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AN ASIAN STYLE CONFIDENCE-BUILDING ACTIVITYIn 1994 Philippines President Fidel V. Ramos and Vietnam President Le Duc Anh agreed for both countries to cooperate in marine scientific research and environmental protection in the South China Sea. It is cooperation in marine science to increase knowledge on the natural processes of the marine environment and resources in the South China Sea. The Joint Oceanographic and Marine Scientific Research Expedition in the South China Sea (JOMSRE-SCS) between the Philippines and Vietnam was originally conceived to be a confidence-building activity between the two countries in the wake of post-Vietnam war and signified mutual recognition of Governments.
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JOMSRE-SCS
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JOMSRE-SCS Phase 1 comprised of four expeditions held between 1996 to 2007. The first marine research expedition under JOMSRE-SCS held on 18 April - 09May 1996 was hosted by the Philippines. The second JOMSRE-SCS held on 27 May -2 June 2000 hosted by Vietnam. The third and fourth expeditions were hosted by the Philippines and held on 6-19 April 2005 and 7-12 April 2007, respectively. The Nha Trang Institute of Oceanography represented Vietnam in all four expeditions; while the Philippines was represented by the Marine Science Institute of the University of the Philippines (UP-MSI) at the first and second expeditions, and by Oceanfriends at the third and fourth expeditions. The platform used for the third and fourth JOMSRE-SCS was the Philippine vessel BRP Hydrographer Presbitero. About 115 scientists and administrators from the Philippines and Vietnam participated in the four expeditions.
At the 3rd Meeting of the Philippines-Vietnam Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC; the ministerial-level annual meeting between the two countries to review all aspects of bilateral cooperation including maritime cooperation) on 26-28 February 2003, it was agreed to institutionalize JOMSRE-SCS under UNCLOS Part IX on Enclosed and Semi – enclosed Seas. Having achieved the initial goal of confidence building, the institutionalization of JOMSRE-SCS would further enhance confidence and trust between the two countries, and advance the scientific aspect of the joint activity. At the 3rd Meeting of the Joint Permanent Working Group on Maritime and Ocean Concerns (JPWG-MOC; the specialized Working Group established under the JCBC to discuss maritime cooperation) held on 1 – 4 March 2006 in Cebu City, the Philippines and Vietnam agreed to expand JOMSRE participation to include scientists from other interested States, particularly the ASEAN riparian states to the South China Sea, and China. [At the 4th JOMSRE-SCS, a scientist from Laos participated in the exercise.] At the same meeting, it was also agreed that the bilateral RP-Vietnam JOMSRE-SCS (JOMSRE I-IV) now designated as JOMSRE Phase I, the participating scientists decided that the southern part of the disputed areas of the South China Sea have sufficiently been covered and that JOMSRE Phase 1 would be terminated. The results, conclusions, and recommendations of the four JOMSRE-SCS expeditions are found in the 23 papers published in the 2008 Proceedings of the Conference on the Results of the Philippines-Vietnam Joint Oceanographic and Marine Scientific Research Expedition in the South China Sea (JOMSRE-SCS I to IV). This Conference was held in Ha Long City, Vietnam on 26-29 March 2008. Although these 23 papers reported mainly on the third and fourth JOMSREs, they also included relevant data from the first and second JOMSREs as reported in the 1977 Conference Proceedings held in Hanoi. Seven of these papers were co-authored by Philippine and Vietnamese scientists, a reflection of close collaboration between the two groups. The 23 papers deal with seven topics, namely, nature and status of marine biodiversity in the Spartlys, plankton, water circulation, marine geology, chemical oceanography, toxic chemicals in marine species, and implications of the overall findings on management of the marine resources. An important finding was the probability of fish larval connectivity via ocean currents and their gyres between the Spratlys and western Philippines and between Vietnam and the Spratlys. One recommendation to address the observed depletion of marine biodiversity (especially fish) was for the countries surrounding the Spratlys, including the Philippines, Vietnam and China, to establish marine protected areas to rebuild, maintain and sustain the biomasses of fish and other resources. Such areas should be beneficial to all countries bordering the Spratlys. As abovementioned, JOMSRE Phase I closed with a Symposium held at Ha Long Bay among participating scientists to discuss the overall results of JOMSRE-SCS. Among the significant recommendations for the establishment of a Transborder Marine Peace Park in the South China Sea (TBMPP-SCS) with other interested States, regional or extra-regional. The participating scientists also agreed to proceed to a JOMSRE-SCS Phase II to be the next higher and enhanced level of maritime cooperation in the South China Sea that would principally include China and other interested ASEAN member countries in keeping with, and towards the direction of, implementing UNCLOS Part IX on Enclosed and Semi-enclosed Seas. 
JOMSRE-SCS III AND IV CRUISE TRACKS
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JOMSRE-SCS
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As above indicated, the participating JOMSRE scientists agreed that JOMSRE Phase 1 had sufficiently covered the southern part of the disputed areas in the South China Sea. It was further agreed that JOMSRE Phase II would be the next higher and enhanced level of ocean governance joint cooperation in the South China Sea that would include the participation of China (thus labeled Tripartite JOMSRE-SCS) and other interested ASEAN member countries. The Governments of the Philippines and Vietnam accepted the recommendation of the JOMSRE scientists and consultations with China were promptly undertaken. China readily agreed to the joint Philippines/Vietnam proposal and technical preparations proceeded involving scientists from the three countries primarily involved, i.e. China, Philippines and Vietnam. It was agreed to hold three preparatory meetings alternately in Manila, Guangzhou and Nha Trang. Preparations were virtually completed at the Manila and Guangzhou meetings, and the Nha Trang meeting was seen as a wrap-up session. At the final meeting in Nha Trang, it was nevertheless agreed for a fourth preparatory meeting to be held in China to finalize certain arrangements relating to the research cruise track. The fourth meeting, however, did not occur. (The cruise track and other “pending issues” were actually settled among participating scientists in the two (2) preparatory meetings in Manila and Guangzhou as indicated earlier. At the Nha Trang meeting, however, a participating State (not China) raised late objections and other “issues” which had political color. The last minute agreement for another meeting in China was overtaken by events – the “window” of favorable weather conditions for a marine research cruise had closed.) The matter has not been pursued but can be resumed in a Track 1½ mode, as intended by balikBalangay.
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A note of tribute and appreciation. The Chief Scientist in all the abovementioned marine science activities under Oceanfriends is former DENR Secretary Angel C. Alcala who rendered his services gratis; from planning to implementation, and publication of results. Without this patriotic, selfless contribution, none of the projects would have been realized.