.
The Philippines will take center stage as global leaders convene for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) talks in November. Established in 1989, APEC is an economic forum created to lower socio-economic barriers between global economies with a strong focus on the Asia-Pacific region. In Washington DC, the Philippines has also been a distinct focus over the past few months for my colleagues and me at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center (RRB/ITC).
This year, the World Trade Centers Association held their General Assembly in Manila, which convened over 80 World Trade Centers from around the world for our annual economic conference. During the trip we witnessed the booming real estate and tourism sectors evidenced by the large number of construction cranes building high-end apartments and office towers. We received briefings on the country's increased exports and the rise in the median household income. The Philippines is also becoming a retirement destination for many U.S. citizens due to the high quality of life and the favorable exchange rate.
In June, our team, in partnership with the US-Philippines Society and the Embassy of the Philippines hosted the Philippine Independence Day celebrations at the RRB/ITC. Hosts H.E. Jose L. Cuisia Jr., Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the U.S. and his wife Maria Victoria Cuisia along with the Honorable John D. Negroponte, Founding Co-chair, US-Philippines Society were joined by diplomats, government officials, and business leaders including such notables as Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund and Representative Ed Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Filipino cuisine was on display as guests enjoyed traditional favorites, including lechón, a popular roast pork dish. Guests were inspired by a high-energy fashion and design show presented by world famous Filipina fashion icon, Patis Tesoro. Also known as the “Grand Dame of Fashion,” Tesoro showcased designs made from natural fibers, reflecting her passion and advocacy for preserving the indigenous pińa (pineapple fiber) weaving industry in Aklan. The evening was truly a celebration of Philippine culture, design, textiles and fashion, another aspect of the strength and economic dynamism of this nation.
Another indicator of progress for the Philippines is highlighted in KPMG’s Change Readiness Index. KPMG, one of the world’s largest professional services companies developed this index to measure how well countries respond to change and opportunity. It ranks the Philippines 33 out of 127 countries globally. This is an impressive statistic and demonstrates strong performance in the areas of government capability, fiscal prudence, and governmental planning.
Leading the ASEAN nations out of the global recession, the upcoming APEC leaders meeting will allow the Philippines to showcase an annual growth of 6.9 percent—one of the highest in the world. There will be 21 member economies around a table considering topics that are timely and crucial to an integrated global economy. The four pillars of the APEC meetings will include further engaging small to mid-sized businesses (SME’s), women in the workforce, public private partnerships, and infrastructure.
Other topics to be discussed at APEC will include harmonized tariffs, agriculture, global health, intellectual property protections, human capital, cyber security, and public private partnerships. These topics will remain relevant and collective works in progress for the economic forum as it moves through its talks.
During my time at the U.S Department of Commerce, I was part of an interagency team that developed briefing books for cabinet members and ambassadors to reference as they engaged in often complex negotiations made ever more challenging by cultural differences and various country specific agendas. While in that position, we learned that solutions and tangible results emerge better through a long-term lens. There is significant overlap between increased public private partnerships and their ability to provide more opportunities for SME’s, and increased training and education for women in the workforce. These goals go hand in hand and will lead to the stated goal of the meeting, over time--“building inclusive economies, building a better world.”
Photo caption (LàR): John P. Drew, President & CEO, Trade Center Management Associates (TCMA) at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center; Maria Victoria Cuisia, wife of the Ambassador of the Philippines, Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund; Irene Natividad, President of the Global Summit of Women and Andrew Gelfuso, Vice President, Global Business Development, TCMA at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.
Photo Credit: Patricia McDougall
About the author: Andrew F. Gelfuso is Vice-President, Global Business Development, Trade Center Management Associates (TCMA) at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.
Filipino cuisine was on display as guests enjoyed traditional favorites, including lechón, a popular roast pork dish. Guests were inspired by a high-energy fashion and design show presented by world famous Filipina fashion icon, Patis Tesoro. Also known as the “Grand Dame of Fashion,” Tesoro showcased designs made from natural fibers, reflecting her passion and advocacy for preserving the indigenous pińa (pineapple fiber) weaving industry in Aklan. The evening was truly a celebration of Philippine culture, design, textiles and fashion, another aspect of the strength and economic dynamism of this nation.
Another indicator of progress for the Philippines is highlighted in KPMG’s Change Readiness Index. KPMG, one of the world’s largest professional services companies developed this index to measure how well countries respond to change and opportunity. It ranks the Philippines 33 out of 127 countries globally. This is an impressive statistic and demonstrates strong performance in the areas of government capability, fiscal prudence, and governmental planning.
Leading the ASEAN nations out of the global recession, the upcoming APEC leaders meeting will allow the Philippines to showcase an annual growth of 6.9 percent—one of the highest in the world. There will be 21 member economies around a table considering topics that are timely and crucial to an integrated global economy. The four pillars of the APEC meetings will include further engaging small to mid-sized businesses (SME’s), women in the workforce, public private partnerships, and infrastructure.
Other topics to be discussed at APEC will include harmonized tariffs, agriculture, global health, intellectual property protections, human capital, cyber security, and public private partnerships. These topics will remain relevant and collective works in progress for the economic forum as it moves through its talks.
During my time at the U.S Department of Commerce, I was part of an interagency team that developed briefing books for cabinet members and ambassadors to reference as they engaged in often complex negotiations made ever more challenging by cultural differences and various country specific agendas. While in that position, we learned that solutions and tangible results emerge better through a long-term lens. There is significant overlap between increased public private partnerships and their ability to provide more opportunities for SME’s, and increased training and education for women in the workforce. These goals go hand in hand and will lead to the stated goal of the meeting, over time--“building inclusive economies, building a better world.”
Photo caption (LàR): John P. Drew, President & CEO, Trade Center Management Associates (TCMA) at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center; Maria Victoria Cuisia, wife of the Ambassador of the Philippines, Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund; Irene Natividad, President of the Global Summit of Women and Andrew Gelfuso, Vice President, Global Business Development, TCMA at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.
Photo Credit: Patricia McDougall
About the author: Andrew F. Gelfuso is Vice-President, Global Business Development, Trade Center Management Associates (TCMA) at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.
The views presented in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of any other organization.
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Philippines Spotlight: APEC 2015
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November 25, 2015
The Philippines will take center stage as global leaders convene for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) talks in November. Established in 1989, APEC is an economic forum created to lower socio-economic barriers between global economies with a strong focus on the Asia-Pacific region. In Washington DC, the Philippines has also been a distinct focus over the past few months for my colleagues and me at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center (RRB/ITC).
This year, the World Trade Centers Association held their General Assembly in Manila, which convened over 80 World Trade Centers from around the world for our annual economic conference. During the trip we witnessed the booming real estate and tourism sectors evidenced by the large number of construction cranes building high-end apartments and office towers. We received briefings on the country's increased exports and the rise in the median household income. The Philippines is also becoming a retirement destination for many U.S. citizens due to the high quality of life and the favorable exchange rate.
In June, our team, in partnership with the US-Philippines Society and the Embassy of the Philippines hosted the Philippine Independence Day celebrations at the RRB/ITC. Hosts H.E. Jose L. Cuisia Jr., Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the U.S. and his wife Maria Victoria Cuisia along with the Honorable John D. Negroponte, Founding Co-chair, US-Philippines Society were joined by diplomats, government officials, and business leaders including such notables as Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund and Representative Ed Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Filipino cuisine was on display as guests enjoyed traditional favorites, including lechón, a popular roast pork dish. Guests were inspired by a high-energy fashion and design show presented by world famous Filipina fashion icon, Patis Tesoro. Also known as the “Grand Dame of Fashion,” Tesoro showcased designs made from natural fibers, reflecting her passion and advocacy for preserving the indigenous pińa (pineapple fiber) weaving industry in Aklan. The evening was truly a celebration of Philippine culture, design, textiles and fashion, another aspect of the strength and economic dynamism of this nation.
Another indicator of progress for the Philippines is highlighted in KPMG’s Change Readiness Index. KPMG, one of the world’s largest professional services companies developed this index to measure how well countries respond to change and opportunity. It ranks the Philippines 33 out of 127 countries globally. This is an impressive statistic and demonstrates strong performance in the areas of government capability, fiscal prudence, and governmental planning.
Leading the ASEAN nations out of the global recession, the upcoming APEC leaders meeting will allow the Philippines to showcase an annual growth of 6.9 percent—one of the highest in the world. There will be 21 member economies around a table considering topics that are timely and crucial to an integrated global economy. The four pillars of the APEC meetings will include further engaging small to mid-sized businesses (SME’s), women in the workforce, public private partnerships, and infrastructure.
Other topics to be discussed at APEC will include harmonized tariffs, agriculture, global health, intellectual property protections, human capital, cyber security, and public private partnerships. These topics will remain relevant and collective works in progress for the economic forum as it moves through its talks.
During my time at the U.S Department of Commerce, I was part of an interagency team that developed briefing books for cabinet members and ambassadors to reference as they engaged in often complex negotiations made ever more challenging by cultural differences and various country specific agendas. While in that position, we learned that solutions and tangible results emerge better through a long-term lens. There is significant overlap between increased public private partnerships and their ability to provide more opportunities for SME’s, and increased training and education for women in the workforce. These goals go hand in hand and will lead to the stated goal of the meeting, over time--“building inclusive economies, building a better world.”
Photo caption (LàR): John P. Drew, President & CEO, Trade Center Management Associates (TCMA) at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center; Maria Victoria Cuisia, wife of the Ambassador of the Philippines, Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund; Irene Natividad, President of the Global Summit of Women and Andrew Gelfuso, Vice President, Global Business Development, TCMA at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.
Photo Credit: Patricia McDougall
About the author: Andrew F. Gelfuso is Vice-President, Global Business Development, Trade Center Management Associates (TCMA) at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.
Filipino cuisine was on display as guests enjoyed traditional favorites, including lechón, a popular roast pork dish. Guests were inspired by a high-energy fashion and design show presented by world famous Filipina fashion icon, Patis Tesoro. Also known as the “Grand Dame of Fashion,” Tesoro showcased designs made from natural fibers, reflecting her passion and advocacy for preserving the indigenous pińa (pineapple fiber) weaving industry in Aklan. The evening was truly a celebration of Philippine culture, design, textiles and fashion, another aspect of the strength and economic dynamism of this nation.
Another indicator of progress for the Philippines is highlighted in KPMG’s Change Readiness Index. KPMG, one of the world’s largest professional services companies developed this index to measure how well countries respond to change and opportunity. It ranks the Philippines 33 out of 127 countries globally. This is an impressive statistic and demonstrates strong performance in the areas of government capability, fiscal prudence, and governmental planning.
Leading the ASEAN nations out of the global recession, the upcoming APEC leaders meeting will allow the Philippines to showcase an annual growth of 6.9 percent—one of the highest in the world. There will be 21 member economies around a table considering topics that are timely and crucial to an integrated global economy. The four pillars of the APEC meetings will include further engaging small to mid-sized businesses (SME’s), women in the workforce, public private partnerships, and infrastructure.
Other topics to be discussed at APEC will include harmonized tariffs, agriculture, global health, intellectual property protections, human capital, cyber security, and public private partnerships. These topics will remain relevant and collective works in progress for the economic forum as it moves through its talks.
During my time at the U.S Department of Commerce, I was part of an interagency team that developed briefing books for cabinet members and ambassadors to reference as they engaged in often complex negotiations made ever more challenging by cultural differences and various country specific agendas. While in that position, we learned that solutions and tangible results emerge better through a long-term lens. There is significant overlap between increased public private partnerships and their ability to provide more opportunities for SME’s, and increased training and education for women in the workforce. These goals go hand in hand and will lead to the stated goal of the meeting, over time--“building inclusive economies, building a better world.”
Photo caption (LàR): John P. Drew, President & CEO, Trade Center Management Associates (TCMA) at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center; Maria Victoria Cuisia, wife of the Ambassador of the Philippines, Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund; Irene Natividad, President of the Global Summit of Women and Andrew Gelfuso, Vice President, Global Business Development, TCMA at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.
Photo Credit: Patricia McDougall
About the author: Andrew F. Gelfuso is Vice-President, Global Business Development, Trade Center Management Associates (TCMA) at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.
The views presented in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of any other organization.
