The ASEAN economic agenda and the Philippines' fiscal condition

Last week, on Feb. 24, I attended the ASEAN Editors and Economic Opinion Leaders Forum at the Fairmont Hotel in Makati. Organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), it was a huge forum with a huge audience.

- BIENVENIDO S. OPLAS, JR.

I counted five Cabinet Secretaries who spoke there DTI Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque, Finance Secretary Frederick Go, Education Secretary Sonny Angara, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin, and Information and Communication Technology Secretary Henry Aguda.

Executive Secretary Ralph Recto was supposed to give a keynote speech in the morning and Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Dave Gomez was supposed to speak in the last panel discussion in the afternoon. Perhaps President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. asked them to work in their offices instead as he himself faced the audience and foreign officials.

The president spoke in the afternoon, not with a prepared speech but rather in a one-on-one interview with veteran broadcaster Rico Hizon. The President did not even glance at his prepared notes. It was the first time I had seen and heard him speak in a spontaneous set up, and I was pleasantly surprised and impressed he was very articulate and knowledgeable about many issues and reform items. From the territorial dispute in the South China Sea (he did not use the term "West Philippine Sea"), to incentives to attract more foreign investments, from reducing the burden of bureaucracy for business, to expanding our exports, from potential candidates for President in 2028, to the ASEAN chairmanship, and much more.