Palace says hosting WEF gave Pinoys a sense of pride

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines’ hosting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) on East Asia last week is a good reason for Filipinos to give themselves a pat on the back, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said Friday.

In a statement for the closing of the WEF sessions, Abad said the forum gave Filipinos an opportunity to consider their national situation from a broader perspective – “to view it from a position that justly recognizes the accomplishments we’ve made.”

“We’re a people used to flogging ourselves or downplaying our achievements. Yet foreign delegates and the forum’s international participants were unequivocal in their appreciation of the Philippines’ unprecedented growth and the strength of the administration’s governance agenda,” Abad said.

“The WEF therefore challenged us to give ourselves credit where it is due, and at the same time, develop a better understanding of the difficulties that may hinder our progress along the way,” he said.

Abad said the WEF was an excellent platform for international cooperation and cross-industry dialogue among its participants.

Through the meeting, he said foreign delegates were also able to take a first-hand look at the Philippine narrative of good governance and inclusive growth, where economic progress and greater social development were made possible in just three-and-a-half years.

“While the President in his speech took note of the current administration’s role in bringing about these landmark changes in socio-economic development, he made it clear that none of these gains would have been possible without the support of the Filipino people. Indeed, increased public participation in government processes was key in ensuring the success of our reform initiatives,” Abad said.

He said the strong partnership between the administration and the Filipino people motivated them and would continue to drive them toward immediate, long-term and sustainable development.

“Aid and relief agencies from all over likewise spoke in glowing terms of the continuing relief, recovery and reconstruction efforts in the wake of Super Typhoon Yolanda, with the government joining hands with citizens, civil society, various local and international organizations and the private sector to restore normalcy to all affected communities,” Abad said.

“With the conclusion of the meeting, it is only fitting for us to take heart with the advancements we’ve tracked as a nation. Since 2010, we’ve been making great strides in fiscal growth and consolidation, in delivering badly needed public services and enacting long-overdue policies, and in establishing greater transparency, accountability and efficiency in the national budget so it better serves the people,” he said.

Abad said the country had done much amid various setbacks.

He said members of the Aquino administration would continue to work, as they always have, with great confidence in the straight path and in the Filipino people’s collective ability to effect lasting, positive change in the country.

Continue reforms

Vice President Jejomar Binay, for his part, stressed yesterday the need to continue the reforms initiated by President Aquino beyond the end of his term.

“These reforms triggered renewed interest in the Philippines and a re-appraisal of our economic potential. We therefore make our commitment to continue and, if needed, expand the reforms initiated by President Aquino beyond 2016,” Binay said.

He also acknowledged that the initial stages of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) economic integration will be faced with challenges.

“There will surely be challenges as a result of integration. These can be considered birthing pains. But I am confident that the presence of mutual respect, collaboration and friendship that the ASEAN spirit will help us overcome the challenges as individual nations and collectively as ASEAN, so we can move our economies forward,” Binay said.

He stressed that the ultimate goal for the Philippines and other ASEAN countries “is to ensure that whatever economic gains that will accrue from integration will improve the lives of our people, eradicate poverty and allow every citizen to share the benefits of development.”

“We are all in agreement that economic expansion is meaningless if it does not help every citizen rise above their present circumstances,” Binay said.

Unimpressed

Meanwhile, workers are not impressed by the “wonderful stories” portrayed in the WEF on East Asia, the labor group Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) said yesterday.

“WEF is not about people. It’s all about corporations, their investments and new market opportunities,” said PM chair Renato Magtubo.

He said even if President Aquino cited the role ordinary Filipinos played in the country’s economic turnaround, the WEF’s business agenda will never change. – With Jose Rodel Clapano,