P-Noy amazed by Suu Kyi, gives tips to Myanmar

NAYPYIDAW – The only son of the Philippines’ two democracy icons was amazed by Myanmar’s own, as they met here for the first time yesterday.

President Aquino described Myanmar opposition leader and Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi as an amazing person to talk with: “Nakakamanghang kausap. Very historical.”

The two met after participating in the World Economic Forum (WEF) on East Asia in this capital, during which Aquino gave tips on fighting corruption and promoting transparency as Myanmar undertakes democratic reforms.

Aquino invited Suu Kyi as well as Myanmar President Thein Sein, who initiated sweeping democratic reforms in his country, to visit the Philippines.

Aquino said he saw similarities between Suu Kyi and his parents Benigno Jr. and Corazon, who fought the Marcos dictatorship. President Aquino also saw similarities in the aims of Suu Kyi and his administration, which are poverty alleviation and inclusive growth.

Suu Kyi, who earlier announced that she wanted to run for president in 2015, was “very, very clearly” a leader with “maturity and wisdom,” President Aquino told reporters.

He said positive developments in Myanmar and cooperation between that nation’s ruling group and the opposition would enhance stability in Southeast Asia.

In their brief meeting, the President particularly took note of Suu Kyi’s remark: “The ones who work hardest are the most optimistic; the ones who are most pessimistic are the ones who just sit on the sidelines.”

At the closing plenary of the forum, President Aquino also told the audience that the culture of impunity is over in the Philippines.

He said it is important to make people believe in justice and equality and that there would be no poor if there are no corrupt officials in government.

The President said this when Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the WEF, asked him what Myanmar could learn from Aquino and the Philippines.

Earlier, Aquino said he was looking forward to his meeting with Suu Kyi, who heads the National League for Democracy.

“We are excited to meet with Madame Aung San Suu Kyi... We expect that our exchange of ideas with these two leaders will lead to agreements to improve our relations, and cause progress in our countries,” Aquino said, also referring to his meeting with Thein Sein immediately after his arrival here with the rest of the Philippine delegation.

Suu Kyi was released from house arrest in November 2010 and was allowed to run in last year’s elections where she won a seat in parliament.

She has said at various forums here that she wants inclusive growth  and to provide skills and education to the youth.

Suu Kyi believes the young people will become a social problem if they become hopeless due to lack of opportunities.

She cited agriculture as one sector in Myanmar where investors could come in because it would mean jobs and food security for the people.

Suu Kyi has noted that reforms started in her country in 2010 have been slow and are not being felt by the people.

Pinoys find opportunities in Myanmar

Filipinos working in Myanmar, meanwhile, find opportunities in this developing country.

They have been part of the changes taking place as the country begins to open up to the world.

For Monte Carlo Palinar, who has been working for three years as a space planner at the City Mart Holdings here, the environment in Myanmar is still laid back compared to Manila.

But the people are trying to adapt to the pace and demands of their jobs.

Palinar noted the people here still have to learn multi-tasking and foreign workers have to understand that things could not be implemented based on a rigid time frame.

“Their working habits are still really slow,” Palinar said.

Communication is still a problem. Palinar has a hard time getting in touch with his loved ones back home.

For Leonida Ramos, who has been teaching English, information technology and science at the Singapore International School in Yangon for three years, working conditions in Myanmar are satisfactory and the compensation is higher than in China and Thailand where she also worked.

She said Myanmar citizens established government schools for free education, but the system is still being improved to provide higher education and raise the quality to international standards.

“International schools are OK but of course the pay is expensive… unlike in the Philippines where in all socioeconomic levels, we try to provide good education,” Ramos said. “We are taught to improvise.”

For other Filipinos, the Myanmar market offers vast opportunities.

Jim Torres Abril, creative director at Mango Marketing Services Co., Ltd., creates ideas for individuals such as graphic designers and copywriters.

He said they are “trying to support the lack of know-how from the locals.”

Abril has lived in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and he sees the opportunities in developing countries. He urged Filipinos to take advantage of these opportunities.

Patrick Nebre, gym manager at Summit Hotel in Yangon, also enjoys working in Myanmar because of the kindness of the locals.

“They are really nice. Their culture is similar (to) ours,” he said.

Filipinos in Myanmar are also happy with the positive developments in the Philippines. They are expecting better ties between the two countries so investments and Filipino products can come here.

Noy gets Swiss cowbell

Thein Sein, who was at the closing session, was hailed for the successful hosting of the WEF on East Asia, his country’s first international event since it opened up in 2010.

Schwab gave Thein Sein a Swiss cowbell and asked him to hand it over to Aquino to symbolize the country’s hosting of the WEF next year.

Swiss farmers have used bells on their cattle for centuries to locate the herd in the open Alpine meadows. Schwab said it was meant to promote order, which Aquino had done in the Philippines.

The President said that to stamp out the culture of impunity and corruption, his predecessor, now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, was made to answer several charges and is under detention.

He added he had pursued judicial reforms and the chief of the Supreme Court was removed from office for betraying public trust as he failed to declare his assets truthfully.

The success of the anti-corruption campaign, he said, would be gauged by the ability to imprison those who did wrong so the people would learn to trust the government.

Aquino said onerous contracts were cancelled and his administration would rather go into arbitration rather than push through with anomalous projects. 

The government, he said, was prepared to “go  the difficult route” to ensure transparency and accountability.

Aquino said his administration also invested heavily in social services, especially education, to make sure the people would have the necessary know-how for the investments that the Philippines would like to attract.

Asked by Schwab about the recipe for strong, sustained and inclusive growth and how it could be applied in Myanmar, Aquino said the Philippines is blessed with natural resources, has a strategic location, and people who are skilled and educated.