Press Release No.
013-03
10 January 2003
BRACE UP FOR COMPETITION, OPLE URGES
DFA, TRADE REPS
Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople challenged today the Philippine foreign
service corps and trade attaches to hone their skills and develop “greater
synergies” in the face of intensifying global economic competition.
Ople issued the challenge during a briefing on trade promotion organized
by the Department of Foreign affairs and attended by foreign service personnel
and commercial attaches.
Secretary Ople called on both DFA and DTI officials to uphold the “country
team approach,” fuse energies, and translate opportunities in the globalized
economy into significant contributions to the Philippines in terms of trade,
investments and tourism.
“Globalization is no longer a policy but a reality,” Secretary Ople said.
He said other governments will be doing their best to promote their own products
and the Philippines cannot afford to have a laid-back economic diplomacy
because in a globalizing economy, “the law of natural selection will apply
and only the fittest will survive.”
“We must arouse our own fervor because others will insert a certain degree
of passion into promoting economic diplomacy,” Secretary Ople told DFA and
DTI officials.
Secretary Ople noted the emergence of China as an “economic powerhouse” but
said that the Philippines and ASEAN should not fear competition from China
but should develop greater dynamism and creativity in meeting the opportunities
and challenges posed by China.
Ople expressed optimism that ASEAN, including the Philippines, can remain
a good trade, investment and tourism destination despite the challenge from
China. He noted the growing number of free trade agreements being negotiated
between ASEAN countries with the U.S., Japan, India and even China, is a
sign of continuing dynamism in the region. “Investors will not want to put
their eggs into one basket,“he said.
Secretary Ople also praised both agencies for working well together given
their pathetic and miniscule budgets. He said that the budgets of both
the DFA and the DTI reflect the realities of decades ago-- neither
does it reflect a globalizing world nor the increasing number of Filipinos
abroad. He called on both departments to raise their levels of public
diplomacy so that everyone will know the value of their work.
Despite the growing economic threats, including budgetary constraints, the
DFA chief said the Philippine foreign service and trade corps can become
dynamic contributors in the effort to promote trade with the rest of the
world.
“We need to develop synergies within and among departments and coordinate
our efforts more closely so that the work you are doing will fit into the
country’s policies and strategies.”
He added that the continuing presence of foreign trade representatives is
“highly valued,” and that “diminishing their number diminishes the potency
of our economic diplomacy initiatives.” END