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| 29 SEPTEMBER 2007 | ||
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| 29 SEPTEMBER 2007 | ||
| President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's Speech at the Sixty-Second Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, 28 September 2007, New York |
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The Philippines in the UN:
Building Bridges in
the 21st Century Mr. President, Congratulations on your election to the UN General Assembly. Congratulations also to our Secretary-General, H.E. Ban Ki-Moon, who was such a good friend of the Philippines when he was Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea. We embrace his vow to focus on strengthening the three pillars of the United Nations (development, security and human rights). THE UN IS A PILLAR OF DEVELOPMENT. It plays a major large role for the Philippines. Poverty alleviation is the most important part of our agenda and our vision to lift the Philippines into a modernized nation in twenty years. We want to be actively engaged in local, regional and global affairs because that is the future. We believe in the power of the global trading system to alleviate poverty and modernize nations through market forces. That does not mean we believe that countries like the Philippines are ready to compete head-to-head today in every sector, but it does mean that we cannot afford to be afraid of globalization. By being increasingly connected to the world, the Philippine economy has reached a new level of maturity and stability with some of the strongest macroeconomic fundamentals in 20 years. Six years ago, no one thought we could get more revenues, cut down on tax cheats, strengthen the peso and move the stock market. And no one thought we could bring our budget into balance, which we did last month, pre-pay our debts and raise employment, but we have. We must both grow our economy and sustain our natural environment at the same time. We are developing and promoting our Green Philippines agenda. It emphasizes a sustainable economic model that brings economic opportunity and a concern for our environment. At the Secretary General’s High Level Meeting on Climate Change earlier this week, UN member nations focused on what the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol meetings in Bali this December should do. The Clean Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol has allowed developing countries like the Philippines to voluntarily reduce their greenhouse gas emissions through private sector initiatives. But there is a need to expand the carbon market and to expand international cooperation and financial support to promote strategies to adapt to climate change. Too many nations, developed and developing, believe the environment must be sacrificed at the altar of growth. We believe otherwise. We believe that we have a unique opportunity to get it right from day one: to introduce new industries that are clean and profitable. This includes a biofuels industry that helps our energy independence, creates jobs and keeps our nation clean for future generations. We are further developing our geothermal power which is one of the two largest in the world. We reiterate our commitment to the global trading system and when that fails us, to strengthening ASEAN, APEC and regional relations to bolster our economy. The multilateral trading system, through the Doha Round, remains the best option to address poverty and improve standards of living around the world through an agreed set of international trade rules. The Doha Development Agenda was launched with an emphasis on integrating a developmental dimension into all elements of the negotiations. To make the Doha Round truly a Development Round, there must be greater coherence of policies among international development institutions (e.g. World Bank, IMF, UNDP and WTO) so that trade is mainstreamed in the development agenda and therefore capacity building can be focused on trade competitiveness. As part of capacity-building, we call on the UN and our partners among developed nations to strengthen South-South cooperation wherein developing nations with specific strengths can share with other developing nations in need of their strength, funded by developed nations or multilaterals like the UNDP. The developed nations were the prime movers behind global trade when it suited them; now some countries are slowing things down. That is not right nor good for our respective economies. There has been a ray of hope with the developed countries declaring that they are willing to maximize flexibilities, in exchange for greater market access. On the sidelines of the UN session, we hope the contending countries can continue consulting to find the right formula of subsidy cuts and market access that will break the Doha impasse. But let me be clear: even as the Philippines works tirelessly to move the talks forward, we are not going to stand by and do nothing. For us, it is full speed ahead, preferably with Doha, but full speed nevertheless. We recognize that if the multilateral trading system is fragmented into trading blocs, it will result in a more complex set of trade rules. That could be incompatible and detrimental to the interests of developing countries. In the meantime, while we are hoping for a successful conclusion to the Doha Round, we have to maximize the economic opportunities provided under bilateral and regional free trade agreements. This will complement efforts under the multilateral trading system. At a time of uncertainty when the Doha Round is faltering, ASEAN took a bold step forward by drafting its Charter. This is our first step to creating a permanent sense of security. We are working towards a single market with free movement of goods, ideas and skilled talent. In APEC, the world’s largest economy, the United States, and the world’s fastest growing economy, China, are active participants. We have a strong alliance with the US, who remains our largest trading partner as well as our strongest strategic ally. We have stood shoulder to shoulder for many generations. We expect to continue building on our mature relationship with the US. We have also forged a strong relationship with China. We see China’s rise as a significant opportunity for the Philippines. Our overall relations are now more confident and comprehensive. Relations are not just about trade. They are also about people. And this includes migration, a world-side reality. We thank the Secretary General for supporting the Philippines’ hosting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development next year, to which we invite all Member States to participate. Overseas Filipino Workers are honored by the government and the people for their sacrifice and dedication to their work, their family and their nation. We welcome their contribution. But we are working towards the day when Filipinos no longer need to go abroad for a job, the day that overseas work is just another career option. We believe that our ambitious economic reforms will increasingly be keeping our best and brightest right in the Philippines, closer to friends and families, helping to build our communities and provide the next generation of leadership. THE UN IS A PILLAR OF SECURITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS. It remains the central pillar underpinning conflict resolution. Our country is among the largest, if not the largest, contributor of police officers to UN peacekeeping missions. The Philippines has peacekeepers, both police and military, in Afghanistan, Cote D’Ivoire, Georgia, Haiti , Kosovo , Liberia , Sudan and Timor Leste. We will continue our participation to safeguard communities so that they may overcome conflict and regain the peace needed to pursue development. Closer to home, I have personally advanced the process of peace in Muslim and Christian Mindanao to a new level of engagement, focused on interfaith dialogue, economic development and mutual security. We have done so with the largest possible international involvement, including the UN. Peace there is very much an issue of human rights, just as alleviating poverty is, which is our number one issue. The Philippines is the most democratic country in our region. We have no tolerance for human rights violations at home or abroad. We support the effort to revitalize and refocus the work of the UN in human rights. It is for this reason that the Philippines sought and won a seat in the Human Rights Council. The attention of the international community has been drawn, with great reason and justification, to the current situation in Myanmar. Ladies and gentlemen: This is the time for Myanmar to return to the path of democracy and to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi – now – and to involve all the parties including the National League for Democracy in the democratization and the constitutional process. IN CONCLUSION Mr. President. The number of globe-size issues we will face in the 21st century will require globe-size cooperation. We must build bridges of peace and prosperity. The place to start is building a stronger United Nations. |
| PGMA tells UN members: "We must build bridges of peace and prosperity" |
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NEW YORK CITY (via PLDT) – President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo underscored on Friday the need for all countries in the
world“to focus on strengthening the three pillars of the United Nations –
development, security and human rights.” Speaking at the 62nd session of the United Nations General Assembly here, the Chief Executive said the “number of global-size issues we will face in the 21st century requires global-size cooperation. We must build bridges of peace and prosperity. The place to start is building a stronger United Nations.” The President, who appeared very, very confident in her regal aquamarine dress as she delivered her speech before the UN delegates, congratulated newly-elected UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, whom she described as “such a good friend” of the Philippines particularly when he was still Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea. “We embrace his (Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon) vow to focus on strengthening the three pillars of the United Nations – development, security and human rights,” she said. As a pillar of development, the President pointed out that the UN plays a major role for the Philippines, particularly in its poverty alleviation program. The President said poverty alleviation is the most important part of her administration’s agenda and vision to lift the Philippines into a modernized nation in two decades. She expressed belief in the power of the global trading system to alleviate poverty and modernize nations through market forces. However, the President said that does not mean that countries like the Philippines “are ready to compete head-to-head today in every sector, but it does mean that we cannot afford to be afraid of globalization.” By being increasingly connected to the world, President Arroyo said, the Philippine economy has reached a new level of maturity and stability as she cited some of the strongest macroeconomic fundamentals in 20 years. The President recalled that six years ago, no one thought “we could bring our budget into balance, which we did last month, pre-pay our debts and raise employment, but we have.” “We must both grow our economy and sustain our natural environment at the same time. We are developing and promoting our Green Philippines agenda,” she said, adding that it emphasizes a sustainable economic model that brings economic opportunity and a concern for the environment. The President said that at the Secretary General’s High-Level Meeting on Climate Change earlier this week, the UN member nations focused on what the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) and Kyoto Protocol meetings in Bali, Indonesia in December should do. She noted that the Clean Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol has allowed developing countries like the Philippines to voluntarily reduce their greenhouse gas emissions through private sector initiatives. However, the President stressed the need “to expand the carbon market and to expand international cooperation and financial support to promote strategies” to adapt to climate change. “We believe that we have a unique opportunity to get it right from day one: to introduce new industries that are clean and profitable. This includes a biofuels industry that helps our energy independence, creates jobs and keeps our nation clean for future generations,” she said. In her speech, the President also noted that as a pillar of security and human rights, the United Nations remains the central pillar underpinning conflict resolution. She said that the Philippines is among the largest, if not the largest, contributors of police officers to the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions. “The Philippines has peacekeepers, both police and military, in Afghanistan, Cote D’lvoire, Georgia, Haiti, Kosovo, Liberia, Sudan and Timor Leste,” the President said. In connection with this, the President vowed to continue the country’s participation to safeguard communities so that they may overcome conflict and regain the peace needed to pursue development. According to the President, she has personally advanced the process of peace in Muslim and Christian Mindanao to a new level of engagement, which, she said, is “focused on interfaith dialogue, economic development and mutual security.” The President emphasized that the Philippine government has done this with the largest possible international involvement, including the UN. On the peace in Mindanao, President Arroyo said that this is very much an issue of human rights, just as poverty alleviation, the country’s number one issue. Emphasizing that the Philippines is the most democratic country in the region, the President said “we have no tolerance for human rights violations at home or abroad.” She likewise vowed her support to the effort to revitalize and refocus the work of the UN in human rights. “It is for this reason that the Philippines sought and won a seat in the Human Rights Council,” she stressed. The President also told the delegates attending the 62nd session of the 190-member UN body that the attention of the international community has been drawn, with great reason and justification, to the current situation in Myanmar. “This is the time for Myanmar to return to the path of democracy and to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi – now – and to involve all the parties including the National League for Democracy, in the democratization and the constitutional process,” she said. In a statement she released Thursday, the President called on Myanmar to act on its own best interests to avoid its further isolation and to redeem its democracy without any further delay. “We have patiently but persistently advised Myanmar within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASAEAN) that it must make greater and faster progress toward that goal,” she noted. In addition, the President said, “we ask the Government of Myanmar to invite the UN special envoy for Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari, to visit the country as soon as possible.” |
| US-ASEAN Business Council commends PGMA's leadership |
|
NEW YORK CITY (via PLDT) – Top American business
executives have commended President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her
leadership, especially her guidance of the strong Philippine economy “built
upon sound and fiscal and monetary policies.” In a press statement, the US-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Business Council, whose members include the Fortune 1000 companies, noted that the Philippines “has the fastest yearly progress in economy, smallest increase in prices, and the most number of new jobs created in the last 20 years.” President Arroyo had a luncheon meeting with the US-ASEAN Business Council at the Norse Suite on the 18th Floor of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel Thursday (Sept. 27,New York time). The event was attended by approximately 20 leaders of American companies such as Abbott Laboratories, AES, AIG, Altria, Cocoa-Cola Company, Ford Motor Company, InterGen, Pfizer, and Time Warner. The US-ASEAN business leaders, led by Matthew Daley, president of the council said their members discussed their business interests and how these would jibe with the Arroyo administration’s development plans in the country’s super regions. The Philippines has been divided into five super regions as announced by the President during her 2006 State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA). The super regions are: North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle; Luzon Urban Beltway, Central Philippines, Mindanao, and the Cyber Corridor. Before meeting with the American business group, the President said the Philippines belongs to a “fast-growing region, and we have to stay competitive within the fast-growing region.” She told the Philippine media delegation covering her Sept. 26-28 visit to New York that “I will share with them (the American business executives) the billions of dollars in investments coming in, which is testimony to our competitiveness.” Based in Washington, D.C., the US-ASEAN Business Council and its affiliates “are dedicated to strengthening US-ASEAN bilateral relations, and building strong economic and commercial ties.” “Members of the Council include Fortune 1000 companies in support of promoting trade, investment, and technology cooperation, advancing US- ASEAN relations through strong participation in public-private partnerships, and committing to development and corporate social responsibility,” the US-ASEAN Business Council said. According to the council, its members are “represented in diverse industries, including aerospace, agribusiness, automobiles, computers and information technology, consumer goods, energy exploration and development, express delivery services, financial services, health care and pharmaceuticals, media and entertainment, mining, software, and telecommunications.” The President flew to New York on Tuesday night to attend the 62nd session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Forum, and the Third Meeting of the Women Leaders’ Working Group. |
| PGMA reiterates RP'S commitment to the global trading system |
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NEW YORK CITY (via PLDT) – President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo reiterated Friday (Sept.28) the Philippine government’s
commitment to the global trading system, through the Doha Round of the World
Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations, saying “it remains the best option to
address poverty and improve standards of living around the world through an
agreed set of international trade rules.” “The Doha Development Agenda was launched with an emphasis on integrating a developmental dimension into all elements of the negotiations,” the President said in her speech during the 62nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly here at 10:00 a.m. Friday (New York time, 10:00 p.m. Manila time). The President pointed out that in order to make the Doha Round truly a Development Round, there must be greater coherence of policies among international development institutions such as the World Bank (WB), International Monetary Fund (IMF), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) “so that trade is mainstreamed in the development agenda and therefore capacity building can be focused on trade competitiveness.” As part of the capacity building measures, the President called on the UN and partners among developed nations to strengthen South-South cooperation wherein developing nations with specific strengths can share with other developing nations in need of their strength, funded by developed nations or multilaterals like the UNDP. “The developed nations were the prime movers behind global trade when it suited them; now some countries are slowing down. That is not right nor good for our respective economies,” the President said. The President noted that there has been a ray of hope with the developed countries declaring that they are willing to maximize flexibilities, in exchange for greater market access. She expressed the hope that the contending countries can continue consulting to find the right formula of subsidy cuts and market access that will break the Doha impasse. “But let me be clear: even as the Philippines works tirelessly to move the talks forward, we are not going to stand by and do nothing. For us, it is full speed, preferably with Doha, but full speed nevertheless,” she said. The President explained that if the multilateral trading system is fragmented into trading blocs, it will result in a more complex set of trade rules. “That could be incompatible and detrimental to the interests of developing countries,” she added. In the meantime, the President said that while “we are hoping for a successful conclusion to the Doha Round, we have to maximize the economic opportunities provided under bilateral and regional free trade agreements.” “This will complement efforts under the multilateral trading system,” she said. The President also said that “at a time of uncertainty when the Doha Round is faltering,” the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) took a bold step forward by drafting its charter. “This is our first step to creating a permanent sense of security. We are working towards a single market with free movement of goods, ideas and skilled talent,” she said. |
| PGMA kicks off last day in New York with meeting with U.S. Women Leaders |
|
NEW YORK CITY (via PLDT) – President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo kicked off her last day in New York with an early-morning
meeting Friday (Sept. 28) with the Women Leaders’ Working Group led by US
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Rice, known to be the most powerful woman in the world, met President Arroyo at the main entrance door of the Empire Suite of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel here where the 8 a.m. meeting was held. Clad in an aquamarine dress, the Philippines’ Chief Executive walked into the suite at five minutes before 8 a.m. She was accompanied by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Rice’s Philippine counterpart. President Arroyo’s meeting with some 50 women leaders preceded her 10 a.m. Country Report to the 62nd Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN). The Women Leaders’ meeting had Rice -- who was seated across the President – calling the assembly to order thus: “I would like to recognize first the President of the Republic of the Philippines...” With the group of some 50 other women leaders, President Arroyo shared the Philippine experience regarding women empowerment. The group’s third meeting centered on the theme, “Progress on Women Empowerment.” President Arroyo – who felt honored to participate in the meeting convened by the most powerful woman in the world – stressed that women in the Philippines have been enjoying the right of suffrage for the past 70 years. Filipino women obtained the right to vote in elections via the Women’s Suffrage Act that came into being as early as in 1937, ahead of many other nations in the world. In fact, the Philippines recently celebrated the 70th anniversary of women’s suffrage. The second female President of the Philippines also regaled the group about Filipino women having occupied high positions early on in Philippine society. She thus stressed that “we are justifiably proud of this tradition.” The President’s Filipina-friendly report is seconded by the 2006 Global Gender Gap Report which ranked the Philippines No. 6 out of 115 countries in terms of gender equality. The report was released by the Women Leaders’ Program of the World Economic Forum. President Arroyo also acknowledged Lilian Hefti, the latest woman head of the Philippines’ Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), who turned the tide against revenue shortfalls at mid-year this year, according to Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye. Bunye said that the President also cited the country’s strong laws protecting women, like the laws on anti-trafficking, anti-domestic violence, and anti-sexual harassment. “We are broadening health care in intensifying micro finance to increase women’s opportunities for self-development. Our Philippine plan for gender-responsive development recognizes women in peace-building efforts.” President Arroyo cited two US-assisted projects in Mindanao, one of which focuses on conflict prevention in the Mindanao island of Sulu through skills training, networking and economic development. The other US-assisted project empowers women in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) by providing them with training and technical assistance on livelihood, financial management, and marketing skills, as well as seed loans or grants for their livelihood projects. Meanwhile, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, chaired by Rice, acknowledges that the education completion rate of girls is 99.9 percent. This, versus the median of 66.7 percent. |
| PGMA thanks UN Sec-Gen for supporting RP's hosting of Global Migration & Dev't Forum |
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NEW YORK CITY (via PLDT) – President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo expressed on Friday (Sept.28) her profound thanks to United
Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon for supporting the Philippines’
hosting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development in Manila next
year. The Chief Executive voiced her gratitude to the UN Secretary-General, whom she described as “a good friend of the Philippines” even when he was still a foreign minister of the Republic of Korea, in her speech during the 62nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly here. “We thank the Secretary General for supporting the Philippines’ hosting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development next year, to which we invite all member states to participate,” the President said. She said that Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are honored by the Philippine government and the people for their sacrifice and dedication to their work, their family and their nation. “We welcome their contributions. But we are working towards the day when Filipinos no longer need to go abroad for a job, the day that overseas work is just another career option,” she added. The President expressed confidence that her administration’s ambitious economic reforms will increasingly keep “our best and brightest in the Philippines, closer to friends and families, helping to build our communities and provide the next generation of leadership.” |
