23rd APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) Conclusion in Manila

The Leaders of the 21 APEC member economies concluded their meeting in Manila last No. 19 by issuing the 23rd APEC Economic Leaders’Meeting Declaration— Building Inclusive Economies, Building a Better World: A Vision for an Asia-Pacific Community.

The Declaration outlines new commitments for APEC members to take forward over the coming year to build inclusive economies; foster micro, small and medium enterprises’ participation in regional and global markets; build sustainable and resilient communities; invest in human capital development; and enhance the regional economic integration agenda.

The Declaration states that while achieving ongoing economic transformation will not be easy, APEC Leaders are confident that APEC members will continue to drive regional and global economic prosperity through quality economic growth, as supported by these collective commitments.

Leaders also endorsed the Statement on Supporting the Multilateral Trading System and the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference.

President Aquino: APEC Philippines 2015 to Build More “Inclusive Economies” Issued by the APEC Secretariat

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 anticorruption 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 continued progress towards the adoption of the Trade Facilitation Agreement after 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.” # # #

Philippines Detaining Homeless Before APEC Summit, Rights Group Says

MANILA— The Philippine government is conducting “clearing operations” to round up and detain hundreds of homeless people, including children, so that they will not be visible during this week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting, the group Human Rights Watch said.

More than 3,000 visiting government officials, business leaders and journalists are in the Philippine capital this week for a meeting of the APEC forum that will include President Obama, President Xi Jinping of China, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, and more than a dozen other national leaders.

The Philippine government denied that people were being held against their will or that the homeless were taken off the street only for the APEC forum.

Thousands of police officers and other security officials have been deployed across Manila in preparation for the gathering. Many of the main roads through the city have blocked lanes or are completely closed. Residents of high-rise buildings near where the world leaders will pass have been told to close their curtains and stay off balconies. Most government offices and many private companies have closed for the week.

“Abusing Manila’s homeless population shouldn’t be part of the price tag for the Philippines government to host high-profile international events,” said Phelim Kine, a deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “APEC delegates should make it clear to their Philippine hosts that abusive ‘clearing operations’ against Manila’s most vulnerable residents only tarnish the reputations of the Philippines and APEC.”

According to Human Rights Watch, the police and other government officials have in the last week detained at least 141 street children in centers around Manila and in surrounding cities. The group said in a statement released Monday that their researcher had interviewed children and adults, including disabled people, who say they were treated roughly when taken off the streets and were not being allowed to leave the government centers where they were staying.

Alicia S. Bonoan, a director in the Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development who oversees the agency’s activities in the capital, said in a telephone interview that the government’s work to help the homeless took place year round and did not involve involuntary detention.

“It’s not a clearing operation, and it’s not related to APEC,” she said. “It is a regular outreach program being done by local governments. Why do the media only look into this during APEC and when the pope visits? This is being done all year around.”

The government has admitted clearing the streets of homeless people during previous high-profile events. During the January visit by Pope Francis to the Philippines, the government rounded up dozens of homeless families and brought them to a resort in the tourist area of Batangas, south of Manila, until after the papal visit, a senior government official said during a Senate hearing on the issue.

Ms. Bonoan said that Human Rights Watch was given access to the centers where homeless people were being sheltered and that the group did not feature the comments of people who were happy to be off the streets and receiving assistance.

“We train local governments to counsel the homeless and not to gather them up or mistreat them,” she said. “When they reach out to them, they must deal with them in a humane way.”

 

PH EMBASSY HOSTS FORUM ON ADDRESSING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND CHILDREN

WASHINGTON, D.C.—As the world prepares to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25, Embassy personnel and members of the Filipino-American community gathered for a forum on a Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW).

In his welcome remarks, Minister Patrick Chuasoto, Chargé d’Affaires of the Philippine Embassy, pointed out the importance of discussing the issue of VAW.

“It is ironic that in conflict situations, for example, women are common targets of violence, and yet they are the ones on whom the families and communities rely the most when it is time to heal and rebuild. It is time that all of us recognize the strength of women, treat them with respect and stop their victimization from violence in their homes and everywhere else,” said Minister Chuasoto.

Marie Ramos, Outreach and Training Coordinator at the Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project, shared her knowledge on addressing VAW and her experience in dealing with cases of domestic violence among the immigrant community in the United States. Atty. JV Chan- Gonzaga, Minister and Economic Officer at the Embassy, talked about Philippine and international laws on the elimination of violence against women and children.

According to Ramos, domestic violence can affect anyone, regardless of social class, race, and gender. She described how domestic violence looks in the Asian/Pacific Islander communities, including the incidence of “in-law” violence. Ramos said expressing empathy and support is the best way to deal with a victim and shared tips on how to receive such information shared in confidence.

“That first conversation is critical. There are varied ways to express empathy and support, such as saying ‘I support you’ or ‘would you like us to seek help and advice together?’ While it is a common knee-jerk reaction, telling the person to ‘just leave’ is not advisable as it can drive the person to do something to put their life at risk. Most importantly, respect the person’s decision, whatever that might be,” said Ramos.

In his presentation, Atty. Chan-Gonzaga provided a comprehensive view of international and Philippine domestic legal contexts with respect to eliminating violence against women and children.

He underscored the radical provision of Republic Act 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004, which criminalizes several categories of abuse including physical violence, sexual violence, psychological violence, and economic abuse. The law treats acts such as causing physical, threatening physical harm, attempting to cause physical harm, placing the woman or child in fear of imminent physical harm, inflicting or threatening to inflict harm on oneself to control the victim’s actions/decisions, and knowingly or purposely engaging in conduct that causes substantial emotion or psychological distress to the victim as acts of violence against women and children.