President Aquino: APEC Philippines 2015 to Build More “Inclusive Economies”inShare

The Philippines is intent on building on the significant breakthroughs in trade and economic sustainability achieved by APEC member economies this year in China and ensuring that the benefits are widely felt, said President Benigno Aquino III on the eve of the archipelago’s commencement as APEC 2015 Chair.
Establishing a more inclusive economic environment across the Asia-Pacific will be the focus of collaboration in APEC over the coming year, revealed President Aquino in a kick-off speech in Manila on Monday evening. It set the tone for the APEC Informal Senior Officials’ Meeting on 8-9 December in Legazpi City, Albay that will mark the first assembly of member economies as part of APEC Philippines 2015 and decide their agenda priorities.
“One week from now, we’ll be demonstrating a thousand per cent effort – the first visitors for APEC 2015 will set foot in our country, and the Philippines will have the distinct privilege of hosting the next chapter in one of the largest joint efforts to improve trade and cooperation amongst major economies,” said President Aquino. “Here, within our communities, leaders from government and the private sector will map out the future of the Asia-Pacific.”
“This gathering’s significance is magnified when one considers that, in a world where many economies are reeling from uncertainty, Asia-Pacific economies have, for the large part, sustained a relatively good level of growth,” he explained. “It is for this reason that the Philippines has chosen to orient this year’s APEC towards making certain that this growth has tangible effects on the lives of all our peoples.”
The APEC Informal Senior Officials’ Meeting, or ISOM, will be led by Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Laura Q. Del Rosario, Chair of the 2015 APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting. Together, Senior Officials will create a plan for action during the Philippines’ year as Chair, in line with the theme, “building inclusive economies, building a better world,” and taking into account the region’s ground-breaking achievements in 2014 to advance regional integration, economic reform and innovative development, and infrastructure investment and comprehensive connectivity.
Measures promoting more integrated, inclusive economies have supported average GDP growth of 6.3 per cent between 2010 and 2013 and 5.8 per cent over the first three quarters of this year for the Philippines, uplifting its 100 million people, President Aquino noted. “This is inclusive growth: where economic progress enables the betterment of our peoples and where those empowered peoples can open the doors wider to even greater progress, spurring a virtuous cycle of empowerment and continuous development,” he exhorted.
Initiating a two-year collective strategic study for realizing a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, or FTAAP, will be in view, as called for by President Aquino and his fellow APEC Leaders in Beijing. Other issues will include finalizing expansion of the Information Technology Agreement under the World Trade Organization to make next generation products more accessible, to more people, following the resolution of an 18-month impasse, as well as meeting several APEC deadlines critical to bolstering economies, job creation, wages and sustainability in the region.
Member economies will angle to reduce tariffs on 54 “environmental goods” to 5 percent or less by the end of 2015 to enhance trade and green growth, on the heels of the new target to double renewable energy in the region by within 15 years and landmark bilateral China-US emissions deal. Improving the ease of doing business by 25 per cent by the end of 2015, a goal set in 2009, will also be on the table, supported by a new APEC anti-corruption network and stepped up efforts to address barriers to starting a business and boost financing to credit-worthy firms.
Achieving a 10 per cent improvement in supply chain performance in the region, based on time, cost and certainty, will be an added focus. Measures in a newly endorsed APEC Connectivity Blueprint as well as continuedprogress towards the adoption of the Trade Facilitation Agreementafter unexpected implementation challenges among WTO members were addressed promote this objective, likewise set in motion in 2009. Emphasis is on further easing bottlenecks to increasing goods, services, people and capital flows, at and behind borders.
“As the clamor for progress that leaves no one behind resounds the world over, the Philippines has the opportunity to set a global example of inclusivity this year,” concluded President Aquino, in reference to the archipelago’s role as 2015 APEC Chair—the second time it will guide collaboration between member economies in this capacity following a 19-year interval. “We are rising, and will continue to rise to that challenge.”
The priorities to be advanced by APEC during the Philippines’ year as Chair in 2015 were set by Senior Officials from the region’s 21 member economiesat the conclusion of a key two-day planning meeting on Tuesday in Manila. Focus is on powering a new generation of trade, investment and sustainable growth amid changing global conditions while expanding the benefits for more of the region’s 3 billion people.
Propelled by the breakthroughs achieved by APEC economies over the past year in China to bridge growth and sustainability gaps and guided by Philippines President Benigno Aquino III under the theme, “building inclusive economies, building a better world,” initiatives to be taken forward in 2015 will center on: * Enhancing Regional Economic Integration * Fostering SMEs' Participation in the Regional and Global Economy * Investing in Human Capital Development * Building Sustainable and Resilient Communities
"We are in a different phase," said Ambassador Laura Del Rosario, Philippine Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, who announced the region's 2015 priorities confirmed during the APEC Informal Senior Officials' Meeting, or ISOM. "The nature of the trading system and business is changing, and economies must adapt accordingly to keep up with the pace of these changes and ensure the prosperity of our people."
To enhance regional integration, APEC economies will organize and lead a task force to undertake a two-year collective strategic study on issues related to the realization of a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, as well as open a new technical capacity building initiative in pursuit of the FTAAP. Cooperation to reduce customs bottlenecks for goods at borders will also top the agenda—supporting the adoption of the global Trade Facilitation Agreementas well as APEC’s pursuit of a 10 per cent increase in regional supply chain performance by the end of 2015, from 2009 levels. Easing services trade barriers and strengthening financial institutions will also be points of emphasis.
Additional measures to foster small and medium enterprise development will include addressing hurdles to starting a business, getting credit, dealing with permits, enforcing contracts and trading across borders—in line with APEC’s goal to make it 25 per cent easier to do business in the region by the end of 2015, from 2009 levels, and facilitated by deeper cooperation in areas likestructural reform and fighting corruption. Actions will moreover center on promoting SME sector modernization, standards conformance, commercial innovation, global production chain integration and increased value-added trade.
To strengthen investment in human capital development, further steps will be taken towards the goal of 1 million intra-APEC student exchanges annually by 2020, including advancement of a new APEC scholarship and internship initiative. Focus will also be on cultivating an APEC-wide women’s entrepreneurship network to drive women-led business growth; training in areas like financial services and internet use; and finalizing Information Technology Agreement expansion to widen access to products that support academic and professional development.
To build sustainable and resilient communities, APEC will endeavor toreduce tariffs on 54 “environmental goods” to 5 per cent or less by the end of 2015 and pursue further steps to double renewable energy in the region by 2030, from 2010 levels, cut carbon emissions and raise energy efficiency. Initiatives will also center on improving natural disaster risk reduction, food security and the management of health threats, and counter-terrorism, as well as implementing APEC’s Connectivity Blueprint andMulti-Year Plan on Infrastructure Investment and Development.
Adoption of the long-term Growth Strategy established by APEC Leaders in 2010 and APEC membership and observer status-related issues will also be reviewed.
“The bottom line is that the Asia-Pacific must tap new sources of growth and work towards new growth goals,” concluded Ambassador Del Rosario, who will serve as Chair of the APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting tasked with driving member economies’ collaboration during the coming year.
“We want to connect parts of our economies that haven’t been particularly well connected to traditional approaches to policies for globalization and development, and position them to take advantage of a framework that has increased trade and investment through the region so successfully to meet today’s growth and sustainability challenges.”
The First APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting and related technical meetings will take place on 26 January-7 February 2015 in Clark, about 100km from Manila.

40 years after the Association of Southeast Asian Nations was established in 1967 under the Bangkok Declaration, the leaders of the ten member states of ASEAN finally adopted its Charter in November, 2007 in Singapore, during the 13th ASEAN Summit. The Charter entered into force in 2008. ASEAN as an Economic Force The world’s fastest growing economic sub-region. Fast becoming the free trade hub of Asia, with a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of $2.2 trillion and a combined population of about 605 million people. ADB Lauds ASEAN The Asian Development Bank reports that despite global disturbances, economic growth in Southeast Asia is expected to remain robust. During the annual meeting of the ADB Board of Governors last May, ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda stated that ASEAN has become a driving force of regional cooperation and integration in Asia. ASEAN Community by 2015 Preparations for the establishment of an ASEAN Community by 2015. Three Pillars: --ASEAN Political-Security Community --ASEAN Economic Community --ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community ASEAN Political-Security Community Promotes political development in adherence to the principles of democracy, and promotion and protection of human rights, as inscribed in the ASEAN Charter. Upholds a people-oriented ASEAN in which all sectors of society, regardless of gender, race, religion, language, or social and cultural background, are encouraged to participate in, and benefit from, the process of ASEAN integration. ASEAN Economic Community Vision: By 2015, a single market and production base is to be established by the ten economies. --free flow of goods, services, investment, skilled labor & freer flow of capital --highly competitive single market that promotes equitable economic development for Member States, as well as facilitating their integration with the global community. Benefits of the ASEAN Economic Community AEC’s realization in 2015 will open up greater opportunities for socio-economic growth: (a) Greater choice of goods and services for consumers through increases in intra-regional trade; (b) Larger economies of scale for businesses and industries, thereby increasing productivity while reducing production costs, leading to more competitive pricing of goods; (c) Lowering of production costs can be passed onto consumers who can benefit from lower prices of goods and services; Benefits of the AEC (cont’d) (d) Greater demand for goods & services will create jobs in industries such as manufacturing, transport, logistics and communications; (e) Increased trade & investment will promote greater entrepreneurship and innovation in products & services, producing better variety, quality and efficiency, benefiting consumers; Benefits of the AEC (cont’d) (f) Increased economic integration will strengthen business networks across ASEAN, building growth & prosperity; and (g) A higher level of employment in ASEAN would contribute towards building a larger middle class, thereby reducing the gap between the rich and the poor, which will promote social stability, apart from a consumer market with purchasing power for goods and services. ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community: strategic thrusts are health, poverty reduction, social welfare and labor protection, environment and disaster management, agriculture, food security and safety, and natural resources, education, culture, science and technology, and elimination of illegal drugs. Competitive Advantage ASEAN peoples and societies have similarities in racial origins, character, values, customs, colonial experience and predispositions. ASEAN’s collective voice has influence on the development of the emerging new regional architecture—political, strategic, economic. Its collective voice is listened to in the United Nations, World Trade Organization (WTO), AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) & AsiaEurope Meeting (ASEM). Challenges and Constraints Diversity in political systems, economic and social conditions and ideologies Conflicting territorial claims Unresolved historical issues: result of wars and occupations during pre-colonial times Different alliances and character of relations with the Big Powers of the region Rivalry among member-states and among Dialogue Partners. Main Features of the Enhanced K to 12 Curriculum Source: K to 12 Toolkit, SEAMEO INNOTECH, 2012 Decongested: focuses on understanding for mastery; removes unnecessarily repeated competencies Seamless: ensures smooth transition between grade levels & continuum of competencies -- spiral progression: learning of knowledge, skills, values and attitudes increases in depth and breadth Main Features of the Enhanced K to 12 Curriculum (cont’d) Relevant & Responsive: centers on the Filipino learner; developmentally age appropriate; needs of the community and the labor market Enriched: uses integrative, inquiry based & constructive approaches Learner-Centered: focuses on the optimum development of the Filipino child Source: Understanding K to 12 Education Reform Program Dr. Ethel Agnes P. Valenzuela Senior Specialist Research Studies Unit SEAMEO INNOTECH Key Findings of AUSAID– University of Melbourne Project All countries specify that students should a) Know b) Apply c) Understand The Philippines emphasizes knowing and applying Australia, Thailand and Vietnam place much more emphasis on understanding than does the Philippines Source: Understanding K to 12 Education Reform Program Dr. Ethel Agnes P. Valenzuela Senior Specialist Research Studies Unit SEAMEO INNOTECH In comparison with Australia, Vietnam and Thailand, the Philippines emphasizes learning of content but not learning to learn. The Philippine curriculum does not encourage meta-cognitive processes (reflection on learning; deriving meaning; non procedural problem solving). A restricted range of higher order thinking skills is developed, many of which are 21st century skills, in the Philippines. Source: Understanding K to 12 Education Reform Program Dr. Ethel Agnes P. Valenzuela Senior Specialist Research Studies Unit SEAMEO INNOTECH In mathematics especially, but also in science, mental manipulation of abstract concepts is hugely dependent on language In general, this dependence on language for development of concepts in mathematics and science is ignored in the Philippine curriculum Most of the year 11 and 12 Mathematics material covered in the NSW, Thai and Vietnamese curricula are not covered at all in the Philippines curriculum