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Saturday-Sunday, November 1-2, 2025 Vol. 21 No. 24
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CHARTING THE PHL’S MARITIME FUTURE Do our seas unite us or divide us? Reforms are being geared to make them more lifeblood than barrier
PBBM, XI MAKE SIMILAR CALLS IN APEC FOR FULLY RESTORING WTO SYSTEMS By Samuel P. Medenilla
G
YEONGJU, South Korea—Despite the existing maritime territorial dispute between Manila and Beijing, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Chinese President Xi Jinping have “united” in calling for the “restoration” of global trade mechanisms at the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit.
LIFELINES OF THE ISLANDS Coastal cargo ships moored at Dapa Ferry Terminal in Siargao reflect how the Strong Republic Nautical Highway turned the sea into an artery of commerce, tourism, and connection — linking once-isolated islands into a unified market and fueling the growth of local economies. TATIANA KORNYLYEVA | DREAMSTIME.COM
F
By Lorenz S. Marasigan
OR an archipelago like the Philippines, the sea is both lifeblood and barrier—thousands of kilometers of beautiful and majestic coastlines simultaneously connect and divide the nation. More than two decades ago, that division felt more real than the connection. Interisland travel meant slow cargo lines and unreliable schedules. Back then, the markets were fragmented, and the water between islands often functioned more like borders than highways. The government, however, attempted something bold: to transform water from obstacle into artery. The Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH), a roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) network, fundamentally changed how Filipinos move between islands. Before the nautical highway, interisland shipping measured delays in days rather than hours. A truck moving goods from Luzon to Mindanao might spend more time waiting at docks than traveling on actual roads. The RoRo concept changed everything through simplicity. The idea was straightforward: treat the sea like asphalt, let trucks drive onto ferries in Luzon and roll off in Mindanao, and the entire country could function as a single market.
From commerce to infrastructure
THE Philippines has since shifted its view of maritime transport —
PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. delivers a keynote speech at the Apec CEO Summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, on October 31, 2025. Marcos urged the full restoration of the World Trade Organization’s dispute settlement system to stabilize global trade amid geopolitical tensions and protectionism. AP/NG HAN GUAN
A CONNECTED ARCHIPELAGO Aerial view of the Port of Tubigon in Bohol shows RoRo and cargo ships that embody the success of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway, which helped local economies thrive by bridging Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. MICHAEL EDWARDS | DREAMSTIME.COM from commerce to infrastructure. And it worked. “It created what we now call a ’connected archipelago,’ linking Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao through roll-on/roll-off routes,” Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) Administrator Sonia Malaluan said. “That network helped small and medium shipping operators thrive, cut logistics costs by around 30 percent, and opened new trade and tourism corridors that remain vital today.” According to a study conducted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the program transformed domestic logistics and local economies by cutting transport costs between 10 percent and
60 percent and slashing delivery times, thanks to the RoRo system that eliminated costly cargo handling and wharfage fees. These efficiency gains allowed companies to streamline supply chains—consolidating warehouses and shifting to frequent, direct deliveries that reduced spoilage and made operations more predictable. The nautical highway, according to the multinational lender, ignited growth in once-isolated areas, making ports economic catalysts by spurring commerce, creating tourism corridors, and democratizing access for farmers to major markets. Continued on A2
ANCHORING INNOVATION
“The Philippines will always be a seafaring powerhouse, but by 2045, I want us to be known not just for our seafarers—but for our innovation. We should be designing our own ships, exporting maritime tech, and running world-class shipyards in places like Subic, Cebu, and Mindanao. That’s the kind of maritime economy we’re building.” — Marina Administrator Sonia Malaluan
ANCHORS OF DIPLOMACY His Majesty’s New Zealand Ship (HMNZS) Aotearoa arrives at Pier 15, South Harbor, Manila for a port visit — the first since the Philippines and New Zealand signed their Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) six months ago. The visit highlights the deepening defense and maritime cooperation between the two Indo-Pacific partners. HMNZS Aotearoa, an Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment (AOR) vessel and the largest ship in the Royal New Zealand Navy, provides essential fuel and supply support to regional operations. NONOY LACZA
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands before their meeting at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, October 30, 2025. The two leaders agreed to roll back some of the trade restrictions imposed during the ongoing US-China tariff dispute. Both Xi and Marcos later echoed calls at Apec for restoring the WTO’s mechanisms to support fair, rules-based global trade. AP/MARK SCHIEFELBEIN
In his intervention at the Apec Economic Leaders’ Meeting Informal dialogue at the Hwabaek International Convention Center in Gyeongju, South Korea, on Friday, the chief executive called for the full restoration of dispute settlement powers of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to stabilize global trade. Related story from Apec on page A16.
LIGHT OF REMEMBRANCE Customers flock to a small candle factory in Barangay San Andres, Cainta, Rizal to choose their
preferred candles ahead of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day observances this weekend. The flicker of each flame reflects the enduring devotion of millions of Catholics and Christians worldwide who pause to honor and remember their departed loved ones. BERNARD TESTA
He said the initiative will help address global trade uncertainty due to “intensifying geopolitical tensions, technological disruptions, supply chain vulnerability, protectionism, and even unwarranted economic competition.” In the same event, Xi also called for the safeguarding of the true multilateral trading system to ensure inclusive economic globalization. The absence of the WTO interventions on trade disputes, Marcos said, is more detrimental for small economies. “Without a functioning dispute settlement mechanism, small economies would be at a disadvantage. For small economies, rules are a potent equalizer,” Marcos said. The WTO, he said, will play a crucial role as the “stability of the global economy is being challenged.” A report from the BusinessMirror in August noted that the appellate body of the dispute settlement organization has been “crippled” since the Continued on A2
PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 59.0030 n JAPAN 0.3866 n UK 77.8722 n HK 7.5932 n CHINA 8.3115 n SINGAPORE 45.4884 n AUSTRALIA 38.7591 n EU 68.4612 n KOREA 0.0414 n SAUDI ARABIA 15.7337 Source: BSP (October 30, 2025)