Philippines Roundup: Earthquake, nuclear agreement, World Bank
Earthquake relief efforts
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines has directed government organisations and the leaders of those organisations to keep an eye on and carry out relief efforts in the areas impacted by the 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck the coastal municipal bordering Indonesia on November 17. According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) in a statement on November 19, said the President met with the nation’s government officials, ordering them to prioritise the safety of affected residents.
Nuclear Agreement
The Philippine government has signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with the United States. The '123 Agreement' on nuclear power cooperation was signed between Philippine Energy Secretary Raphael P. M. Lotilla and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, witnessed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., on November 16 in San Francisco, California, during the APEC Leaders' Summit. The 123 agreement, based on Section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act, aims to promote peaceful nuclear cooperation, allowing partner countries like the Philippines access to nuclear technologies and equipment.
World Bank loan approved
The World Bank has provided the Philippine government with a $500 million credit line for disaster and climate-related preparedness, enabling it to tap into the line during disasters to manage risks in education, human settlements, and health systems, local media the Manila Bulletin reported. World Bank's Country Director Ndiamé Diop for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand, in a statement of November 17 said, "The real benefit of this support is its ability to rapidly deliver crucial services such as healthcare, shelter, and food – to those most impacted by disasters or climate events.”
Drug killings
The Philippine Supreme Court has denied a petition for government agencies to investigate and prosecute individuals involved in extrajudicial killings during former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte's drug war. The court ruled that a writ of mandamus is a legal remedy when a tribunal, corporation, board, officer, or person unlawfully neglects a legal duty or excludes another from a right or office to which such other is entitled, local media the Manila Times reported.
Fishing rights
Philippine President Marcos and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed fishing rights and easing tensions between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine Sea during a pull-aside meeting at the APEC Summit, local media the Manila Standard reported. President Marcos told reporters that, “The problems remain and it is something that we will need to continue to communicate to find ways to avoid such incidents. And of course, as ever, whenever this issue comes up, I always bring up the plight of our fishermen.”
