ASEAN SUMMIT in CEBU

[baron]

---

Let's just sacrifice a little. Road blocks are just there for three days. On the other hand, the benefits will be there in the long run. After all, the benefits of the series of meetings will definitely be in favor of us. Issues on counter- terrorism, employment, protection of migrant workers and other equally important concerns are being discussed to improve the quality of life of the ASEAN people.

Definitely, it's not a burden.

[baron]

^^Maybe you should visit CICC to take a look inside. The CICC looks grand considering that it was just done for a span of nine months. It's not just the exterior design that matters.

I heard that today's series of meetings will all be held at the CICC. Final resolutions and agreements will be done at the CICC. I hope that more concerns that will benefit the people such as the plight of migrant workers and counter terrorism will be finalized.

[--Makoy--]

^^Maybe you should visit CICC to take a look inside. The CICC looks grand considering that it was just done for a span of nine months. It's not just the exterior design that matters.

I heard that today's series of meetings will all be held at the CICC. Final resolutions and agreements will be done at the CICC. I hope that more concerns that will benefit the people such as the plight of migrant workers and counter terrorism will be finalized.

mao bitaw, i was just expecting too much..

[junmar4]

SUNSTAR Daily News
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Nurses say they need this more than Asean pact

INSTEAD of improving the profession, the nursing services arrangement among Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) members will promote “a brain drain” in the Philippines, a non-government organization warned yesterday.

“It is a bad policy because we are throwing away competent and skilled professionals,” said Health Alliance for Democracy (Head) spokesperson Judy Aguilar, a registered nurse and university teacher.

Sun.Star Network Online's 12th Asean Summit watch

The Asean mutual recognition arrangement on nursing services’ final draft is being worked out after its adoption during the Economic Ministers’ Meeting last Dec. 9 in Cebu City.

One provision states that nurses will no longer have to take additional examinations when applying in another country within the 10-nation Asean.

This is intended “to eliminate substantially the restrictions of trade in services amongst the Asean member-countries.”

The agreement is part of the vision to create a “stable, prosperous and highly competitive” Asean economic region by 2015.

One step is to “promote the adoption of best practices on professional nursing services and (to) provide opportunities for capacity building and training of nurses.”

If approved, the agreement will exempt nurses from further assessment by the host country’s Nursing Regulatory Authority (NRA).

It, however, should have the consent of each country’s regulating body or concerned government offices.

“The participating Asean member-countries recognize that any arrangement...could be concluded only with the involvement and consent of that NRA and/or the relevant government agencies,” it read.

Aguilar finds it sad that the Philippine Government “is so jubilant” about that agreement.

“The migration of our competent and skilled professionals will eventually cause a brain drain in the nation,” she said. She said, though, that medical professionals who are leaving the country and doctors taking up nursing to later work abroad cannot be blamed.

“They are overworked and underpaid (here),” Aguilar said.

This, however, does not also mean that the government should encourage migration to other countries.

“The government should institute policies that will improve the state of local nurses...a mandate that would encourage them to remain in the country,” she added.

In a separate interview, a nursing graduate’s father said the agreement has little or no impact at all because most Filipino nursing graduates would rather apply in the US or in Europe, than in Asean countries.

“The main motivation for Filipino nurses is the salary.... Perhaps the agreement would be good for those who cannot pass the exams for work in the US or Europe,” he said. He added thousands of nurses graduate each year they could replace those leaving the country. (JGA)

[tolstoi]

I got it confirmed a while ago from Leo Lastimosa thru his ym iD (dyab1512)..

MAJESTIC CATERING IS NOT THE SAME MANAGEMENT WITH GRAND MAJESTIC RESTAURANT.

i just like to set the record straight..lami diay gihapon ikaon ug PANCIT CANTON ug PATATE sa Grand Maj :mrgreen:

[dredd41v576]

that's good news bro.

[FK]

sa pagka karon burden... hoping that the benefits will come soon.

og i hope wala ta nangutang og grabe para pag-ayo sa mga dalan ug uban pang pagpanindot.

[grabehbebe]

RP, China to sign 12 agreements on trade

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?...ws2_jan15_2007
By Michael Caber and Othel V. Campos

PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Chinese Premier Wen Jianbao will sign today 12 agreements that will bring in a total of P240.1-billion in investments into the Philippines and boost bilateral trade and cooperation between the two countries.

After attending the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Cebu, Wen will proceed to Malacañang in Manila to meet President Arroyo to sign agreements on trade, agricultural cooperation, mass transportation, customs cooperation, cultural promotions and protection and other areas.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Eduardo Malaya said Wen would also meet Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap on Tuesday.

The Department of Agriculture said the agreements would cover investment pledges over the next five to seven years, including a memorandum of agreement that would allow Fu Hua Co. of China to invest $3.83 billion for the cultivation of hybrid corn, rice and sorghum.

The secretaries of the departments of agriculture, environment and natural resources and agrarian reform will sign the agreement with Fu Hua.

An agreement that would allow Filipino exporters to enter China’s $1-billion fruit market will also be signed in Malacañang.

Under a memorandum of agreement with the Jiangnan Wholesale Market, the agriculture department secured 5,000 sq m of market space for Philippine tropical fruits like papaya, bananas, pineapples and mangoes in the largest fruit and vegetable trading center in China.

The agriculture department also worked out a contract between China National Constructional and Agricultural Machinery Import and Export Corp. and Palawan Bio-Energy Development Corp.

The department also worked out an agreement between One Cagayan Resource Development Center Inc. and the Nanning Yongkai Industry Group to develop bio-ethanol plants. Each of the two firms will have a production capacity of at least 150,000 liters a day.

Premier Wen and President Arroyo will also witness the signing of a revised agreement on agriculture and fisheries between China and the Philippines.

The department hopes to sign a separate set of agreements with China ‘s largest agricultural investor, the Beidahung Heilongjiang Group, for the development of 200,000 hectares of land in the North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle.

Beidahung is expected to sign a memorandum of agreement with EL Enterprises Inc. for the establishment of a $120-million agro-industrial project with all-weather greenhouses that will produce and export quality flowers and off-season vegetables and fruits to Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Beidahung is expected to bring in P43.4 billion worth of investments into the country.

Meanwhile, in Cebu, Asean leaders signed a trade agreement with China seeking to liberalize nine service sectors that will facilitate the free movement of people and goods between the region and the only Asian superpower.

According to President Arroyo, the leaders of Asean forged the Agreement on Trade in Services of the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation with Wen to minimize trade barriers, increase intra-regional trade and investment, and create a larger market with greater opportunities.

“China has an important and strategic role to play in the economic development and security situation of the Asia Pacific region,” said Mrs. Arroyo who is also chairman of the Asean.

The agreement will go in effect in July and will cover business services such as real estate, market research and management consultancy; construction and engineering related services; tourism; transport and educational services; telecommunication services; health-related services; recreational and sporting services; environmental services; and energy services.

“It is expected that trade in services in the region would expand and grow in scale through the four modes of service delivery—cross-border supply, consumption abroad, commercial presence, and movement of natural persons,” the joint Asean-China statement said.

Both sides have also agreed to test the first set of sector commitments within one year, after which the inclusion of the second package of sectors to be liberalized could be discussed.

“We are both friendly neighbors and important strategic partners. We need each other in our respective development endeavors, and we are bound by common interests. We should seize the opportunity to deepen cooperation and open a new chapter in China-Asean relations,” Wen said.

With Joyce Pangco Pañares

[SamuraiArcher]

^^maybe u nu the schedules..mao nakalikay ka for the past days...

[digitalsuperman]

grabe traffic..pirmi lang ko ma-ASEAN Sangit..hehehe..pero okay ra..I ain't trippin..there's nothing I can do..so instead of whinning, I just embrace the fact that we can gain something out of this..anyways, its good for only two days..