Minister Pham sa mga ASEAN, sa mga APEC.
At during that time, nilapitan ko sya at sinabi ko, dapat mayroon tayong usapan, tayong Viet Nam at tsaka Pilipinas na hindi tayo magkakagulo. Kahit nagkakagulo na ‘yung iba, tayo dapat ay gumawa tayo ng agreement na hindi tayo papasok dyan sa gulo na ‘yan. And that is the… and then after several meetings, I think four or five meetings, mayron na silang prinopose tungkol nga sa trade in rice, specifically.
Sinasabi–kundi nagbanggit ko rin na tayo ay number two yata na importer galing sa Viet Nam. At sa… importante rin sa kanila ‘yung ating exchange at syempre para sa atin, very important ‘yan because it is a way to assure that we have a sufficient supply of rice. Nagsimula sa ganyan, ngunit syempre lumawak na ang usapan at napunta sa mga iba’t ibang mga bagay hanggang sa security, hanggang sa agri, hanggang sa tech–transfer of technology at napunta sa infrastructure development dito sa Viet Nam pati na ang pagbuo ng isang sistema para makamina tayo ng mga tinatawag na green minerals, at mula roon ay makagawa tayo ng baterya sa Pilipinas at ito ay ilalagay sa electric vehicles. Hangga’t inaantay natin ang mga [unclear], electric vehicles are already available and they want to enter into the Philippine Market with the electric vehicles from here in Viet Nam. Ito ay galing sa Vingroup.
At marami pang ibang napagusapan, pati na yung digital technology at scholarships sa AI, at tsaka sa tech industries. Ito talaga ay hindi namin inaasahan na mangyari, ngunit it happened. And that’s why considering that we were here for such a short time, we covered many many subjects which shall provides the opening for further discussions and I think that the Viet Nam is very interested in coming to the Philippines. But ang puno’t dulo nitong lahat ay yung security and defense na usapan ng Viet Nam at ng Pilipinas para hindi tayo magkakaproblema kagaya ng, kagaya ng nangyayari sa ibang bansa sa West Philippine Sea.
Kaya’t yun talaga para sa akin ay napakahalaga at ‘yung agrikultura syempre hindi natin pwedeng basta’t isantabi ‘yan dahil again, it’s very important. We have commitments now to be supplied by the Viet Nam, Vietnamese Rice Traders.
Pinaguusapan ang amounts at Inikot ni Secretary Kiko Laurel ang kanilang mga ibang lugar. Dinala sya sa mga research stations, sa kanilang mga farms at ang sabi nila sa akin, marami syang natutunan at marami syang nakikitang possibilities sa mga potential na pwedeng palaguin so just from those two, I think already, we have achieved very much in this very short time. But considering that many other subjects came in to play as well, again, marami tayong pwedeng i-develop na potential. Ang ating naging arrangements sa kanila ay yung ating laging sinasabi na… Kasi ‘yung Viet Nam at saka Pilipinas, in terms of the economy, in terms of all of that, it is— we are very similar.
So sasabihin, eh bakit kayo nagtutulungan? Eh dahil ang sinusundan natin is “Let us compete but let us also cooperate at every possible chance that we have”. At napaka ano naman talaga nila— they agreed that that is the way forward.
So, that is the— in essence, what we have been able to do and what we have been able to achieve on this trip to Viet Nam.
So now, I’ll open the floor to questions.
Q: Good afternoon po, Mr. President. Sir, in your recent trip to Japan, nabanggit niyo po that the ASEAN must forge its own code of conduct with regards the South China Sea at katulad nga po ng nabanggit ninyo, it’s imperative na magkaroon tayo ng agreement with Viet Nam regarding this.
How soon po ninyo inaasahan for this to be crafted and have you taken this up with the Vietnamese President and the Prime Minister?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Well, we’re pretty much there.
‘Yun ‘yung Memorandum of Understanding na ating ginagawa between our two coastguards pati ‘yung mga plano na magkakaroon ng mga joint cruises, joint exercises, this year, 2024.
So talagang— ‘yung sinasabi ko noon na magkaroon ng agreement, kung hindi natin matapos ang code of conduct with ASEAN and China, ay sabi ko edi gawin natin na bilateral na muna ang members of ASEAN. Para naman hindi na natin kailangang alalahanin na magkakaproblema tayo sa Viet Nam, magkakaproblema tayo sa Brunei, magkakaproblema tayo sa Malaysia etcetera, etcetera.
That is what— that’s the effort that we’re trying to do and we have succeeded on that. Those certain measure here in Viet Nam.
Q: Thank you, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Thank you.
Q: Hi, sir, good afternoon. Sir, may update po ba doon sa napagkasunduan ng Department of Agriculture ng Pilipinas at ng Vietnamese National Assembly noong 2022, kung saan ‘yung isusulong po ‘yung cooperation sa pagsasaka at pangingisda, isa po ba ‘yun sa mga na-discuss niyo rin, sir?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Marami tayong napagusapan, ‘yun lamang sa Research and development, ang Viet Nam ay pumupunta naman talaga sila. ‘Yung kanilang mga researcher, ‘yung kanilang mga siyentipiko, at saka ‘yun kanilang mga magsasaka ay pumupunta sa IRRI. Madalas sila nandoon and to develop some of the new varieties, to develop some of the new techniques in the cultivation of rice. So, that would continue but the— mas dadami pa.
In terms of fisheries, ang napagusapan natin ay ’yung— naging maliwanag sa atin kung papaano ang treatment natin kasi mayroong kaunting— kung minsan may mga Vietnamese fishermen na napapadpad sa Philippine waters and vise versa, kung pa’no ang handling niyan para hindi magkagulo. Just to treat them humanely and to send them back to their respective countries.
So, yes, in terms of development, ayun, ‘yun ang dapat nating pagusapan pa. We have to lay down the specifics because that is one of the subjects that I was referring to, na hindi naman talaga natin— wala sa agenda pero lumitaw subject matter na para sa atin ay very interesting ‘yan kaya’t— ‘yun.
Ito’y simula pa lang, maraming nasimulan ngayon kaya’t dadami ang diskusyon natin with Viet Nam in many other aspects of our relationship.
Q: Good afternoon po, sir. Sir, ngayon po mayroon na tayong naselyohan na Maritime Cooperation with Vietnamese Coast Guard tapos mayroon pa po tayo sir, na isang— ito pong incident prevention and management of the South China Sea na kanina rin po pinresenta (present). Mayroon po bang mga partikular na hakbang sa loob nito, mga agreement para ma-prevent na po natin ‘yung aggression ng China sa South China Sea?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Well, the agreement is between Viet Nam and the Philippines. So, kung anong gawin ng ibang bansa, hindi naman kasama ‘yun.
Basta’t ang aking usapan with Viet Nam is pagka mayroong— Pagka may nangyari, mayroon tayong maliwanag na paraan kung paano pagusapan, para hindi lumaki ang gulo.
Hindi naman tayo nagkaka— we don’t have any confrontations with Viet Nam, as a matter of fact. Despite the fact that we have conflict in territorial water—about territorial waters but it has never gone beyond any diplomatic contacts. Hindi napupunta sa gulo kagaya ng sa mga nangyayari sa nakaraan.
So, it is a bilateral arrangement between the Philippines and Viet Nam.
Q: Hi, sir. Good afternoon. Sir, how is your relationship with Vice President Sara Duterte after [inaudible] against you, your wife, and your administration?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Well, it’s exactly the same because she has [inaudible] of that nature. And wala naman siyang sinasabi na ganyang klase. So hindi naman nagbabago.
Q: Sir, follow-up. Will you keep her as your Education secretary despite that?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: I’m sorry?
Q: Sir, follow-up. Will you keep her as your Education secretary despite—
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Yes, yes.
Q: Magandang hapon, Mr. President. Over the last few days, there were several calls for you to intervene in the clash of the two Houses of Congress over People’s Initiative. How do you intend to resolve this, sir?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Well, we have been in continuous discussion with both Houses in the recent days. In fact before I left, I met with our legal luminaries and tried to find a way dahil ‘yan naman talaga ang aabutin nila are the economic provisions that I have been talking about for this, many many years already.
So, napupunta sa ibang usapan, eh, at nagagamit na pangpulitika itong isyu na ito. So , I’ve asked the leaders of both Houses and again, some of the best constitutional minds that we have in the Philippines to come up with a simpler solution that does not cause so much controversy. I think it is the usual conflict between the House and the Senate in the—whether to vote together or separately. Now there’s advice that we are getting: the best analysis and interpretation that we have is that the legislature is of a bicameral nature and therefore that implies that they will vote separately. So, how that will be done now is what we are trying to figure out, how will it be done so that both Houses’ role in this bicameral system is preserved and that is what we are working on right now.
Q: Sir, what about People’s Initiative? What happens with People’s initiative?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: We don’t know yet. We haven’t made those decisions yet. But I think as of now the People’s Initiative is—they’re continuing… but it is not–I don’t know if that is still one of the options that remains for us.
Q: What is the best mode, sir?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: That’s why we are asking mga former Chief Justices, si Chief Luke, [inaudible] our legal council in our soon to be centenarian na legal counsel na si Mang [unclear] at ‘yung mga constitutionalist ay tinatanong nga natin, “Ano sa palagay ninyo ang pinakatamang gawin?”
So the details have not yet been decided upon. That is precisely what we will be working on.
Q: Sir, last nalang po follow-up kay Kath. As far as you’re concerned, is there still a Uniteam?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Well, I think so. I believe so because if you remember Uniteam is not just one party or two parties or three parties. It’s the unification of all political, hopefully all the political forces in the Philippines to come together for the good of the country. And that is still there. It is still vibrant, it is still working, and we will continue [inaudible].
SECRETARY CHELOY: Thank you, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right.
SECRETARY CHELOY: Thank you, Malacañang Press Corps.
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