IN his recent visits to China, Myanmar and Singapore, President Aquino shared with the world the good economic news about the Philippines, fostering a positive image for the country.
In his speech at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Beijing, the President mentioned the Philippines’s turnaround in the global economic scene, ascribing its success story to the reforms implemented by his administration.
“Over the years,” he said, “these reforms, among others, have allowed our country to shed the title of ‘Sick Man of Asia.’”
Among these reforms, the President said, were the overhauling of the budgeting process to ensure the prudent spending of the people’s money to maximize benefits to all; bringing to justice wrongdoers, “regardless of their position and influence”; and fostering a better business climate that rewards “hard work and innovation.”
“Some have even begun calling us ‘Asia’s Rising Tiger’, having seen our improved economic performance,” he added.
Under his administration, Mr. Aquino explained, gross domestic product grew an average of 6.3 percent from 2010 to 2013—an impressive feat, especially when compared to the 4.3-percent average growth posted from 2006 to 2009.
Growth, he said, is being spurred by trade and investments, and stronger domestic consumption enabled by increased remittances from overseas Filipino workers.
President Aquino also said the World Economic Forum’s Competitiveness Report had cited the Philippines as the most improved country since 2010, and that it received 20 positive credit ratings from international credit-ratings agencies, including investment-grade ratings from the so-called Big Three: Moody’s Investors Service, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings.
In a two-day trip to Singapore last week, the President delivered the keynote interview at The World in 2015 Gala, organized by The Economist magazine. The event has been described as an international business briefing.
Upon his return from that trip, the President said that, at the gala, which was attended by about 300 businesspeople and representatives of large corporations, he described his administration’s steps to develop the economy, promote stability and good relations, and obtain good opportunities for the country.
He also talked to members of the Singapore Business Federation and those of the chambers of commerce of Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan and India, as well as the Europe-Asian Business Alliance, International Enterprise Singapore and the Philippines-Singapore Business Council.
A member of one of these groups is shipbuilding company Keppel Offshore and Marine Ltd., which, the President said, will build the first oil rig in the country.
Singapore Airlines Engineering Co., an aircraft-maintenance firm that has had a presence in the Philippines since 2005, expanded its local operations with an additional $25-million investment, and it is building its third hangar in the country, worth $21 million. The company plans to build two more hangars in the coming years.
“There is no doubt,” the President said, “that what was once the ‘Sick Man of Asia’ is now an active and vigorous participant in preparing for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations economic integration that will take place in 2015.”
The seeds of change have been planted and are now bearing good economic fruit. The challenge is to sustain and maintain our forward motion that will propel us to greater achievements.
Congratulations to the President on yet another successful mission to bring the Philippines to the world!
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THE 13th Biennale of the Visayas Islands Visual Artists Exhibition and Conference (Viva Excon), held from November 13 to 16 in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental province, was a chance for nearly 200 artists from the region to gather, interact and network with one another to address common issues, and find solutions and ideas for developing the art scene on the islands.
Viva Excon was established in 1990 by the Black Artists of Asia, a Bacolod-based group.
This year’s event was curated by Dr. Patrick Flores, a professor of art history, theory and criticism at the University of the Philippines-Diliman. He is also the curator of the UP Vargas Museum and adjunct curator of the National Art Galleries of the Philippines and Singapore. He is recognized as one of the country’s foremost curators, and has written books and articles on Philippine art. Flores will be curating the Philippine entry to the 2015 Venice Biennale art festival.
Five exhibitions were opened at the event, and one of them—the Garbo sa Bisaya Exhibition—featured the works of artists Raul Agner, Nicolas de Ocampo, Raphael Paderna and Jose Yap Jr. They are this year’s recipients of the Garbo sa Bisaya award, bestowed upon them in a ceremony on November 16 at the Negros Museum.
There were many other activities during the event, including fora, conferences and a workshop. With the runaway success of this year’s edition of Viva Excon, Bacolod’s growing reputation as a mecca of culture and the arts is well-deserved.
Atty. Rojas is the vice chairman and general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.