Opinion 11/19/15

Inquirer about Apec’s inclusive growth focus

Early this week when residents south of Manila found themselves obliged, under a blazing sun, to walk to get to their workplaces, to do important errands, even to undergo hospital checkups and dialysis sessions because major roads were blocked and no alternative means of transport could be had, they angrily wondered why they were being treated so badly. It is not an unfair question; it actually strikes at the core of an exclusionary strategy employed by authorities. Fidel V. Ramos, during whose presidency the Philippines successfully served as Apec host in Subic in 1996, was not gloating when he said that “sadly, the people are not enjoying the event because of so many obstructions, disruptions, restrictions, cancelled flights, and traffic inhibitions.” […] The Apec discussions have been designed to focus on inclusive growth, or how to bring the benefits of open markets to ordinary citizens—presumably including a grimy family of four observed on the sidewalk of a bridge early in Apec Week, apparently having eluded the dragnet cast on vagrants who complained to TV reporters that they were “imprisoned” in Boys Town. [full page] 

Sun.Star Cebu on terrorism in the Philippines

Released just this week, the “Global Terrorism Index” includes a chapter on how ISIS—the second most deadly terrorist network in the past year, after Boko Haram—pays for its operations and sustains its fighters. […] On the index, the Philippines is listed 11th among 162 countries. We were in the top 10 for six years between 2000 and 2014. Unlike in most countries, terrorism in the Philippines isn’t driven by Islamist extremists, the report points out. […] As the international response to the Paris attacks develops, we may be tempted to look away and imagine that the response does not involve us. That is not the case. What we buy, how we inform ourselves about this global threat and its deep-rooted causes matters. [full page]

Manila Bulletin on United States and China at APEC

Leaders of the 21 APEC economies are here for the annual meeting with the theme “Building Inclusive Economies. Building a Better World.” […] A great deal of attention has been directed at two of the leaders – President Barack Obama of the United States and President Xi Jinping of China. They head the world’s two biggest economies today and they are pushing for two competing economic initiatives – the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) of the US and the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) of China. But it is their emerging rivalry in the South China Sea that may push aside economic concerns in the APEC meeting. [full page]

Philippine Star on hardships and terrorism

 In several countries over the past decade, extremist violence has taken a toll not only on travel and tourism but on all economic activities. The terrorist threat is adding to the ranks of the extremely poor and the unemployed, preventing the achievement of human development goals. Terrorism prevents businesses from flourishing and threatens the global economy. Groupings such as APEC cannot push an economic agenda without taking concerted action against the terrorist threat. [full page]