Aquino to 'reload' Phl's relations with European Union

BRUSSELS – President Aquino needs to “reload” the Philippine government’s relations with the European Union (EU) and the Belgium government following the cancellation of a Belgian firm’s contract for the dredging of Laguna Lake by his administration.

EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy has a standing invitation for Aquino to visit the EU.

Aquino is also welcome to speak before the EU Parliament here and thank EU member-states for helping in the evacuation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) during the conflict in Libya last March.

Sources said Aquino’s visit is an opportunity to show the EU that the Philippines is serious in the measures being taken on the investigation and findings of non-compliance with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW).

The Philippines’ reply and report were submitted in August to the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) of the EU. But an unfavorable decision may result in stopping the hiring of Filipino seafarers by European shipping companies.

“These companies will comply if there is an EU directive not to hire Filipino seafarers,” a source said. “The President should visit Belgium and the EU and become the first ever President to speak before the EU Parliament.”

Aquino was urged to visit Brussels to review the “strained” relations with the Belgian government after the cancellation of the P18.7-billion Laguna Lake Rehabilitation Project to be undertaken by Baggerwerken Decloedt & Zoon (BDC).

The dredging contract was signed by the Belgian company with the Arroyo government but was shelved by the present administration.

The Belgian firm is seeking P4 billion in damages from the Philippine government after suing it for scrapping the LLRP contract.

BDC executives said the company waited since April for Malacañang to respond to the offer for renegotiations but the government failed to explain why it scrapped the project.

“In every meeting, officials of the Belgian government would raise the scrapping of the Belgian firm’s contract with the Philippines,” a source at the Philippine embassy here said.

Aquino skipped the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) held here in October 2010. The President missed the opportunity to discuss with leaders from Europe and Asia the concerns of Filipino migrant workers and the country’s foreign debt.