‘RP NO LONGER SICK MAN OF ASIA’
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LOS ANGELES—The Philippines is no longer the “sick man of Asia,” Philippine Cabinet Secretary
Edgardo D. Pamintuan declared in a series of dialogues with Filipino-American community leaders in the
United States.
“It used to be that when America sneezes, the Philippines is already suffering from pneumonia. But as
the US, Japan and many other countries slide deeper into recession, the Philippines has still been
registering respectable economic growth,” Pamintuan said.
Pamintuan, chair of the Subic-Clark-Alliance for Development, is head of a four-man delegation from the
Philippines on a “good news” road show about the economic performance of the country in the face of the
global crisis; the developments of key infrastructure projects; as well the progress of the conversion of
Clark and Subic from military to economic bases.
With Pamintuan, who is also development champion for the Luzon Urban Beltway super region and
presidential adviser for external affairs, are Alexander Cauiguiran, Executive Vice President and Chief
Operating Officer of the Clark International Airport Corporation, Undersecretary Danilo de Austria
Consumido and Director Leonardo Kirk Galanza of the Office of External Affairs of the Office of the
President.
Pamintuan and his team met with leaders of the Filipino-American community in New York, Chicago and
Los Angeles. They will meet with Filipino-American leaders in San Francisco this weekend.
Noting that infrastructure development is key to mitigating the impact of the global crisis, Pamintuan
enumerated several key infrastructure projects being implemented in the Luzon Urban Beltway super
region, which covers Central Luzon, Metro Manila and the Southern Luzon provinces.
He said these projects are mainly road and highway networks, rail systems, airports and seaports that
are aimed to interconnect the production and industrial enclaves of Southern Luzon to the commercial
and consumption centers of Metro Manila, and to the rest of the world through the freeports of Clark and
Subic.
“We are trying to create a seamless network of multi-modal transport-oriented infrastructures that would
promote greater efficiency in the movement of goods, services, people and information,” Pamintuan said,
adding that these projects would greatly reduce the cost of doing business.
“Because of the global crisis, companies would now be locating to areas where there are efficient
facilities and where the cost of doing business is lower. Add to this the availability of highly-skilled
Filipino labor, I believe we can even take advantage of the opportunities offered by the global economic
situation,” he explained.
Consumido, meantime, presented the measures being put in place by government to mitigate the impact
of the global economic meltdown. He cited the optimism of global financial institutions and credit rating
agencies on the chances of the Philippines in even benefiting from the situation.
For his part, Cauguiran presented the dramatic development of Clark and Subic as freeport zones where
major global economic players are now among their locators. He also cited the record growth in
passenger traffic of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark, which, he said, is fast
developing to be the main international gateway of the country.
He said the DMIA has better runways and radar systems that can accommodate the biggest airplanes in
the world, including the gigantic Airbus 380. The DMIA has since become a hub for budget international
airlines catering to overseas Filipino workers from Central and Northern Luzon.
On the issue of human rights, Pamintuan said that the recent US State Department country assessment
on human rights in the Philippines is “more or less fair.” He said the report noted that the necessary
policies, laws and institutions are in place to protect human rights, but their implementation has to be
more strictly ensured.
He declared that the human rights situation has greatly improved in the Philippines in the last two years,
particularly on the issue of unexplained killings. He said that from a high of 145 verified cases in 2006,
the figures went down to six in 2007 and to five in 2008.
“We should have zero tolerance on political killings, but there is still a long-running insurgency in some
parts of the countryside, and a Moro rebellion in the south. These are dirty little wars, and the combatants
of both sides are accusing each other of committing certain atrocities,” said Pamintuan, a human rights
lawyer imprisoned during Martial Law.
“There is no country in the world that can claim a perfect human rights situation,” he said. “Not even the
US can lay claim to that.”
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Policy Statements from President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s Message Re:
Developing Central Visayas as the Country’s Tourism Beltway Boracay Terraces
Resort Convention Center, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan, March 3, 2009
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"Tourism is one of the sectors we have to strengthen as our response to the global economic meltdown.
We have done it today. We should continue to push it to provide jobs and vast opportunities to our people."
"We will not stop. We will not be cowered by the global crisis. The government, this administration, will
continue to be a strong partner of the tourism industry as we promote our nation and its natural beauty."
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There`s more than sufficient number of jobs for displaced workers, DOLE says
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MANILA (PNA) -- Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Marianito Roque has assured
that there is more than sufficient number of jobs for workers in the country as well as for overseas Filipino
workers (OFWs) displaced by the global economic slowdown.
Roque said in a radio interview that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo`s emergency employment
program alone can generate more than 200,000 jobs.
Under the program, all government agencies are ordered to set aside 11.5 percent of their savings so
that they can hire temporary workers and thus help offset the effects of the global financial crisis.
Roque also said that the administration`s emergency employment program will start in April, immediately
after completion of its guidelines.
According to him, the government employment opportunity figures could further skyrocket as the
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) intensifies its own employment program which calls
for the hiring of around 500,000 temporary workers who will be deployed to the agency`s various priority
infrastructure projects nationwide.
``The challenge now is not finding sufficient jobs for our displaced workers numbering around 40,191
individuals, but insuring that their skills are sufficient for their new jobs,`` the DOLE chief said.
If the displaced worker does not feel like working locally, Roque said some 500,000 job vacancies exist
overseas, which they can avail of provided that they pass their prospective employers` qualification
standards.
He also said that the DOLE is already taking steps to insure that the workers will be more than fit to
handle the tasks in their source of livelihood through the assistance of the Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority (TESDA).
The DOLE chief added that displaced workers interested to become entrepreneurs are advised to
register into the government`s livelihood assistance program wherein qualified individuals are provided
with sufficient funds and expertise so that they can set up their ownmini-businesses and help other
acquire gainful employment.
Roque explained that the national government has provided close to P65 million to help about 3,000
workers start their own business.
He also said that the DOLE has provided employment referral assistance to about 12,000 displaced
workers and helped another 3,000 others become beneficiaries of its livelihood assistance projects.
He advised displaced workers interested to avail themselves of these services to go to the nearest DOLE
field office or visit the Phil-Job net website for information regarding new job vacancies.
DOLE, Malacanang and over 150 land-based and sea-based recruitment agencies recently organized a
forum to fast track efforts in helping displaced Filipino workers find jobs overseas.
Roque said the forum on overseas employment was part of national efforts in job generation and job
preservation, which are being pursued intensively to cushion the impact of the global economic downturn
on the people.
He also said that the overseas employment forum complemented an earlier presidential initiative, the Job
Summit dubbed as ``Joining Hands Against the Global Crisis,`` which drew together labor and
management and other stakeholders in Malacanang last February 9 to tackle measures aimed at
preserving jobs for Filipino workers and addressing the problem of unemployment caused by the global
economic crisis.
``The DOLE is at the frontline in these initiatives as it strengthens its readiness to deliver services to the
workers which include helping them find jobs whether locally or overseas,`` Roque said.
He said that for the overseas employment forum, the DOLE mobilized and gained the support of the
recruitment industry in the efforts to place Filipino workers in productive jobs abroad.
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AMBASSADOR GAA URGES FILIPINOS TO RECALL LESSONS OF 1986 EDSA
REVOLUTION AT OPENING OF COMMEMORATIVE “PEOPLE’S EXHIBIT”
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05 MARCH 2009 WASHINGTON DC – Philippine Ambassador to the United States Willy C. Gaa opened a
commemorative exhibit on the EDSA 1986 People Power revolution, urging Filipinos to “recall the
lessons” of the revolution and to refresh the collective spirit as a people against the challenges of a
globalized world.
Addressing the audience during simple launching ceremonies at the Carlos P. Romulo Hall of the
Philippine Embassy, Ambassador Gaa said the involvement of ordinary Filipinos was vital in the success
of the bloodless revolution that restored democracy to the Philippines.
“The world stood transfixed as Filipinos, held together by the fervent desire for freedom and democracy,
and with nothing more than non-violent action and prayer, ousted an authoritarian ruler and restored
freedom and democracy.” Gaa said.
Ambassador Gaa pointed out in his remarks, “Thousands upon thousands of Filipinos – men, women
and children of various backgrounds and beliefs - gathered at the Epifanio delos Santos Avenue or EDSA,
the main thoroughfare of Metro Manila.”
Estimates place anywhere from 900 thousand to two million the number of Filipinos who were gathered
at EDSA in February 1986. The event led to the ouster of then President Ferdinand Marcos.
Ambassador Gaa explained, “They faced certain danger from heavily armed troops. Yet they stood their
ground, preventing tanks from advancing, with only their bare hands and their prayers.”
Ambassador Gaa said the challenge now for the Philippines is “to protect this democratic legacy; Our
goal now is to continue strengthening the Philippines’ democratic institutions and processes.”
“EDSA changed the course of Philippine history and left a lasting legacy to the Filipino people and to all
freedom-loving peoples of the world,” added Gaa.
“We will remain true to this legacy: as we pledge unwavering dedication to democratic ideals,
we will continue to work together for a stronger Republic,” stressed Ambassador Gaa.
The exhibit runs from March 4 to March 11 at the Carlos P. Romulo Hall of the Philippine Embassy in
Washington, D.C.
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AMBASSADOR GAA OPENS “PEOPLE’S EXHIBIT” COMMEMORATING 1986 EDSA
REVOLUTION
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05 MARCH 2009 WASHINGTON DC – Philippine Ambassador to the United States Willy Gaa leads ribbon
cutting ceremonies launching the week-long exhibit EDSA 1986 Learning the Lessons: Living the Legacy
at the Philippine Embassy. In his remarks, Ambassador Gaa emphasized the vital role of people’s
involvement in the success of the non-violent revolution, saying “The world stood transfixed as Filipinos,
held together by the fervent desire for freedom and democracy, and with nothing more than non-violent
action and prayer, ousted an authoritarian ruler and restored freedom and democracy.” Ambassador Gaa
is joined by his spouse, Mrs. Erlinda Gaa and other guests at the Carlos P. Romulo Hall of the Philippine
Embassy. The exhibit will run until March 11.
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