Jump to content

Palau–Philippines relations

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by WikiCleanerBot (talk | contribs) at 00:17, 5 January 2021 (v2.04b - Bot T20 CW#61 - Fix errors for CW project (Reference before punctuation)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Palau-Philippines relations
Map indicating locations of Palau and Philippines

Palau
Philippines

Palau–Philippines relations refers to the bilateral relations between Palau and the Philippines.

Background

In the recent era, formal diplomatic relations between Palau and the Philippines were established on July 15, 1997.[1] The formalization of ties were done in Manila and was oversaw by Philippine Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon and Palau Minister of State Andres Uherbelau.[2]

Diplomatic missions

Palau President Thomas Remengesau Jr. meets with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in Davao City on February 15, 2018.

Palau currently has an embassy in Manila as of 2012 while the Philippines previously had an embassy[3] in Koror which opened in 1998.[4] The closure of the embassy in Palau along with 9 other diplomatic missions of the Philippines by the end of July 2012 was announced on January 25, 2012. Budgetary constraints was the cited reason.

Palau President Johnson Toribiong requested President Benigno Aquino III to reconsider the government's plan to close the embassy in Palau. According to Toribiong the embassy is essential in the delimitation talks on the two countries' maritime border and that the embassy serves about 5,000 Filipino workers, which compose of 60 percent of Palau's foreign work force and 20 percent of the country's total population. The closure of the Philippine embassy in Melekeok was expected to affect Filipinos in neighboring countries such as Micronesia and the Marshall Islands.[5]

The Philippine embassy in Koror closed on July 31, 2012.[6] Since then it has maintained relations with Palau along with Micronesia and the Marshall Islands through the DFA's Office of Asian and Pacific Affairs.[7] Consular affairs fall under the auspices of the Philippine Consulate General in Hagåtña, Guam, and an honorary consulate in Koror.[8]

Cultural relations

Further information: Filipinos in Palau

There are 5,000 Filipino workers in Palau. 60 percent of all foreign workers from Palau came from the Philippines and they compose of 20 percent of Palau's total population. Palau's Medical Referral Program which was in force for almost 20 years, sends 100–150 patients annually to the Philippines for medical treatment. Many Palau citizens go to the Philippines to study in colleges and universities for higher education.[3]

A pygmy population was reported in Palau but disappeared in about 1100 A.D.[9]

Disputes

Maritime borders

The exact boundaries of Palau and the Philippines is remained to be defined by delimitation talks. A final agreement has not been made regarding the issue.[3] The two countries share a maritime border with Palau situated southeast of the Philippines.[10]

Filipinos fishing in Palau's EEZ

Filipinos fishing within Palau's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) remains an irritant to Palauan Sovereignty. Palau's waters, especially near its southern reefs is currently threatened by over-fishing from boats from China, Indonesia, the Philippines and other countries.[11] Diplomatic relations between Palau and the Philippines reached its lowest point when Palau President Kuniwo Nakamura threatened to sever ties with the Philippines due to repeated violations of Palau's EEZ by Filipino fishing vessels in January 1999.[12][13] However, in the recent years, Palau prefers to work on a fishing agreement with the Philippines rather than to file diplomatic protest against its neighbor. No fishing agreements have been established until now[14]

See also

References

  1. ^ "18th Anniversary of Palau-Philippines Diplomatic Relations". Palau Embassy in the Philippines. 22 July 2015. Archived from the original on 6 September 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  2. ^ "Palau and Philippines Establish Diplomatic Relations". Pacific Islands Reports. 17 July 1997. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  3. ^ a b c "Palau president appeals to President Noynoy Aquino to keep embassy". Sun.Star. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
  4. ^ Alegado, Dean; Finin, Gerard (Fall 2000). "Exporting People: The Philippines and Contract Labor in Palau". The Contemporary Pacific. 12 (2). University of Hawai'i Press: 362. doi:10.1353/cp.2000.0039. hdl:10125/13542.
  5. ^ Santos, Tina (25 January 2012). "10 PH embassies, consulates to be closed; Palau appeals". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
  6. ^ "DFA untertakes official mission to Palau". Official Gazette of the Philippines. 4 March 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  7. ^ Lee-Brago, Pia (28 March 2013). "Pinoys called 'builders of Marshall Islands'". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  8. ^ https://www.embassypages.com/missions/embassy10102/
  9. ^ "Palau". Histclo.com. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
  10. ^ Tan, Kimberly Jane (22 June 2008). "RP talks with Palau, Indonesia over maritime issues". GMA News. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  11. ^ "Santa Cruz group helps Palau save reef". SF Gate. Hearst Communications. Bloomberg. 2 August 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  12. ^ "RP-Palau fisheries deal sought". Over Seas - the Online Magazine for Sustainable Seas. 2 (February, 1999). Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  13. ^ Palau Country Review. CountryWatch Incorporated. 2013. p. 48.
  14. ^ Go, Marianne (25 October 2010). "Palau studying new fishing scheme for RP vessels". Nagoya: The Philippine Star. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Palau–Philippines_relations&oldid=998352019"