Raising the Philippines' profile in the US
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U.S. - PHILIPPINES PARTNERSHIP AND ASEAN
ENGAGEMENT
The Economic and Security Pillars for Asia-Pacific Peace and Stability
Preparations are underway for the East Asia Summit and US-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) meetings in Manila next month. Washington officials and ASEAN leaders are preparing the ground for the November leaders' meeting. As a sign of the U.S. commitment to enhanced economic and security engagement in the Asia-Pacific region, President Trump will visit five Asian capitals to meet with treaty allies and trade partners in early November.
Noting the importance of ASEAN to the United States, the House of Representatives recently passed H. Res. 311 legislation that recognizes the contribution of ASEAN to stability, prosperity, and peace in Southeast Asia. Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce cited ASEAN's importance to the American economy as the fourth largest export goods market of the United States. ASEAN's combined economy of $2.5 trillion and healthy demographics make the region a compelling investment destination.
President Rodrigo Duterte welcomed U. S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. D
iscussion focused on issues including denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, maritime security, counterterrorism, U.S.-Philippines economic relations and people-to-people ties,
8 August, 2017, Malacañan Palace, Manila.
As 2017 ASEAN Chair, President Duterte has advanced priority initiatives to promote peace and stability in the region and enhance maritime security in the waters around ASEAN through coordinated patrols. The initiative also aims to spur inclusive and innovation-led growth and economic integration to reduce barriers to the free flow of goods. Duterte engaged
ASEAN l
eaders and strategic dialogue partners in a series of
productive meetings.
A
mid heightened challenges,
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson participated in the ASEAN Regional Forum, the East Asia Summit Ministerial, and the U.S.-ASEAN Ministerial in Manila,
August 5-9
. Following the meetings, ASEAN ministers and dialogue partners reiterated support for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and a resumption of dialogue. Ministers also addressed rising radicalization and violent extremism, through support for education, civil society engagement, respect for diversity, and preventive measures to combat the use of social media by terrorist elements.
The Secretary also met with President Duterte who thanked the United States for its assistance in combating terrorism in Mindanao. Within days after the May 23 terrorist attack on Marawi, the U.S. provided Philippine forces with security assistance in the areas of intelligence, training, and reconnaissance.
President Duterte recognized the longstanding PH-U.S. friendship.
Commander of U.S. Pacific Command Adm. Harris met with President Duterte, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Foreign Secretary Alan P. Cayetano on
August 23-24 in Manila
to discuss U.S. support to the Philippine government for ongoing efforts to end the conflict in Marawi, interoperability between the two militaries, and addressing regional threats.
On the anniversary of "ASEAN@50," US-Philippines Society President Ambassador John F. Maisto noted that "for the United States, there is no question that the Philippines can and should be a logical platform for doing business in the ASEAN region and for projecting a stabilizing and welcome American strategic presence."
"Areas of cooperation within the region include combating the spread of terrorist violence, human trafficking, piracy, and the illicit narcotics trade, supporting disaster relief and recovery, and building resilience, " Maisto stated.
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U.S. Military Presents 2 New ISR Aircraft to the Philippine Air Force, 27 July, 2017. Attending the ceremony are (l-r) Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim and PH Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan P. Cayetano. Photo Credit: U.S. Embassy (PH)
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Members of the Pacific Angel 2017 at the closing ceremony in Cebu, Philippines, 3 July 2017. PACANGEL is a multilateral humanitarian assistance program between U.S. and civil and military partners in the Pacific providing medical health outreach and supporting civil engineering projects.
Photo credit: U.S. Air Force/ Master Sgt. Jeff Andrejcik.
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SECRETARY CAYETANO HIGHLIGHTS MATURE PH-US RELATIONS
The US-Philippines Society Board held a 27 September luncheon meeting with visiting Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alan Peter S. Cayetano in Washington, D.C. Discussion covered areas of bilateral cooperation, including enhanced business and investment opportunities. US-PH Society members engaged the Secretary on issues ranging from support for OFW's to health and tax reform initiatives.
In New York City, Society Director Ambassador Frank Wisner chaired an October 2 conversation with Secretary Cayetano at the Council on Foreign Relations focusing on President Duterte's independent foreign policy, Philippines-US relations, governance and human rights, conflict in Mindanao, regional security, and the Philippines' role as chair of ASEAN 2017.
Read more.
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| US-Philippines Society Directors met Secretary Alan P. Cayetano on 27 September, Washington D.C. |
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US-Philippines Society Director Ambassador Frank Wisner and Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano, Council on Foreign Relations, New York City, 2 October 2017. Photo credit: Council on Foreign Relations
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INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP TO PROPEL ECONOMIC GROWTH
A Briefing by Philippine Trade Secretary Lopez
In New York City, 31 August, Philippine Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez briefed American business representatives, with a focus on investment opportunities and policies to promote inclusive growth under President Duterte's 10-Point Socioeconomic Agenda. Objectives of the 10-Point Plan include good governance, business facilitation, building a skilled labor force,
strong macroeconomic fundamentals, and a
$160 billion "Build Build Build" Accelerated Infrastructure Program.
At the meeting with Secretary Lopez, US-Philippines Society director Citigroup Vice Chairman Jay Collins discussed Citi's advances in electronic and mobile banking to improve financial inclusion, enhanced emergency financial preparedness, improved banking transparency and support of anti-corruption initiatives. Society director Roberto Llames of Enterprise Solutions briefed Secretary Lopez on how technology can assist and support Overseas Filipino Workers.
Secretary Lopez visited the U.S., August 24-31, on an Innovation-Driven Inclusive Growth Study Tour hosted by USAID as part of the STRIDE program with U.S. science, research, and technology institutions in California, North Carolina, and Washington, D.C.
US-Philippines Society Directors Attended the Briefing by Secretary Lopez (center).L-R US-Philippines Society Executive Director Hank Hendrickson, Usec. Rowel S. Barba, Roberto Llames of Enterprise Solutions, Consul General Theresa Dizon-De Vega, Citigroup Vice Chair for Corporate and Investment Banking Jay Collins, and Trade Representative Nicanor Bautista.
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THE DUTERTE ADMINISTRATION'S DEVELOPMENT PLAN: GOVERNANCE AND INCLUSION
At a 4 August forum in Washington, Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) President and CEO Dr. Elba S. Cruz presented the Duterte Administration's Development Plan (2017-2022) aimed at reducing corruption, right-sizing the bureaucracy, promoting citizen engagement and enhancing public sector services. As the policy institute of the Office of the President, the Development Academy of the Philippines serves as a catalyst for the administration's reform agenda through research, training, technical assistance, consultancy and publication services.
In 2015, the Asian Productivity Organization, an Asia-Pacific regional intergovernmental organization, designated the Philippines as the Center of Excellence in Public Sector Productivity with DAP as the implementing institution. Dr. Elba Cruz emphasized that effective public service includes project implementation and commitment to a "culture of quality." The US-Philippines Society and the George Washington University MS in Project Management co-sponsored the forum.
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Featured Speaker Dr. Elba S. Cruz offered her views on the progress of the Duterte Administration's Development Plan at a forum co-sponsored with the George Washington University MS in Project Development, 14 August, Washington, D.C.
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TELECOM AND TECHNOLOGY EXCHANGES
Led by US-Philippines Society Co-chair Ambassador John D. Negroponte and Ambassador Thomas C. Hubbard, Society directors met with Albert del Rosario, Jr., PLDT (US) Product and Marketing Manager, and Richard Ortega, Managing Director, to discuss new product services and identify opportunities in the telecommunication and technology sectors.
Photo: (L-R, Roberto Llames, Hilda Gigioli, Michael Bates, John F. Maisto, John D. Negroponte, Richard Ortega, Buddy del Rosario, Roselle Dela Cruz, Tom Hubbard and Hank Hendrickson on 26 July, Washington D.C.
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OPPORTUNITIES IN THE PH COCONUT PRODUCTS INDUSTRY
On 12 September,
PH Coconut Roadshow delegates discussed
the health benefits of coconut oil & opportunities in the coconut industry
with
Executive Director Hank Hendrickson
. The delegation of coconut exporters, key officials from the United Coconut Association of the Philippines (UCAP), Virgin Coconut Oil Philippines (VCOP), the DTI Export Marketing Bureau (DTI-EMB), and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) visited Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland to promote coconut oil and coconut-based products, including food, cosmetics, and personal care items.
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MACARTHUR'S SPIES: A HISTORICAL VIEW OF PERSONAL FRIENDSHIPS AND SHARED RISKS
Author Peter Eisner presented his book, "
MacArthur's Spies: The Soldier, the Singer, and the Spymaster Who Defied the Japanese in World War II," during a forum at Georgetown University on 29 September. The book has drawn praise for its riveting and facts-based account of espionage by a war heroine, Claire Phillips, guerilla leader John Boone and spymaster Chick Parsons.
MacArthur's Spies documents the profound friendship that developed between Americans and Filipinos and shared risks during World War II. Eisner dedicated the book to the 500,000 Filipino lives lost during the war.
The US-Philippines Society conducted fundraising efforts to support the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilvetREP) that was organized f
ollowing the passage of the Filipino Veterans of World War II Act in 2016. The project aims
to
raise public awareness of sacrifices by Filipino veterans who fought alongside American soldiers during WWII.
An October 25 U.S.Congressional Gold Medal ceremony will formally recognize the WWII Filipino veterans.
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Peter Eisner, Author of
MacArthur's Spies
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Artist Rendering of the Congressional Gold Medal (Reverse Side)
Photo credit: Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project
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PHILIPPINE MADRIGAL SINGERS' CONCERT FOR HURRICANE VICTIMS
On 21 September, the US-Philippines Society, in cooperation with the Philippine National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C., co-sponsored the Philippine Madrigal Singers concert to promote Philippine culture and share in the spirit of
bayanihan (sense of communal unity). The evening's concert "Singing for Hurricane Recovery" raised funds for recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in southern Texas.
Read more
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Choirmaster Mark Anthony Carpio directs the Philippine Madrigal Singers, September 21, 2017,
Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, Washington, D.C.
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MARAWI APPEAL AND SUPPORT OF A MEDICAL MISSION
To address humanitarian needs of Marawi victims, the US-Philippines Society launched a fundraising campaign to provide medical aid and undertake long-term recovery projects to assist families displaced by the ongoing violence in Marawi.
A grant from the US-Philippines Society, personal donations, contributions by the Philippine Nurses Association of America and the Philippine Humanitarian Coalition supported the work of a mobile medical team of 60 volunteers led by Makati Medical Center physicians, in partnership with the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF). Over 1,200 evacuees including pregnant women, mothers and young children were seen and treated on August 2-4 in Iligan City.
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The Triage Unit evaluates evacuees' medical condition.
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Volunteer Medical Staff monitors vital signs of an evacuee.
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TYPHOON HAIYAN DISASTER RESILIENCE PROGRAMS
Aklan Solar Power Project in the Central Philippines
The US-Philippines Society and the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) supported training and the installation of 13 solar lighting kits in six weaving communities under the Weaving TLC Program, an ongoing program for weaving communities affected by super typhoon Haiyan in Aklan. The program was made possible through donor support during the June 2015 Fashion Show and Exhibit in Washington DC, co-sponsored by the Society.
The program assisted remote communities engaged in traditional hand weaving, knotting, embroidery and dyeing of fabrics, primarily using
piña and abaca fibers derived from indigenous plants in the Philippines. Using the battery charger included in solar lighting kits, members are able to charge mobile devices, a critical tool for weather forecasts in remote localities. The use of solar lighting has improved productivity and income, safety, and disaster preparedness.
SAMANA Training Facility, Aklan. Located near mountains and a river, with ideal conditions for growing plants used for dyes and abaca, the site has one center that is accessible only by foot or motorbike and has no electricity.
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Pang-itan Dye Facility is located on a side of a mountain with no connection to the grid, and its only natural light source is a small window facing north.
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Zuellig Foundation Conducts Education for Parents of Young Adolescents
In support of health resiliency programs among municipalities affected by Typhoon Haiyan, the Zuellig Family Foundation in collaboration with the US-Philippines Society and the local government, developed and conducted an orientation session for the education of parents of adolescents on Adolescent and Sexuality and Reproductive Health. The session aimed to strengthen families and equip parents as they assume the role of primary character builder and source of information on adolescent health. The pilot-program served a total of 12 rural health trainers and 67 parents in Eastern Samar. Drawing on feedback from trainers and participants, materials will be published and the session replicated in local high school districts.
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| Facilitator lectures parents on effective listening and communication with emphasis on addressing the physical, emotional, psychological and social needs of adolescents. |
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EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF INTERNATIONAL LEADERS
US-Philippines Society President Ambassador John Maisto welcomed 40 delegates of the 2017 International Young Leaders Assembly (IYLA) at a 9 August reception. The delegates, representative of ASEAN member nations, participated in knowledge sharing, cultural exchanges, youth empowerment, and fun-filled activities at a reception held at the Philippine Embassy.
Co-hosted by the Philippine Embassy and the US-Philippines Society, the event was organized in honor of the IYLA delegates on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of ASEAN.
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| Left: Ambassador Maisto delivers his remarks at a reception on the occasion of the youth leaders' visit and the 50th anniversary of ASEAN. Above: Chargé d'Affaires Minister Patrick A. Chuasoto and Ambassador Maisto are joined by IYLA Youth Leaders. |
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STAY CONNECTED
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