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Web-only Exclusives November 30, 2000 From Our Correspondent: Hirohito and the War A conversation with biographer Herbert Bix From Our Correspondent: A Rough Road Ahead Bad news for the Philippines - and some others From Our Correspondent: Making Enemies Indonesia needs friends. So why is it picking fights? |
Week of December 20, 1996
The U.S. refuses to discuss the Spratly Islands in the next round of the Mutual Defense Board meetings. A defense pact between the two countries commits them to helping the other if attacked. The Philippines, along with other countries, claims the Spratlys, which are considered a flashpoint in the region.Week of December 13, 1996
What Happened When AFTA Met NAFTA
"This is just 'getting to know you,' just getting together," is how Malaysian Trade Minister Rafidah Aziz described the meeting. Philippine Trade Minister Cesar Bautista played it down as not much more than "a good lunch." Could bigger things come of the ministerial-level meeting of ASEAN Free Trade Area nations and members of the North American Free Trade Agreement - Canada, Mexico and the U.S.? NAFTA is the strongest free-trade area in the world, and AFTA's Southeast Asian members are among the world's hottest economies. Their get-together was a sideshow during last month's APEC summit. But similar meetings over the next few years may make the European Union feel quite left out.Beyond the benefits of expanded trade and investment between the two areas, both sides could consider somehow integrating their membership. Within NAFTA, there is talk of an "associate membership" category that could extend benefits to countries outside North America, an idea once broached by Singapore. Admittedly, the bloc has been cool to any expansion, but if the two should somehow join forces, the EU and the World Trade Organization would find themselves confronted by an overwhelmingly large trading bloc.
Meanwhile, interest in a Malaysian proposal - a few years old now - for an East Asian Economic Caucus, a "club" within APEC meant to counterbalance the U.S. and Australia, has fallen off the map. "What is that?" asked Bautista, when asked about it this year. "I haven't heard about it for some time," said Singapore PM Goh Chok Tong. Malaysia's Rafidah still has hopes. "It's alive. It may not be running around, but it's still there." So is AFTA-NAFTA.
Week of December 6, 1996
Sara Balabagan, the former Filipina maid jailed for two years and given 100 lashes in the United Arab Emirates, told journalists in Barcelona that she was not raped by her employer, but killed him "in order to have a chance to survive" as the man tried to abuse her.Week of November 15, 1996
1996 Nobel Peace prize co-winner Jose Ramos Horta asked President Fidel Ramos for permission to visit the Philippines in January. Horta apologized for any discomfort that a proposed visit during this month's APEC summit might have caused. Ramos banned Horta and at least 100 others while the meeting is in progress.Week of November 8, 1996
Will Manila Make the APEC Deadline?
The Christmas carols are already ringing out at Manila's international airport: decorations are going up along Ayala Avenue in Makati. But where are the APEC banners? Behind the scenes, worries abound whether the Philippines will be able to carry off the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. Will the airport's renovations be done in time? What about the roadworks around the airport that are already causing massive traffic jams? It now takes two hours to get to the centrally located Manila Hotel - it normally takes 45 minutes. The scaffolding is still up at the major venues for the events. And while the luxury villas for each of the world leaders are apparently ready in Subic Bay, the communications center and the press facilities are still far from done. Arrangements for the expected 3,000 journalists have yet to be formalized. The Foreign Affairs Department is worried about disgruntled journalists and bad publicity.The first major events are the ministerial-level meetings scheduled for Nov. 18, a week before the big guns arrive. President Ramos has already received his briefing report from the APEC Business Advisory Council of the top executives in the region. He has squeezed about $22 million from his private sector for the event and is reported to be hitting them up for more.
One detail taken care of: the Manila Hotel is ready for the Clinton entourage. The green walls in its MacArthur Suite master bedroom have been redone in beige. Apparently, the Clintons do not like green. The hotel itself remains locked in an ownership dispute, and operates under government control, despite efforts to hive the venerable old place off to the highest bidder.
Week of November 1, 1996
It is official: Moro National Liberation Front leader Nur Misuari was appointed Chairman of the Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development Oct. 22. The SPCPD heads what is virtually an autonomous government for Filipino Muslims. It is headquartered in Zamboanga City and Gen. Santos City.Week of October 25, 1996
Violence in North Cotobato and Maguindanao on Mindanao Island left 15 people dead and scores injured. Fighting erupted between government troops and the militant Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which rejected a peace agreement successfully negotiated with the predominant Moro National Liberation Front.Week of October 18, 1996
Once Again Testing the Waters
It is Manila's most-open secret: President Fidel V. Ramos's more-than-passing interest in extending his term or seeking reelection despite a constitutional ban. "The President wants to know," says a Malaca–ang Palace insider, whether the people want him to stay on. Ramos's 1992 vice-presidential running mate, former Cebu governor Lito Osme–a, is already conducting a signature campaign to find out the answer. His goal is to launch a popular initiative to amend the Constitution by overturning term limits for all elected officials, from local chiefs up to the president. At the moment, the chief executive can only serve for one six-year term, while senators cannot stay on past a second term. Based on initial results, Osme–a says, "there's unanimity in the desire to restore more democracy in the Constitution."Just ask top businessmen, who prefer Ramos to stay on at least until 2000. They, along with the president's sometime adversary the Catholic Church, fear Vice-President Joseph Estrada's continuing popularity. The anti-American posturing and nebulous economic policies of the actor-turned-politician, who has his sights set on the palace, are unnerving to those pleased with the economic recovery and openness of the Ramos administration.
Nur Misuari, the new governor of Mindanao's Muslim autonomous region, floated his own suggestion for amending the basic law at his Sept. 30 inauguration, which was attended by Ramos and other top officials. Misuari wants to triple the number of senators to 72. Each of the country's main island groups - Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao - would have 24. None of the current senators come from the Philippines' southernmost provinces. Opposition leader Edgardo Angara sees the former rebel's proposal as another attempt at preparing the ground for Ramos, and others, to run again.
Week of September 6, 1996
Preparing for the APEC Summit
The summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum is still nearly three months away, but the Philippines - the host - is already scrambling to ensure the two-day meeting does not become a logistical nightmare. Security is a big problem. About 20,000 officers, some trained in France, Britain and Israel, will be deployed to protect the 18 leaders, first in Manila, then at Subic, the former U.S. naval base that is now a resort, gambling complex and free port rolled into one. To help get around Manila's horrendous traffic jams, the government will declare as holidays in the capital the period just before and during the summit. Several major roads will have "APEC lanes," blocked to the public and for the exclusive use of delegates.Also off-limits to the public will be the 11 Manila hotels assigned to the various delegations. The Americans, Indonesians and the Bruneians are staying at the venerable Manila Hotel, where U.S. President Bill Clinton will occupy the MacArthur Suite. He will be coming, win or lose in the U.S. presidential election that will have taken place a few weeks earlier. The hotel ban means the Club 365, a group of politicians, businesspeople and journalists, will be unable to hold their daily morning sessions at the Intercontinental's coffee shop. Not even martial law imposed by the late and ousted president, Ferdinand Marcos, had been able to stop them meeting.
The authorities are leasing 40 imported Mercedes Benzes. Half are bullet-proof, for use in Manila, while the rest will be sent to Subic, which is to be fully se-cured. The government has offered to fly the 18 summiteers to Subic in two new Philippine Airlines Airbuses, but some leaders - such as Clinton - will of course prefer to use their own planes. Parking is limited, however.
Week of August 30, 1996
Securing the Sky
Most heads of government face danger of some kind, such as an assassin. But for Philippine President Fidel Ramos, an extra worry is the condition of his air transport on short hauls. Twice this year, the landing gear of the presidential jet, a 24-seat Fokker 28, could not be immediately released, forcing it to circle for several tense minutes before the 22-year-old aircraft could land. Ramos was aboard both times. The backup plane - a 34-year-old, 44-seat Fokker 27 - is in worse shape. In June last year, it landed on its belly after its landing gear gave way. Last week, one of its two engines caught fire during takeoff. Old age is blamed, so the government is ordering new planes, but it is not clear what kind they will be and when they will arrive. Until then, private planes will be chartered.Only four Filipino women accepted Japan's first payments for the suffering they incurred as sex slaves during World War II. Because the money was drawn from private donations, nearly 300 women are holding out. They say that unless the national treasury pays, Tokyo is not taking direct responsibility for the wrongdoing.
Week of August 23, 1996
The Asian Factor in the U.N. Race
Will an Asian be the next secretary-general of the U.N.? Difficult to say, but at least one country is pushing hard to make it happen. It is the Philippines, whose candidate is 66-year-old Leticia Ramos Shahani, longtime diplomat, No. 2 in the Senate, and younger sister of President Fidel Ramos.
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