PANANAW MULA SA PALASYO

President Arroyo came back last week from  the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting on September 8-9, where she underscored APEC’s continuing importance as a central pillar of global engagement and dialogue for our country, as well as an opportunity to engage allies in economic, political and security issues at a time when the world needs closer cooperation.

She likened our participation in APEC to building bridges which will enable our people to cross to new lands and new ideas.   In fact, she flew into Sydney one day ahead of the official APEC program to address the 5th Global Filipino Networking Convention organized by the Filipino Communities Council of Australia, which was marvelously timed with the APEC to demonstrate that the 21st century is indeed all about being open to peoples and places other than our own.

In Sydney, we were welcomed  by Ambassador Ernesto de Leon  and Consul General Maria Theresa Lazaro. De Leon proudly pointed out that many envoys finish their foreign tours of duty without ever being visited by an incumbent President. But in the case of Sydney, the President came for a visit twice in less than three months. The first was during her state visit last May. Lazaro is very proud of the 165,000 Filipinos who have adopted Australia as their second home. She said they are all doing well, gainfully employed and very productive members of the community. More than half of the Filipinos in Australia reside or work in New South Wales, in particular the Greater Sydney Area. Filipinos constitute the fourth largest group of Asian origin, next to the Chinese, Vietnamese and Indians.

The first wave of Filipino immigrants -- consisting of craftsmen -- arrived in the 70’s, when Australia opened its doors to foreign labor. At that time, the Australian government gave incentives to  immigrants who were  fully funded from the time they boarded the plane until they settled at home. The next wave – mostly professionals, eg., lawyers, doctors, IT specialists, mining engineers – arrived during the 90’s.  Recent arrivals  consist of skilled workers, such as electricians, linemen, welders,  plumbers, who will be  very much in demand  by the mining industry  all the way up to 2010.

Filipinos are beginning to test the political waters in Australia. Already, Irene Broad, a Filipina in her early 40s, has been elected Councilor in Timora Shire, about 3 hours from Sydney. During the forthcoming federal elections, lawyer Jess Diaz, who has made Australia his home for the last 30 years, will try his political luck by running for a Federal office, representing  Blacktown in Western Australia, which has the biggest concentration of Fil-Australians. 

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A major topic at the APEC Summit was climate change.  In the Philippines, we have embraced sustainable development and embarked on an aggressive effort to create a green Philippines, including reducing reliance on fossil fuels with our biofuels, wind and solar efforts and geothermal programs.  In this area, we welcomed Australia’s initiative to discuss climate change at the APEC because there’s need for concerted international action to address the global challenges of climate change, including capacity development and technology transfer.

Our country contributes less than 1% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, we are considered a “climate taker” rather than a “climate maker.” 

Nevertheless, it is imperative for us not only to adapt to climate change, but also to contribute to developing clean alternative energy sources like geothermal power, where we are the second largest producer in the world. 

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Upon President Arroyo’s arrival from the APEC meeting, she literally hit the ground running and proceeded to a speaking engagement in Davao City.

At the Summit meetings, the region’s leaders tackled  the global challenges of climate change through the UN renewed framework for cooperation.  With this backdrop, the President is taking more aggressive efforts to create a Green Philippines, including reducing reliance on fossil fuels with our biofuels, wind and solar efforts and geothermal programs.

In Davao City, the regional center near the geothermal field of Mount Apo, the President signed an Executive Order to launch “GIGA” -- Generating Investments in Geothermal Sites. The EO designated  seven geothermal-producing provinces, namely  Laguna, Albay, Sorsogon, all in Luzon; Leyte, Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental, in the Visayas, and North Cotabato in Mindanao, as special economic zones in a move to attract investors, accelerate the development of the country’s geothermal resources and bring down power costs.

The acronym GIGA connotes bigness, which very well describes the potential to generate businesses around our geothermal plants.  These sites would be attractive to investors due to the availability of cheap and clean energy.  Cheap power by itself is already a powerful draw but we will make it more irresistible by adding other fiscal incentives which are available to ecozones.

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The President recently tendered a testimonial merienda for the science and math champions from the Philippine Science High School (PSHS), Chiang Kai Shek College and Naic Central School, and seized the opportunity to announce the science and technology programs included in the 2008 budget, including a 51% increase in the budget of the Department of Science and Technology from P3.5 billion to P5.5 billion.  With this increase, the budgets of PSHS and other science high schools shall correspondingly increase by 68%.  Not too many people know that it was President Diosdado Macapagal who established PSHS.

Among the young science and math whiz invited by the President to the Palace were Lawrence Medina and Joana Patricia Santelices, both of whom hail from Muntinlupa City.

The 2008 budget also includes funding for two projects of the University of the Philippines worth P1.5 billion for the establishment of a cluster of research at technology incubation facilities in its information technology zone.  These are part of the administration’s investments in human and physical infrastructure to sustain our economic growth beyond 7%.

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The Social Security System (SSS) is celebrating is Golden Anniversary this year with the distinction of ranking third in the poll of institutions effectively fighting corruption.  The administration’s anti-corruption advisor, Tony Kwok, the former anti-corruption czar in Hong Kong who was a key player in efforts to clean up corruption there, believes that perceptions cloud the reality of our progress in the Philippines.  SSS is one agency that has steadily improved its performance in recent years, focusing on financing viability, sound investments, quality service, and corporate culture.

The President has encouraged the SSS to expand its membership through mandatory coverage of all OFWs, particularly seafarers, and to amend the SSS Charter to institutionalize actuarial standards and formulas.  She also issued a directive to push government and private financial institutions and NGOs to increase lending to micro, small and medium enterprises, which are the biggest job generators.

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