The APEC in Manila for every Juan

This week, the leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies descended on Manila for their annual meeting. The life of  ten million Metro Manilans was disrupted, as schools went on a full-week holiday, and government and private offices reduced workdays to clear the streets of Metro Manila for the contingents from 21 economies. There had been year-long sectoral and committee meetings leading up to the summit meeting, but many citizens still feel angry and aggrieved by the way the intrusive preparations for APEC affected their lives.

The decision to hold APEC in Manila was a bold decision. The last time the Philippines was host in 1997 under President Ramos, it was held in Subic Bay, with new villas built expressly for the accommodation of the Asia-Pacific leaders. It could have been held in the Subic and Clark area, as the airports in both places were capable of handling the APEC flights.  Security might also have been simpler, required less effort and resources. But there would have been logistical problems, not so much of bringing the APEC delegations in close and sustained interaction for their meeting, but in bringing them in contact with Filipinos and their culture -- artists, performers, cultural sites, and a whiff of the overall ambiance of the gargantuan city that is Metro Manila.

A successful conference

It was not a "tuwid na daan" initiative. It was a "kaya natin" spectacle. As far as international conferences go, it was a success, creating opportunities for the leaders not only to carry out the main agenda, but perhaps more important, carry out the formal and bilateral meetings that responded more specifically to their economies' immediate issues and concerns. The West Philippine Sea issue was certainly touched upon in bilateral meetings of the Philippines involving the United States, Japan, Vietnam, Australia, but it was not mentioned at all in the APEC Declaration at the end of the meeting. In the world of diplomacy, this is how it should be -- the blanket of cooperation, amity, and comity must be broad and strong enough to accommodate and moderate conflict and tension among the delegates. Disagreeing agreeably is the strategy for the long run.

How should Filipinos evaluate the value of APEC in their daily lives? The connections are there, but they are not obvious and need to be pointed out.

The overriding theme is that the Philippines is a joiner in international organization. Even before we became independent, as only one of two non-independent states (Ukraine was the other one) that were signatory to the UN Charter in 1945, we've always believed, as one of the smaller, underdeveloped, and war-ravaged countries, that our national interest lay in actively promoting international organization, international law, and world public opinion.  This refrain in our foreign policy has again become accentuated by our bold decision to take China to the international arbitration tribunal  over the West Philippine sea issue. This action is arguably the single most significant source of Philippine political prestige in international affairs over the past years, and will continue for sometime to come. 

This bold stance of the Philippines requires strengthening bonds of friendship and cooperation in APEC and similar regional and international organizations as the larger backdrop to our conflict management with China.

The demands on Filipino diplomacy and our Foreign Service certainly has increased, but in responding to the challenges of a security and economic environment that has become more complicated and demanding, we have an opportunity of growing new muscles as a nation. This is the overall context in which the APEC conference acrobatics of government this week has been all about.

Abstract benefits, concrete issues

The APEC meeting will not  be seen in the same light by all Filipinos. But to many, it refreshes our view of ourselves in the eyes of our neighbors. It has also been another occasion for the consolidation of our pride in the uniqueness and creativity of the Filipino. It enables us to appreciate the value of abstract concepts such as "inclusive growth" juxtaposed against concrete individual and collective sacrifices like horrendous traffic congestion we had to suffer through. APEC is a lesson in putting proper valuation on our international affairs.  It also showcases the remarkable competence and professionalism of our foreign service today, something we have taken for granted, but has not been as coherent at the time of the Flor Contemplacion case.

APEC is the apex of a flurry of bureaucratic initiatives in the member countries. It is like 21 national teams straining for concert. The annual meetings and the crafting of annual Declarations, while persuasive rather than enforcement in nature, still serves strategic, navigational, and inter-operational purposes.  The "Pacific Century" is upon us, as together the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation raises the economic tide in this part of the world, that raises all the boats.

It is good omen that our APEC hosting comes at a time we have high trust and confidence in our leaders, Ramos in 1997, Pinoy in 2015.  President Aquino "has turned the Philippines from one of Asia’s underperformers into one of its economic stars" and it feels good that we have not heard the phrase "Sick Man of Asia" applied to the Philippines in a long time.

APEC Declaration a good 2016 platform

The APEC Declaration is a bundle of motherhood statements, with some operational targets and instrumental commitments. It is a good framework for choosing a strategic set of initiatives that a presidential candidate can fashion into a program of government for the Philippines in the next administration, 2016-2022.

The main challenge is actually embedded in the theme of "inclusive economies". The next Filipino administration should dramatically reduce inequality and poverty in the country, where still one of Four Filipinos live under the poverty threshold. The Declaration of APEC is beautiful talk, but can incrementally lead to inclusiveness in economic well-being at regional, national, and individual levels.

The main lesson in bringing about inclusiveness, for those who work on the level of the base of the pyramid, is that it comes from participation of those to be included. Here, the APEC process can stand dramatic improvement. If the poor and marginalized are not included meaningfully in the process the way the Asia-Pacific business sector leaders are, how can inclusive economies come about?

Doy Romero is a member of the faculty at the Ateneo De Manila School of Government. He is also a professional lecturer at the National Defense College, De La Salle University and Development Academy of the Philippines.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of this website.