Japan to meet with Asean on upcoming integration

 Economy
Apr 162014
 
Japan to meet with Asean on upcoming integration

MANILA, Philippines – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretary General Le Luong Minh is set to meet with Japanese firms operating in the region in the Philippines in June to discuss concerns on the business environment as well as views on the region’s economic integration. In a statement posted on its website, the ASEAN said the meeting is the 7th Dialogue between ASEAN Secretary General and the Federation of Japanese Chambers of Commerce and Industry in ASEAN (FJCCIA). “The FJCCIA Dialogue will discuss the follow-up to issues and recommendations raised by the Japanese business community as well as provide them an opportunity to share their views and inputs on the ASEAN post-2015 scenario,” the statement read. The dialogue, held every year since its commencement in 2008, provides a forum for Japanese businesses to raise issues on ASEAN economic integration. The region aims to establish the ASEAN Economic Community or a single market economy with free movement of goods, services and investments throughout the region by December 2015. For the forthcoming dialogue, the ASEAN Secretary General held discussions with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) chief representative for ASEAN and South Asia Setsuo Iuchi on the current progress of the ASEAN integration. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Issues of key importance to Japanese investors in the integration process including customs procedures, liberalization of services, protection of intellectual property rights, ASEAN+1 free trade agreements, harmonization of standards, infrastructure development, and small and medium enterprise development were Read More …

Phl to benefit from EU-Asean open skies

 Economy
Feb 152014
 
Phl to benefit from EU-Asean open skies

MANILA, Philippines – The proposed “open skies” agreement between the European Union (EU) and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) is expected to result in higher standards of safety and regulation as well as more reasonable fares for airline passengers. Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the ASEAN would have to first achieve a single aviation market as part of the ASEAN integration in 2015 before entering into a comprehensive air agreement with the EU. “It is still a long way. This is still in its infancy stages. Immediate goal is to first achieve an ASEAN single aviation market. This should be achieved as part of ASEAN 2015,” abaya said. According to Abaya, the proposed “open skies” between EU and ASEAN would translate to higher safety standards for airlines as well as cheaper fares for airline passengers. “This will allow competition, higher standards of safety and regulation and more access to flights and more reasonable fares for our people,” he said. Civil Aeronautics Board executive director Carmelo Arcilla said the EU has been helping the Asean achieve a single aviation market through a project called the Asean Air Transport Integration Project (AATIP) that serves a venue for exchange of info on practices within ASEAN and the EU and capacity building for aviation authorities of ASEAN. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 “The proposed EU-Asean comprehensive air transport agreement is a welcome development and is something to look forward to especially so, that the trend in Read More …

Aquino calls for mechanism to combat Climate Change in wake of ‘Yolanda’

 Entertainment
Dec 182013
 
Aquino calls for mechanism to combat Climate Change in wake of ‘Yolanda’

President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers arrival statement at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Sunday (December 15) from Tokyo, Japan where the Chief Executive attended the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit. (MNS photo) TOKYO, Japan (Mabuhay) – To avoid a repeat of the devastation brought by super typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan), President Benigno Aquino III on Saturday called for an international mechanism to combat climate change. Speaking at the session of the ASEAN Japan Commemorative Summit here, the President said the consequences of global climate change do not discriminate between economic powerhouses and developing states. “It is incumbent upon all of us, especially for the countries that have the capacity to contribute significantly in combating climate change, to come up with an equitable mechanism that every nation, every corporation and every individual will adhere to. I have personally witnessed the degree of devastation brought by Haiyan. And it is my belief that we all have a crucial role to play in ensuring my nation or any nation for this matter does not once more suffer through a tragedy of this scale,” he said. Yolanda tore through the Visayas and Southern Luzon last Nov. 8, leaving more than 6,000 dead in its wake. While President Aquino thanked the ASEAN and Japan leaders for the help they extended to those affected, he also lamented less industrial nations such as the Philippines “bear a disproportionate amount of suffering from the effects of climate change.” “As we all know, our respective nations cannot be caught in Read More …

DTI to conduct more info drive on AEC

 Economy
Nov 302013
 
DTI to conduct more info drive on AEC

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is set to intensify its education campaign for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Community (AEC) next year as part of preparations for the upcoming regional economic integration. “We are intensifying our education campaign on the AEC through larger fora four times every month starting in the first quarter of 2014,” DTI assistant secretary Ceferino S. Rodolfo said on the sidelines of a conference on the AEC. He said the plan is to conduct the fora by region, by sectors, and by issues. “Alongside these fora, the DTI will continue organizing the Doing Business in Free Trade Areas (DBFTA) sessions,” he said. The DBFTA is a series of business information sessions that provide entrepreneurs with knowledge on how to navigate and profit from the country’s free trade agreements (FTAs). Currently, the Philippines has signed seven free trade agreements, namely, the ASEAN FTA, ASEAN-China FTA, ASEAN-Korea FTA, ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA, ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, Philippines-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement and ASEAN-India FTA. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Since January of this year, more than 100 DBFTA sessions have been conducted nationwide, with many focused on the AEC. The AEC, which will be in place by 2015, will transform the ASEAN into a region with free movement of goods, services, investment, skilled labor as well as flow of capital. Large market opportunities are seen to be opened by the AEC’s market of 600 million people for Read More …

Phl eyed as ASEAN design hub

 Economy
Oct 182013
 
Phl eyed as ASEAN design hub

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will try to position the Philippines as a hub for design and craftsmanship in preparation for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 as it launched DeXign Global, a business platform to introduce trends and innovations for home and fashion yesterday. DTI’s Bureau of Export Trade Promotion director Senen Perlada told reporters at the opening of DeXign Global at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, the event is being held to prepare the Philippines and position the country as a design hub in the region given the upcoming AEC. “We are bringing them (designers from overseas) here to see what we have. This (design) is where we really have our edge,” he said. Rosario Virginia Gaetos, executive director of the DTI’s export marketing arm Center for International Trade and Expositions and Mission (CITEM) told reporters that as the AEC would be established in two years time, the government recognizes that the local design community has to prepare and look at how it can promote its products to the 600 million potential customers in the region. The AEC is expected to lead to free movement of goods, services, investment, skilled labor as well as flow of capital in the region. Gaetos said that for the country to be able to promote its strength in design, it is important for local designers to be updated with trends and innovations in home and fashion products overseas. Business Read More …

Kerry presses China, neighbors on maritime issues

 News
Oct 092013
 
Kerry presses China, neighbors on maritime issues

Associated Press 3:47 pm | Wednesday, October 9th, 2013 U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry AP PHOTO BANDAR SERI BAGAWAN, Brunei — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is in Brunei for meetings with top officials from China and its smaller Southeast Asian neighbors, in which he will urge all countries to cool tensions over territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Kerry will make the case in Wednesday discussions with China’s prime minister and the leaders of the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. U.S. officials said Kerry would call on the Chinese to accept a binding code of conduct to govern maritime behavior until disputes with the ASEAN states are resolved. Kerry is filling in at the summit for President Barack Obama, who had to cancel his participation due to the government shutdown in Washington. One senior official traveling with Kerry said he would he encouraging the ASEAN countries to continue to work “for enhanced coherence and unity” among themselves to bolster their position with China in negotiating a code of conduct. China has bristled at what it sees as U.S. interference in its backyard and has only reluctantly agreed to open consultations with ASEAN on a code of conduct. It has also lobbied some ASEAN members hard to prevent a consensus on the matter. The U.S. weighed in on the issue during Obama’s first term, when Washington announced it had a national security interest in keeping the world’s busiest commercial sea lanes open and Read More …

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