Aquino faces media after two summits

President Benigno S. Aquino III listen to the speech of Secretary general of the United Nations Ban Ki Moon during the 7th ASEAN – United Nations Summit at the Conference Hall 1 of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on Sunday (November 22, 2015) at the sidelines of the 27th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits. (Photo by Benhur Arcayan/Malacañang Photo Bureau)

THE BACK-TO-BACK summits of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec), which the Philippines hosted, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) did not tire President Aquino—he even seemed to have been energized by them.

Although the two-day Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur ended past 8 p.m. on Sunday, an upbeat Mr. Aquino sat down for nearly an hour with the Philippine media to talk about international and domestic issues.

The interview began at nearly 9 p.m. and ended past 10 p.m. due to requests for souvenir photos.

Showing no signs of exhaustion, the President granted requests for souvenir photos with the staff of the Intercontinental Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, where he and his party had been billeted since arriving late Friday, along with his Malaysian security detail, the Philippine Embassy staff and the media.

“We’re informal here,” a smiling President assured Malaysian security personnel, who balked when Mr. Aquino asked them to sit down while he stood behind them for a photo.

Speaking of the Asean Summit, the President said he hoped the regional bloc would be more unified.

Thanking his fellow leaders for their “courtesy and camaraderie,” he said he gained “better understanding” by looking at regional issues from their perspective.

“Without a shadow of a doubt, come our hosting of the Asean and related summits in 2017, you will see the Philippines reciprocating the graciousness and warmth you have extended to my delegation,” he told them.

Code of Conduct

Talking to reporters, Mr. Aquino said: “I really got to work with them on so many complex issues. It’s really a growth experience.”

While the Philippines would have wanted Asean to take a stronger stance against China’s moves to claim the entire South China Sea, Mr. Aquino said it boded well that more of his fellow leaders had taken up the Philippine call for a binding Code of Conduct.

“Now many are speaking up. Perhaps not to the same degree as us … but everybody was conscious that there really is an issue on the land reclamation,” he said.

“Everybody was publicly stating, ‘Let us come up with a Code of Conduct at the soonest possible time,’ including China. China had to publicly state that,” he said.

He hoped a binding code would be implemented during his successor’s term.

‘No translator’

The President dismissed speculation created during the Nov. 18-19 Apec meeting in Manila that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping were barely civil to each other.

Mr. Aquino said he did not speak to Xi because of the language barrier. “We were not aloof. It’s just that there was no translator,” he said.

The President expressed appreciation to all those involved in staging the Apec Economic Leaders’ Meeting, which disrupted work, school and travel in Metro Manila.

“They might say the Philippines has a reputation that we are not as rigid as, say, the Germans or the Japanese. But we showed we can really run it very professionally. I am very proud of all the people involved,” he said.

Referring to the anti-Apec protesters, he said: “There were a few who were really contrary but the overwhelming majority (were supportive).”

‘Pogi bill’

The President, meanwhile, still showed he was not convinced that income tax reform would not negatively affect the government’s fiscal standing, saying such proposals in Congress were meant to get votes for next year’s elections.

“That is really a ‘pogi bill.’ I hope there is balance so we can be sure” there would be no negative effect, he said.

He said he hoped Congress would still pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law with the little remaining time before the holiday break.

In a statement on his return from Kuala Lumpur, Mr. Aquino noted that two years from now, the Philippines would have a new leader.

But he said he was confident Filipinos would show their capability to work for the progress of everyone.

Sea dispute

During the Kuala Lumpur meeting, he said most, if not all, of the Asean leaders said international law could help resolve tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

At the close of the summit on Sunday, the President accused China of grabbing territory in the South China Sea.

Addressing world leaders, Mr. Aquino complained “we are now no longer allowed to enter areas within our exclusive economic zone … It is regrettable that China continues to massively reclaim and build structures in the sea … in total disregard of international law as well as the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,” he said. With a report from Jerry E. Esplanada