By EDU H. LOPEZ
The Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam have agreed to improve their air and sea links to accelerate the growth of the BIMP-East Asian Growth Area (EAGA).
The agreement was contained in a joint statement released after their meeting on the second day of the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur.
The three other agreements adopted by the BIMP-East Asian Growth Area (EAGA) leaders were: The adoption of a BIMP-EAGA Roadmap to Development; directing the government and private sector to be more proactive in sustaining BIMP-EAGA initiatives, and recognizing the participation of the Northern Territory of Australia and the People’s Republic of China as BIMP-EAGA development partners.
"We, the leaders of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines — East Asian Growth Area, have met today to assess the achievements since the first BIMP-EAGA Summit in Bali, Indonesia in October 2003, as well as determining the future direction for the sub-region," the statement said.
"This summit will bring greater impetus to the growth of the sub-region," it added.
Meanwhile, Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCO) Chairman Jesus Dureza said that the issue of security and the holding of future BIMP-EAGA summits in tandem with the holding of future ASEAN summits were also taken up in the meeting.
"Henceforth, back to back with every ASEAN Summit meeting will be a BIMP-EAGA Summit ," Dureza said.
"The Philippines being the chair of the cluster that takes care of customs, immigration, quarantine and security (CIQS) matters will move to get the other four nations together in conducting probably joint patrols of their respective borders," Dureza added.
The border patrol will be conducted on a regular basis and not only when military exercises are held to protect the sub-region from transnational crimes and terrorism.
Dureza added that the four countries had reacted favorably to the proposal of Indonesia that the BIMP-EAGA member nations put up an "energy cooperation investment program" to ensure the continuity of energy supply.
"This will ensure that the region within the BIMP-EAGA will have sufficient fuel reserves at any time in the future in the event of any eventuality of a critical level of fuel in the sub-region," Dureza said.
