Philippines: ASEAN oasis of stability

The ASEAN region seems to have been in turmoil these past weeks with the Philippines as the one bright spot —  an oasis of stability — where there continues to be positive news.

After months of deep political crisis, martial law has been declared in Thailand. But this is not expected to be a final solution to the increasingly violent confrontations between the pro-government red shirts and the anti-government yellow shirts. In a democratic election, the “red shirt” party is expected to win. But the monarchy, the Bangkok based elite and the armed forces support the “yellow shirt” group. There is no foreseeable light at the end of the political tunnel in Thailand, once the model for economic development in South East Asia.

The tense relationship between Vietnam and China has turned violent, short of an actual war. After China moved a $1 billion oil rig off the coast of Vietnam, anti-Chinese riots broke out forcing thousands of Chinese to flee the country. There has been a history of bitter conflicts between the two countries. In 1979, Vietnam was invaded by China which withdrew its forces only after suffering thousands of casualties. During that period, 1979 to 1980, ethnic Vietnamese-Chinese fled the country fearing persecution.

In Malaysia, the government is still suffering from international charges of incompetence and lack of transparency as a result of their inability to resolve the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370. The latest charges seem more like conspiracy theories or even science fiction like a Bermuda Triangle in the Indian Ocean.

In Indonesia, the ASEAN’s largest economy, the July 9 presidential elections was expected to be a “walk in the park” for governor of Jakarta Joko Widoko. But in the April 9 parliamentary election, his party won only 19% of the popular vote. Opinion polls also show that his popularity is falling. He has been accused that he has no vision or solid policy proposals. There have also been a number of allegations of corruption regarding his tenure as governor of Jakarta.

In its most recent issue, the highly respected Economist magazine said that ASEAN’s achievements seemed under threat on all fronts. It also wrote:

“A site-change in regional integration would once again require visionary leadership, and it is hard to see where it would come from. Indonesia, the regional giant is preoccupied with a political transition and seems likely in July to elect a new president, Joko Widoko, with little experience or known interest in international affairs. Thailand is intent on political self-mutilation, unable to govern itself let alone wield regional influence. Vietnam and Malaysia have governments distracted by their own unpopularity focusing on problems at home. Myanmar is in the throes of a transition from a military dictatorship to an as yet undefined destination.

The Philippine President Benigno Aquino has surprised many with his competence. But already, eyes are turning to the election for his successor in 2016.”

This week, the major international broadcasters are covering a different story in the Philippines which is hosting the World Economic Forum-East Asia this week. According to the World Economic Forum, holding this year’s East Conference in the Philippines is a vote of confidence on the country’s “remarkable story,” a comeback kid of sorts as the Philippines continues to take the spotlight with its competitive rankings, credit rating upgrades and robust economy.

World Economic Forum head Sushant Palakurthi Rao said: “The Philippines has a remarkable story and has really achieved a turn in its economy.”

A year ago, on May 16, 2013, I wrote my first column in Philippine STAR. My topic was “Towards an Enduring Legacy.” At that time I believed that from the beginning of his term P-Noy was envisioning a society where the rule of law is institutionalized. It is important that people should appreciate that the rule of law is the foundation for social and economic progress, and therefore, has an impact on the daily lives of all people.

It is the rule of law that ensures that roads, bridges, and airports are actually built, and that they are built with construction materials according to specifications. It is the rule of law that ensures criminals and corrupt officials are placed in jail without regard of their influence or power or money.

It is the rule of law that will provide quality education so that it becomes a pathway for even the poorest of the poor towards the opportunity for a life of human dignity. It is the rule of law that will remove crony capitalism and provide an even playing field for all types of businesses especially for entrepreneurs and small and medium sized enterprises.

It is the rule of law that will provide, even for the poor, access to effective health care because public health care is not just considered a public good but a fundamental right.

It is the rule of law that will ensure freedom of religion, freedom of expression through the arts, a free and responsible press, and human rights is an integral part of the judicial system.

As I said a year ago, the biggest obstacle is the presence of systemic corruption in all branches of government. This has become evident as we witness the revelations of the Napoles scandals in the executive and legislative branches; and, the Ma’m Arlene scandal in the judiciary.

Institutionalizing the rule of law requires institutional reforms and transforming society. In P-Noy we have an honest president and a transformative leader. But we also need to have the Filipino people believe in their strengths as a people. We need to reject the cynicism of those few — in media, politics, society — who preach that the Filipino people is not destined for greatness.

This could be one of P-Noy’s greatest legacy to the world — the Philippines as a model for good governance, rule of law, and economic prosperity for all people.

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