Manila: The Senate has taken significant steps to advance the country's treaty agenda, focusing on a package of international agreements that span various sectors such as trade, aviation security, space liability, education, extradition, and cross-border criminal cooperation.
According to Philippines News Agency, the committee on foreign relations reviewed seven agreements, which include protocols on crimes aboard aircraft, liability for space object damage, double-taxation arrangements with Cambodia and Taiwan, recognition of higher education qualifications in the Asia-Pacific region, an ASEAN extradition treaty, and a mutual legal assistance pact with India.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, who chairs the committee, emphasized that these agreements cover multiple areas, including security, defense, trade, academic mobility, and criminal justice. He insisted that the Senate would not approve these agreements without assessing whether the Philippines stands to gain and remains on equal footing with its treaty partners.
Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro highlighted that these agreements collectively enhance the country's international standing, national security, cross-border commerce, and the protection of Filipinos abroad. Lazaro noted that isolation is not a viable strategy in an interconnected world.
She explained that the aviation protocol aims to address jurisdictional gaps that hinder the prosecution of disruptive passengers, while the space liability convention offers a framework for compensation in case of damage caused by space objects. The double-taxation agreements aim to eliminate financial barriers to cross-border business and provide predictable tax rules for international investors and companies.
The Tokyo Convention, Lazaro added, could enhance the mobility of Filipino students, researchers, academics, and professionals by recognizing higher education qualifications among participating states. The ASEAN Treaty on Extradition and the Philippine-India mutual legal assistance treaty are expected to bolster regional mechanisms for returning criminal suspects and deepen cooperation in criminal investigations, respectively.
Zubiri also mentioned that records and submissions from earlier hearings under former committee chair Senator Erwin Tulfo would be adopted to avoid redundancy. The Senate recently agreed on the status of visiting forces agreements with Canada and New Zealand, and Zubiri hopes to expedite the current treaty package with similar efficiency.
