Arroyo arrives from Asean summit (5:48 p.m.)
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo returned to Manila Sunday afternoon “in high spirits” after attending the 14th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit in Thailand, where her proposals for Asean and the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) were accepted.
“She is happy and satisfied, the Asean accepted her proposals,” Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said of Arroyo in an interview before leaving Thailand.
The President arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Centennial Terminal at past 4 p.m. She was met by government officials led by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita. She immediately went home to Malacañang after dropping by the VIP Lounge.
Remonde said Arroyo’s proposals included the creation of a US$120-billion equity fund which Asean member-countries with liquidity problems could tap and the establishment of an Asean Economic Community (AEC) by 2015. The leaders agreed on two items during the 12th Asean summit held in Cebu, Philippines.
Arroyo’s proposals for a fishing consortium and the adoption of the roll-on roll-off (Roro) ferry system for the BIMP-EAGA sub-region were also accepted.
He said this is a “significant breakthrough” because the Philippines’ fishing area could be widened to include waters in East Asia, which could constitute common fishing grounds for the BIMP-EAGA region. It would increase the income of Filipino fishermen, particularly the tuna industry in General Santos City.
He said the adoption of the Roro ferry system by BIMP-EAGA would enhance the “seamless flow of goods and services in the region.”
He said the fishing consortium and the Roro ferry system was also in line with the goal to achieve a “common Asean economic community.”
Remonde said an Asean retail chain was also agreed upon, where regional products and national labels would be displayed in retail chains and major malls in the area to promote major and microbusinesses and products by widening their market.
The current global crisis serves as an “inspiration” to Asean and “an opportunity to move and hasten the process of having a common Asean economic community,” he said
Remonde quoted Thai Prime MinisterAbhisit Vejjajiva as saying that Asean has experienced many crises and that “one of things that Asean learned is that they can better cooperate and deal with the crises by being one.” (JMR/Sunnex)
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