Speech Of Consul General Corazon L. Belmonte-Jover On The Occasion Of The Hosting Of The Philippines Of The Asian Consular Corps Dinner

25 October 2005

THE DEAN OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS, CONSUL GENERAL OF LAOS, SISOUNTHONE SITHIMOLADA

THE DIRECTOR OF PROTOCOL, MACAU SAR, MR. DANIEL FUNG

THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PROTOCOL, HONG KONG SAR, MR. DAVIS COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS

I WISH TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENCE TONIGHT AT THIS WHAT CAN BE CONSIDEREDAN AGE OLD TRADITION OF THE ASIAN CONSULAR CORPS DINNER- BEING NOW HOSTED BY THE PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL. I AND THE OFFICERS OF THE CONSULATE WELCOME YOU AND HOPE YOU WILL ENJOY THIS SIMPLE DINNER.

IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT THIS DATE HAD TO COINCIDE WITH AN ACTIVITY HOSTED BY THE HONG KONG TOURISM BOARD. I KNOW THAT WE ALL WANT TO TASTE SUMPTUOUS AUTHENTIC CHINESE CUISINE IN HONG KONG AND THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN THE PLACE.

WE DO FIND SIGNIFICANCE IN THIS EVENT IN THAT IT IS A REMINDER TO ALL OF US THAT, APART FROM OUR WORK AS A CONSULATE IN HONG KONG, WE BELONG TO A GLOBAL FAMILY AND A REGION- THE ASIAN REGION- DISTINCT BUT NOT DIVIDED FROM OTHER REGIONS.

MOREOVER, SUCH OCCASIONS REMIND US THAT GOOD, FRIENDLY AND/OR MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL RELATIONS BETWEEN AND AMONG NATIONS, AMONG ASIAN COUNTRIES, CONTRIBUE GREATLY TO THE STABILITY AND PEACE I N THE REGION AND ULTIMATELY IN THE WORLD.

THROUGH ACTIVITIES SUCH AS THIS, WE ALSO BECOME MORE CONSCIOUS OF THE INTERDEPENDENCE OF NATIONS, DURING THE MOST DIFFICULT TIMES, WHEN CALAMITIES AND DISASTERS OF GREAT PROPORTION BEFALL COUNTRIES, AS NATIONS COMMUNITIES, AND PEOPLES REACH OUT TO COMFORT AND TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO EACH OTHER.

AT THE SAME TIME, TO BE PRAGMATIC, THIS OCCASION PROVIDES US WITH AN OPPORTUNITY, TO TELL YOU ABOUT FILIPINOS AND THE PHILIPPINES – FOR A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF A PEOPLE AND A COUNTRY THAT IS BUT AN HOUR AND FORTY-FIVE MINUTES AWAY FROM HONG KONG SAR, AND THE 120,000 OR MORE FILIPINO WORKERS IN HONG KONG.

THE PHILIPPINES IS READILY ACCESSIBLE FROM THE TRAVEL CAPITALS OF THE WORLD.

AN ARCHIPELAGO OF 7,107 ISALNDS, THE PHILIPPINE STRETCHES FROM THE SOUTH OF CHINA TO THE NORTHERN TIP OF BORNEO. THE HUNDRED ETHNIC GROUPS (INDO-MALAY) AND A MIXTURE OF FOREIGN INFLUENCES, 300 YEARS UNDER SPAIN, 48 YEARS COLONIZED BY THE AMERICANS, 3 YEARS OF THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION, HAVE MOLDED A UNIQUE FILIPINO CULTURE.

THE PHILIPPINES GAINED ITS INDEPENDENCE TWICE- THE FIRST IN 1898 FROM SPAIN AND THE SECOND IN 1946 FROM THE UNITED STATES. IT WAS COSTLY.

AS EARLY AS THE 50’S, AFTER ITS INDEPENDENCE FROM THE UNITED STATES ON 4 JULY 1946, THE PHILIPPINES WAS CONSIDERED A REPUBLIC ON THE MOVE. TODAY, THE PHILIPPINE REMAINS A FREE, VIBRANT AND DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC.

THE PHILIPPINES HAS DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH ALMOST ALL COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD.

POSTWAR PHILIPPINE FOREIGN RELATIONS INCLINED ON THE MAINTENANCE OF PRODUCTIVE RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES WHOSE DOMINANT INFLUENCE IN PHILIPPINE AFFAIRS CONTINUED AFTER THE RESTORATION OF PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE IN 1946. THAT HAS CHANGED.

THE PHILIPPINE GAVE PRIORITY TO STRENGTHENING TIES WITH SOUTHEAST ASIAN NEIGHBORS THROUGH SEVERAL MECHANISMS SUCH AS SEATO (SOUTHEAST ASIA TREATY ORGANIZATION), ASA (ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIA) AND SUBSEQUENTLY ASEAN.  BY 1965, THE NEED TO PURSUE MEANINGFUL INDEPENDENT  FOREIGN POLICIES AND RELATIONS LED TO STRENGTHENING TIES WITH SOCIALIST COUNTRIES, GET INVOLVED IN THE UNITED NATIONS PEACE INITIATIVE, AND STRENGTHENING TIES WITH SOCIALIST COUNTRIES, GET INVOLVED IN THE UNITED NATIONS PEACE INITIATIVES, AND STRENGTHENING RELATIONS WITH THE MIDDLE EAST.

THE RESULTS OF PHILIPPINES DIPLOMATIC OFFENSIVES WERE THE OPENING OF MORE MARKETS FOR TRADE AND INVESTMENTS, EXPANDED BILATERAL AND MULTILATERAL RELATIONS, MORE STRATEGIC OPTIONS, AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR FILIPINO WORKERS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE GLOBE. THIS LATTER HAS AN UPSIDE AND DOWNSIDE.

BUT THIS IS NOT FORUM TO DISCUSS THIS.

FROM A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE, THE PHILIPPINES HAS ITS SHARE OF CHALLENGES, POLITICAL, SOCIAL AS WELL AS ECONOMIC, WHICH WE EXPERIENCE AS HISTORY WOULD PROVE, AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF OUR GROWTH AS A NATION.

BUT WE TOO HAVE OUR GOOD FORTUNES. AS GOD HAS ENDOWED THE PHILIPPINES WITH SO MUCH WEALTH AND BEAUTY AND ABUNDANCE - IN NATURAL RESOURCES AS WELL AS HUMAN RESOURCES- FILIPINOS WHO ARE DEEPLY NATIONALISTIC AND WHO HAVE THE COUNTRY’S INTEREST AT HEART.

THIS YEAR, OUR RECORDS SHOW A 52 PERCENT INCREASE IN FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENTS THIS YEAR OVER LAST YEAR. PORTFOLIO INVESTMENTS INCREASED 13 PERCENT.

TAX REVENUE IS UP AND GROWING; OUR FISCAL PLAN IS WAY AHEAD OF TARGET, ABOUT 30 BILLION PESOS AHEAD OF TARGET; WE HAVE CREATED FOUR MILLION JOBS IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

THERE IS SOME SUCCESS IN OUR ANTI-TERRORISM EFFORTS WITH THE ASSISTANCE AND COOPERATION FROM OTHER COUNTRIES, THE UNITED STATES, JAPAN, OUR ASEAN FRIENDS, MALAYSIA, AND FRIENDS IN THE ORGANIZATION OF ISLAMIC COUNTRIES, IN SUPPORTING OUR EFFORTS FOR A LASTING PEACE IN MINDANAO.

THE PHILIPPINES PARTICIPATES ACTIVELY IN THE UNITED NATIONS AND IN THE SECURITY COUNCIL – THROUGH OUR CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE TERRORISM SANCTIONS SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL.

TODAY, THE PHILIPPINES REMAINS VIBRANT, GROWING AS ITS DEMOCRATIC ENVIRONMENT GIVES FREE REIN TO THE ASPIRATIONS OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND ITS PEOPLE.

MAY I NOW INVITE YOU ALL TO ENJOY THIS VERY CASUAL AND FRIENDLY DINNER. AS A BACKDROP WE ARE SHOWING TOURISTS SPOTS IN THE PHILIPPINES, SOME EVENTS IN THE PAST - SOME OCCASIONS - ALL FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENTICING YOU TO VISIT THE PHILIPPINES SOME TIME – CHRISTMAS WOULD BE A WONDERFUL TIME - SO IS NOVEMBER AND SO ARE OTHER MONTHS.

THANK YOU.