The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC, is the premier forum for facilitating economic growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region.

APEC is a regional inter governmental grouping operating on the basis of non-binding commitments, open dialogue and equal respect for the views of all participants. Unlike the WTO or other multilateral trade bodies, APEC has no treaty obligations required of its participants. Decisions made within APEC are reached by consensus and commitments are undertaken on a voluntary basis.

APEC has 21 members – referred to as "Member Economies" – which account for more than a third of the world’s population (2.6 billion people), approximately 60% of world GDP (US$19,254 billion) and about 47% of world trade. It also proudly represents the most economically dynamic region in the world having generated nearly 70% of global economic growth in its first 10 years.

APEC’s 21 Member Economies are Australia; Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Chile; People’s Republic of China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia, Japan; Republic of Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; The Republic of the Philippines; The Russian Federation; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; United States of America; Viet Nam.

APEC: PURPOSE AND GOALS

APEC was established in 1989 to further enhance economic growth and prosperity for the region and to strengthen the Asia-Pacific community.

Since its inception, APEC has worked to reduce tariffs and other trade barriers across the Asia-Pacific region, creating efficient domestic economies and dramatically increasing exports. Key to achieving APEC’s vision are what are referred to as the ‘Bogor Goals’ of free and open trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific by 2010 for industrialised economies and 2020 for developing economies. These goals were adopted by Leaders at their 1994 meeting in Bogor, Indonesia.

APEC seeks to create an enabling environment for the safe and efficient movement of goods, services and people across borders in the region through policy alignment and economic and technical cooperation.

• Progressive reduction of tariffs and other barriers to trade
• Exports increased by 113% to over US$2.5 trillion
• Foreign direct investment grew by 210% overall and by 475% in lower income APEC economies
• Real Gross Domestic Product grew by about third overall and by 74% in lower income APEC economies
• Gross Domestic-Product per person in lower income APEC economies grew by 61%
• 195 million new jobs created in APEC member economies, including 174 million in lower income economies
• Improved and streamlined business travel
• Training and cooperative activities to help micro, small and medium enterprises take advantage of international trade
• Increased access and use of the Internet
• Enhanced security of the people of the region

• A founding member of APEC in 1989
• Advocated for a balanced APEC program on:

- Trade and Investment Liberalization and Facilitation
- Economic and Technical Cooperation

• Trade and Investment liberalization and facilitation

- Manila Action Plan for APEC

• Strengthening of the Multilateral Trading System
• Economic and technical cooperation

- Framework Declaration on Economic Cooperation and Development (1996)
- 1st APEC Ministerial Meeting on Sustainable Development (1996) APEC Ministerial Meeting on - Human Resources Development (1996)
- Manila Framework for Enhanced Regional Cooperation to Promote Financial Stability (1997)
- APEC Agenda for Science and Technology Industry Cooperation into the 21st Century (1998)
- 1st APEC Ministerial Meeting on Women in Development (1998)
- 1st APEC High Level Meeting on Maritime Security Cooperation (2003)
- Symposium on FTAs/RTAs (2002)
- Report on the Social Impact on Financial Crisis

How did the Philippines Advance Economic and Technical Cooperation?

The Economic and Technical Cooperation is guided by the 1996 Declaration on an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Framework for Strengthening Economic and Development (Manila Declaration) which outlined six priority areas:

• Developing Human Capital
• Developing Stable, Safe and Efficient Capital Markets
• Strengthening Economic Infrastructure
• Harnessing Technologies for the Future
• Safeguarding Quality of Life Through Environmentally Sound Growth
• Developing and Strengthening the Dynamism of SME

• A total of 135 projects were implemented
• Approximately 35% of the projects focused on building human capital
• Joint activities such as training and seminars/symposiums remained common tools to facilitate the exchange of information, experience and best practices among member economies
• The Philippines has 53 initiated projects of the 135 implemented projects

In September 2006, upon the recommendation of the Philippines, the APEC SOM agreed to strengthen the ECOTECH Pillar of APEC:

• Strengthening ECOTECH, through the improved implementation of activities, ongoing reform and outreach to the broader community
• Bridging the development gap by promoting sustainable development, SME competitiveness, human resource development, knowledge based and information technology and private development
• Enhancing Human Security

How does APEC Secure the Region’s Trade Against Terrorism?

• Implementation of Secure Trade in the APEC Region Initiative (STAR) which aims to update members on the latest trade and security-related developments in the region including policies, programs, technologies and capabilities, and to improve and increase trade and transportation-related assistance.
• Participation in the APEC Total Supply Chain Security Best Practices which presented experience and know-how in ensuring and enhancing supply chain security such as the management and supervision of the day-to-day security to include cargo security, risk management in cargo handling and processing, importance of access control, profiling and intelligence work in the cargo areas of the airport/seaport.
• Continued implementation of the APEC International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code which provides for ensuring the performance of port facility security duties, controlling access to the port facility, monitoring of the port facility, supervising the handling of cargo, and ensuring security communication is readily available. A tailored Phase 2 of the APEC ISPS Code Implementation Program will be implemented in the Philippines in May 2007.

• Participation in the Joint Oil Data Initiative (JODI) under the APEC Energy Security Initiative Plan exercised among six organizations (APEC, European Union, Latin-American Energy Organization, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and the United Nations Statistical Division)
• Participation in the Real-Time Emergency Information Sharing System, to develop emergency mechanisms and contingency plans, and to move towards best practice for the establishment and management of strategic oil stocks, appropriate to individual economies’ energy situations
• Practice energy diversification strategies to reduce the growth of oil demand, particularly through the increased use of alternative fuels such as biofuels, hydrogen and dimethylether and provide attractive market-based incentives such as privatization of generation and transmission sectors and financing schemes to further diversify away from using oil in power generation, buildings and industry.

Based on Study of Socio-Economic Disparity in the APEC Region conducted by Korea, the following measures for narrowing socio-economic disparity in the region:

• Strengthening Social Safety Nets and Capacity Building

- The APEC symposium on Strengthening Social Safety Nets
- Establishment of HRD working group learning community which supports educational development
- APEC e-Learning Training Program
- Strategic Action Plan for English and other Languages in the APEC region.

• Transparency and Anti-corruption

- Endorsement of the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Deliveries to intensify regional cooperation to deny a safe haven to officials and individuals guilty of corruption, those who corrupt them and their illicitly-acquired assets, and to prosecute those engaged in bribery, including in international business transactions.
- ABAC Anti-corruption pledge by CEOs at the APEC Summit and encouraged public-private partnership in this campaign.
- SME anti-corruption capacity building workshop in February (2006)

• Structural Reform

- Implementation of the APEC-OECD Integrated Checklist on Regulatory Reform
- Sharing of experiences from the self-assessment, Public Sector Governance Seminar
- Study on Trends and Perspectives on Human Capital in APEC and development of structural reform indicators.

CAPITAL: Ha Noi

NATIONAL DAY: September 2, 1945

AREA: 127,246 sq. mi. (329,566 sq. km.)

Vietnam lies in the Southeast Asian intertropical monsoon zone, which differs from other monsoon zones in Asia such as India, China or Japan. This monsoon is characterized by two phenomena. One is the vigorous mass of polar air blowing south, causing a real winter in the north above the 18^th parallel, a winter colder than that in any other region at the same latitude. The other is the strong expansion of an equatorial mass of air to the north bringing humidity. But for this humidity large parts of the country would remain arid, as in other countries at the same latitude in east Asia and east Africa..

As the country is intertropical, the natural environment is tropical in the north and subequatorial in the south, especially south of Qui Nhom.

POPULATION: 84,402,966 (July 2006 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.02% (2006 est.)

LANGUAGE: Vietnamese (official), French, English, Khmer, Chinese

FORM OF STATE: Socialist

HEAD OF STATE: President Nguyen Minh Triet

HEAD OF GOVERNMENT: Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung

RELIGION: Buddhism, Roman Catholic, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, Protestant, Muslim

LITERACY RATE: 93.9% for males, 86.9% for females

Gross Domestic product: 235.2 B (2005 est.) (purchasing power parity)

Per capita GDP: 2,800 (2005 est.)

Real growth rate: 8.5 % (2005 est.)

Principal products: rice, coffee, rubber, cotton, tea, pepper, soy beans, cashews

Labor force: 44.39M (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate: 2.4% (2005 est.)

Major industrial products: processed foods, garments, shoes, coal, steel, cement, chemical fertilizers, glass, tires, oils, paper

Natural resources: phosphates, forests, coal

Major exports: crude oil, marine products, agricultural products

Major imports: machinery and equipment, petroleum, ferti-lizers, steel products, raw cotton, grain, motorcycles

Major trading partners: U.S., China, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, Australia

Currency: Dong

Area : 921 sq. kms.

Population : 3,082,800 inhabitants (2004).
Administrative divisions:

- Districts: Hoan Kiem, Ba Dinh, Dong Da, Hai Ba Trung, Tay Ho, Thanh Xuan, Cau Giay, Long Bien, Hoang Mai
- Rural districts: Dong Anh, Soc Son, Thanh Tri, Tu Liem, Gia Lam
- Ethnic groups: Viet (Kinh), Hoa

Geography:

Ha Noi is located in the Red River Delta, in the center of North Viet Nam. It is encompassed by Thai Nguyen Province to the north, Vinh Phuc and Ha Tay to the west and south, Bac Giang, Bac Ninh and Hung Yen provinces to the east and south-east. Ha Noi means "the hinterland between the rivers" (Ha: river, Noi: interior). Ha Noi’s territory is washed by the Red River (the portion of the Red River embracing Ha Noi is approximately 40km long) and its tributaries, but there are some other rivers flowing through the capital, including Duong, Cau, Ca Lo, Day, Nhue, Tich, To Lich and Kim Nguu.

Climate:

Ha Noi is situated in a tropical monsoon zone with two main seasons. During the dry season, which lasts from October to April, it is cold and there is very little rainfall, except from January to March, when the weather is still cold but there is some light rain. The wet season, from May to September, is hot with heavy rains and storms. The average annual temperature is 23.2ºC (73.7ºF) and the average annual rainfall is 1,800mm. The average temperature in winter is 17.2ºC (62.9ºF), but can go down to 8ºC (46.4ºF). The average temperature in summer is 29.2ºC (84.6ºF, but can reach up to 39ºC (102.2ºF).

History:

Ha Noi is a sacred land of Viet Nam. In the 3rd century BC, Co Loa (actually belonging to Dong Anh District) was chosen as the capital of the Au Lac Nation of Thuc An Duong Vuong (the King Thuc). Ha Noi later became the core of the resistance movements against the Northern invasions. Located in the middle of the Red River Delta, the town has gradually expanded to become a very populations and rich residential center.

At different periods, Ha Noi had been selected as the chief city of Viet Nam under the Northern domination.In the autumn of Canh Tuat lunar years (1010), Ly Thai To, the founder of the Ly Dynasty, decided to transfer the capital from Hoa Lu to Dai La, and so he rebaptized it Thang Long (Soaring Dragon). The year 1010 then became an historical date for Ha Noi and for the whole country in general. For about a thousand years, the capital was called Thang Long, then changing to Dong Do, Dong Kinh, and finally to Ha Noi, in 1831. This sacred piece of land thereafter continued to be the theatre of many fateful events.

Tourism:

Throughout the thousand years of its eventful history, marked by destruction, wars and natural calamities, Ha Noi still preserves many ancient architectural works including the Old Quarter and over 600 pagodas and temples. Famous sites include the One Pillar Pagoda (built in 1042), the Temple of Literature (built in 1070), Ha Noi Citadel, Ha Noi Opera House and President Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum.

Ha Noi also characteristically contains 18 beautiful lakes such as Hoan Kiem Lake, West Lake, and Truc Bach Lake, which are the lungs of the city, with their surrounding gardens and trees providing a vital source of energy.

Many traditional handicrafts are also practiced in Ha Noi including bronze molding, silver carving, lacquer, and embroidery. Ha Noi has many famous traditional professional handicraft villages such as Bat Trang pottery village and Ngu Xa bronze casting village.

Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Viet Nam were established on 12 July 1976, upon the signing of a Joint Communique by Philippine Foreign Minister Carlos P. Romulo and Viet Namese Vice Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs Phan Hien.

The establishment of relations a year after the reunification of Viet Nam was a diplomatic breakthrough for both sides. It created the necessary climate of trust and confidence between the two countries as neighbors in the region.

For the Philippines, it represented an opportunity to implement its government’s thrust towards correcting imbalances in its foreign policy vis-à-vis socialist states. The Philippines also viewed the end of the protracted war in Indochina as an opportune time for countries in the region to finally devote their resources and give priority to the economic and social upliftment of their people.

Bilateral relations between the two countries were guided by the following principles:

1. Respect for each other’s independence, sovereignty, territorial, integrity, non-aggression, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, equality, mutual benefit and peaceful co-existence;
2. Not to allow any foreign country to use one’s territory as area base for direct or indirect aggression and intervention against the other country or other countries in the region;
3. Establishment of friendly and good neighborly relations, economic cooperation and cultural exchanges on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, settlement of disputes among the countries in the region through negotiations in a spirit of equality, mutual understanding and respect;
4. Development of cooperation among the countries in the region for the building of prosperous communities in keeping with each country’s specific conditions for the benefit of genuine independence, peace and neutrality in Southeast Asia, thereby contributing to peace in the world.

On 1 December 1976, the Viet Namese government opened its Embassy in Manila; a few months later, on 20 August 1977, the Philippine Government opened its Embassy in Hanoi.

Since then, there have been a number of high-level visits between the two countries, including the State Visit of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to Viet Nam in 2002, and the State Visit of President Tran Duc Luong to the Philippines in 2001.

The two countries have also evolved several consultative mechanisms. On 28 March 1994, they signed an MOU establishing the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC). The JCBC has met on 3-5 February 1995, 18-22 January 1997, 26-28 February 2003 and, most recently 5-7 November 2005.

The creation of the Joint Permanent Working Group on Maritime and Ocean Concerns (JPWG-MOC) was proposed by the Maritime and Ocean Affairs Center (MOAC) during the 3^rd Meeting of the JCBC. The JPWG-MOC covers mainly marine scientific research, marine environmental protection, safety and security of navigation, and fisheries cooperation and management. Its inaugural meeting was held in Manila from 10 to 12 February 2004, followed by the second meeting in Hanoi from 8 to 13 August 2005. The third meeting was hosted by the Philippines from 1 to 4 March 2006.

Viet Nam became a full member of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) ON 28 July 1995.

• Ranked as RP’s 14^th trading partner, with US$1.08 billion total trade registered in 2005
• Registered as the 15^th export and 4^th import market of the Philippines
• RP exports increased from US$62.4 million in 2001 to US$311.5 million in 2005, an average growth rate of 105.24% for the period under review
• RP’s major export to Viet Nam is storage units, representing 80% of total exports. Others include co-axial cables; mineral and chemical fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium; cathodes and sections of cathodes; electrical wiring harness; and cigarettes and chewing gum.
• Major imports include semi- or wholly milled rice, other materials and accessories for manufacture of products, softdrink bottles, other beet or cane sugar, and copper concentrates.
• During the period under review, the Philippines recorded a negative balance of trade with Viet Nam, except in 2004, wherein it registered a trade surplus of US$240.13.

Several Philippine companies are successfully operating in Viet Nam, including San Miguel Brewery, United Pharma, Liwayway Marketing Corporation, United Robina Corp., and Jollibee Foods Corp.

During the 4^th Meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) from 5-7 November 2005, Viet Nam welcomed the prospect of increased Philippine investment and agreed to create conditions favorable to this. The two sides also agreed to assist each other’s enterprises in exploring investment opportunities by providing them with information and advice on their respective priority areas and investment policies.

III. Filipinos in Viet Nam

Majority of Filipinos in Viet Nam occupy or hold high-level managerial and top executive positions in leading local and international companies, restaurants, hotels, food industry and special infrastructure projects.

For the period January to June 2006, there were approximately 900 Filipinos in Viet Nam, classified according to the following categories:

Source: Office of Asia and Pacific Affairs
Department of Foreign Affairs`1            
November 2006

Native Land : Phu An Commune, Ben Cat District, Binh Duong Village

Education : Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, Political Science

Summary of Professional Career:

1960 – November 1963 Student in Mathematics Faculty, Saigon University.Took part in the Saigon Students’ Movement, joined the revolutionary base and worked in the Saigon-Gia Dinh area.

December 1963 – 1973 Cadre of the Central Committee of the People’s Revolutionary Youth Union and the Youth Mobilization of the Party Central Committee’s Department for South Vietnam; Secretary of the Agency’s Youth Union. Sent to battlefield in My Tho Province.

30 March 1965 Admitted to the Communist Party of Vietnam. He became full Party member on 30 March 1966.

1974 – August 1979 Deputy Director of the Office Department of the Youth Union; Deputy Chief of the Youth Union Central Committee’s Board for Voluntary Young People.

Sept. 1979 – July 1981 Enrolled at the high-level Nguyen Ai Quoc Party School.

July 1981 – Dec. 1987  Head of the Youth Union Central Committee’s Board for Voluntary Young People; Secretary of the Party Committee of the Youth Union Central Committee in Ho Chi Minh City; Member of the Youth Union Central Committee’s Executive Board; Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh; Communist Youth Central Committee; Deputy President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Youth Association.

Jan. 1988 – Sept. 1989 Appointed additional member of the Party Committee of southern Song Be Province.

Oct. 1989 – Dec. 1991 Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Song Be Province. Elected member of the Party Central Committee of the Seventh National Party Congress (June 1991)

Dec. 1991 – Dec. 1996 Member of the Communist Party Central Committee; Secretary of the Party Committee of Song Be Province; elected to the Communist Party Central Committee at the 8^th National Party Congress, and deputy to the 9^th National Assembly.

Jan. 1997 – Dec. 1997 Member of the Communist Party Central Committee; Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee.

Dec. 1997 – Jan. 2000 Elected to the Politburo at the Fourth Conference of the 8^th Party Central Committee; Director of the Central Party Committee’s Commission for Mass Mobilization.

Jan. 2000 – April 2006 Politburo member; Secretary of the HCM City Party Committee; elected to the Communist Party Central Committee and Politburo at the 9^th National Party Congress (April 2001); deputy to the 11^th National Assembly (May 2002), elected to the Communist Party Central Committee and Politburo at the 10^th National Party Congress.

Native Land : Ca Mau City, Ca Mau Province

Education : Bachelor of Law, High-Level Political Theory

Nov. 1961 – Sept. 1981 Served in the Army and the Military Medical Company in the southern province of Rach Gia; Senior Lieutenant, chief Political Officer of Infantry Batallion 207; Captain, Political chief of Infantry Regiment 152, defending the Southwestern border; Major-Head of the Personnel Board of Kien Giang Province’s Military Command.

June 10, 1967 Admitted to the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV)

Oct. 1981 – Dec. 1994 Enrolled at the High-level Nguyen Ai Quoc Party School; Member of the Standing Committee of the Kien Giang Provincial Party Committee’s Organization Board; Secretary of the Ha Tien District Party Committee; Permanent Deputy Secretary, Kien Giang Party Committee and Chairman of Kien Giang People’s Committee; Member of Provincial People’s Council Secretary of the Kien Giang Party Committee; Secretary of the Provincial Military Party Committee; Member of Military Zone 9 Party Committee.

Jan. 1995 – May 1996 Deputy Minister for Home Affairs; Member of Central Police Party Committee

June 1996 – Aug. 1997 Member of the Politburo and Politburo Standing Committee; Director of the CPV central Committee’s Economic Commission, in charge of financial affairs of the CPV.

Sept. 1997 – June 2006 Member of the Politburo; Deputy Secretary of the Government Party Organization; Permanent Deputy Prime Minister; Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam and Secretary of the State Bank of Vietnam Party Organization; chairman of the National Financial and Monetary Council; Head of the Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) Steering Committee; Head of the Southwestern Region Steering Committee; Head of the Party Central Committee Steering Board for Reorganization of State-owned Enterprises; Head of the State Steering Committee for National Key Projects; Head of Party Central Committee Anti-Crime Steering Committee.

BACKGROUND:

Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years later and became independent. It subsequently became one of the world’s most prosperous countries with strong international trading links (its port is the world’s busiest in terms of tonnage handled) and per capita GDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western Europe.

National Day : Independence Day, 9 August (1965)

Constitution : 3 June 1959, amended 1965 (based on Pre-independence State of Singapore Constitution

Population : 4,492,150 (July 2006 est.)

Ethnic Groups : Chinese (76.8%), Malay (13.9%), Indian (7.9%), others (1.4%) – 2005 census

Principal Languages : Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil (official), English (official)

Major Religions : Buddhism (Chinese), Islam (Malays), Catholicism, Hinduism, Taoism

Area : 699.4 square kilometers

Location : Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Capital : Singapore

GOVERNMENT

Type : Parliamentary Republic

Head of State : President S. R. Nathan or Sellapan Ramanathan

Head of Government : Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong

Foreign Minister : Foreign Minister George Yeo

Legislative Branch : Unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

Judicial Branch : Supreme Court (Chief Justice is appointed by the President with the advice of the Prime Minister, other judges are appointed by the President with the advice of the Chief Justice; Court of Appeals)

National Elections : President elected by popular vote for a six-year term; President S.R. Nathan assumed his second term on 17 August 2005 upon failure of other candidates to secure a Certificate of Eligibility. He was likewise proclaimed President without contest in 1999; following legislative election. The leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed Prime Minister by the President; Deputy Prime Ministers appointed by the President).

ECONOMY

Singapore, a highly developed and successful free market economy, enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable prices, and a high per capita GDP. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly on electronics and manufacturing. It was hard hit in 2001-2003 by the global recession and the slump in the technology sector. The government hopes to establish a new growth path that would be less vulnerable to the external business cycle and will continue efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast Asia’s financial and high-tech hub. Fiscal stimulus, low interest rates, a surge in exports, and internal flexibility led to vigorous growth in 2004, with real GDP rising by 8 percent, by far the economy’s best performance since 2000.

Major Industries : electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed food and beverages, offshore platform construction, ship repair, entrepot trade, life sciences

Monetary Unit : Singapore dollar (SGD)

GDP (PPP) : $124.3 billion (2005)

GDP real growth rate : 6.4% (2005)

Per capita (GDP) : $28,100 (2005)

Inflation Rate 0.4% (2005)

Labor Force : 2.28 million ( September 2005 est.)

Unemployment Rate : 3.1% (2005)

Current Account Balance : $32.74 billion (2005)

Imports : $188.3 billion (2005)

Import Partners : Malaysia (14.4%), US (12.4%), China (10.8%), Japan (10.1%), Taiwan (6.2%), Saudi Arabia (4.7%) and Korea (4.5%) (2005 est.)

Exports : $204.8 billion (2005)

Export Partners : Malaysia (14.7%), US (11.5%), Hong Kong (10.4%), China (9.5%), Japan (6%), Thailand (4.5%), Taiwan (4.3%) and Australia (4.1%) (2005 est.)

He studied at the University of Cambridge on a President’s Scholarship and a Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Scholarship. He graduated in 1974 with First Class Honours in Mathematics and a Diploma in Computer Science (with distinction).

In 1979, he attended the Mid-Career Programme at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

He joined the Singapore Armed Forces in 1971. In 1984, he left the SAF as a Brigadier-General to enter politics.

He was elected Member of Parliament in 1984, and re-elected in 1988, 1991, 1997 and 2001.

He was elected to the Central Executive Committee of the People’s Action Party in 1986. He is currently the First Assistant Secretary-General.

He was appointed Deputy Prime Minister by Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong in November 1990. His responsibilities include economic and civil service matters. He was appointed Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore in January 1998 while retaining his other responsibilities.

On 23 November 2001, he was appointed Minister for Finance. On 12 August 2004, he was sworn in as Prime Minister. He remains the Minister for Finance but has handed the chairmanship of the Monetary Authority of Singapore to Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

The Philippines opened a consulate in Singapore in 1966, the year after Singapore achieved independence. Full diplomatic relations were established in August 1969 with the upgrade of the consulate to an embassy.

Bilateral relations have been cultivated through frequent exchanges of visits by high-ranking officials. Bilateral meetings have been held at the sidelines of annual meetings such as the ASEAN Ministers’ Meeting, the United Nations General Assembly, and the ASEAN Summit, among others.

Secretary Romulo met with PM Lee, Pres. Nathan and FM Yeo on separate occasions to discuss the current state of bilateral trade between the Philippines and Singapore and the possibility of having more Singaporean investments in the country. The meetings also served as an opportunity to convey President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s appreciation for Singapore’s fair and good treatment of Filipinos in Singapore.

Secretary Romulo informed the Singapore Leaders of the preparations of the Philippines for the 12^th ASEAN Summit in Cebu in December. He sought Singapore’s support for the Philippine initiatives for the Summit. In doing so, he underlined the need for Singapore and the Philippines to work closely together for the next two years since Singapore is the Vice Chair of ASEAN.

Foreign Minister Yeo met with Secretary Romulo at the sidelines of the 39^th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They shared their views on the entry of Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships (ReCAAP) as well as the bilateral agreement on mutual cooperation on the deployment of air marshals.

Furthermore, Foreign Minister Yeo gave some views and ideas on how the Philippines should host the ASEAN Summit in December as well as that of the East Asia Summit (EAS).

Foreign Minister Yeo discussed with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo the possible participation of Singapore’s SingPower in the bidding of Transco and the holding of bilateral talks on the air services agreement for tourism promotion. They also discussed ASEAN matters like the drafting of the ASEAN Charter and the East Asia Summit (EAS) membership.

Foreign Minister Yeo met with Secretary Romulo to discuss ASEAN issues like Myanmar, ASEAN integration, membership in EAS as in the case of Russia, the ASEAN Charter as a statement of ASEAN’s political will, and the possible creation of an ASEAN Maritime Forum. They also discussed the proposed Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with Singapore in which the Department of National Defense will draft.

They also signed the Confidential Memorandum of Understanding (CMU) on Mutual Cooperation on the Deployment of Air Marshal on the same day, which seeks to strengthen international law enforcement on aviation security pursuant to international conventions and protocols.

Prime Minister Lee met with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Senate President Franklin M. Drilon, House Speaker Jose De Venecia Jr., and Senator Richard Gordon. He and his delegation also had an expanded bilateral meeting with President Arroyo and representatives of key government agencies.

During his meeting with President Arroyo, both leaders discussed initiatives to enhance Philippines-Singapore bilateral relations. Among the initiatives discussed were the expansion of air linkages, the entry of budget airlines, tourism, counter-terrorism, defense, Philippine domestic reforms, and the peace process in Mindanao.

The expanded bilateral meeting covered trade, investments, tourism, air services, information technology, defense cooperation, ASEAN integration, counter-terrorism, and Filipinos in Singapore.

The meeting with the legislative officials focused on Singapore investing more in the Philippines, addressing the security situation of the Philippines, the proposals of establishing an Asian parliament, the establishment of a fund that will finance reforestation projects in the Philippines, housing programs, and the Asian Anti-Poverty Fund.

Discussions during the 1^st Consultations on the PSAP covered the following: a) strengthening ASEAN to make it more responsive in engaging the powers in the region; b) the relocation of the Bayanihan Center, and c) the direct communication of agencies implementing bilateral initiatives such as those on culture, people-to-people exchanges, education, information technology, tourism, capital market development, economic cooperation, and military cooperation.

Secretary Romulo and Foreign Minister George Yeo discussed the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in December 2004, the improvement of trade and commercial ties, the possibility of Singapore establishing more industrial parks in the Philippines similar to that of the Carmelray Industrial Park II, Philippine support for Singapore’s bid to host the Information Sharing Center for Anti-Piracy in Asia and the Pacific, President Arroyo’s ten-point agenda and eight-point realities, the importance of ASEAN, and the progress of peace and development efforts in Mindanao.

Former Secretary Albert met with then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and then Foreign Minister S. Jayakumar.

Discussions with Prime Minister Goh concentrated on his concerns over developments in Indonesia and Malaysia, particularly the changes in leadership and the role of Islam.

In her meeting with Foreign Minister Jayakumar, they discussed the healthy economic and political relationship of the two countries, the fight against terrorism, the early convening of the informal consultations on the PSAP, and the construction of a new MRT line that will affect the Bayanihan Center in Singapore, among others.

III. Philippines-Singapore Bilateral Trade and Investment

Source: DTI-Tradeline Philippines

Singapore remains the Philippines’ largest trading partner in Southeast Asia and the 14^th in the world. As of December 2005, bilateral trade with Singapore grew to US$6.30, accounting for 7.32% of Philippines’ total trade with the world. Exports to Singapore reached US$2.7B or 6.56% of total Philippine exports to the world. On the other hand, the Philippines imported from Singapore about US$3.59B or 8% of total Philippine imports from the world. Electronic products continued to dominate bilateral trade, accounting for about 67% of trade volume. This is due to complementary collaboration between both countries in the electronics manufacturing chain.

The Philippines posted negative trade balance with Singapore for 2005 as with 2004. This negative growth mainly reflected a more moderate world demand for electronics. Although worldwide semiconductor sales remained healthy for the rest of 2004, growth slowed sharply end of the year. Slowdown in the global semiconductor cycle, concerns over competition in China and lingering high oil prices also influenced the extent of moderation.

Investments

Foreign Direct Investments of Singapore to the Philippines

National Statistical Coordination Board

According to DTI, Singapore continues to be the Philippines’ largest direct investment source from ASEAN for the period 2000-2005. The year 2001 saw the huge inflow of investments from Singapore, amounting to Pesos 15,769.60 million. While this amount has yet to be surpassed or repeated, Singapore investors nonetheless continue to show confidence in the Philippine economy.

Examples of Singapore companies that are present in the Philippines:

1. Singapore Computer Systems Ltd. joined Telus International Inc. of Canada to set-up a joint venture company called TISCS Pte. Ltd. to invest in a 70% interest in Ambergris Solutions Inc, a Philippine homegrown call center in February 2006.
2. Sembcorp Logistics, one of the largest Singapore logistics company, tied-up with Macro Asia Corporation to form Semblog-Macroasia Philippines to provide supply chain solutions to service manufacturing companies located in the Philippines.
3. SIA Engineering and Cebu Pacific Air in Line Maintenance Services Joint Venture known as Aviation Partnership (Philippines) Corporation to provide line maintenance service to third party customers.
4. Singtel also increased its stake in Globe Telecom to 44.6% to become its biggest stakeholder.
5. Prima Taste, a Singaporean manufacturer of ready-to-cook pastas and premixes, opened its second concept restaurant called "Rasa."
6. BreadTalk
7. Charles & Keith and Mphosis, a ladies footwear and a ladies fashion boutique respectively, continued to expand their business.
8. Jetstar Asia.
9. Tiger Airways.
10. Keppel Land, a Singaporean real estate developer, and SM Group in a joint venture known as SM Keppel Land to develop a mixed-use development project in Ortigas Center which includes The Podium, an upscale shopping mall.

The Philippines-Singapore Business Council (PSBC) was formed in 1994 as a platform for senior business executives from both countries to promote greater business cooperation. It continues to be one of the most active business councils in the Philippines. Apart from meeting annually, the Council also actively supports and organizes activities to foster closer interactions between the private sectors of both countries.

The 9^th PSBC meeting was held in Shangri-La Mactan Hotel in Cebu on 8 November 2004. International Enterprise Singapore, formerly known as Singapore Trade Development Board, organized a five-day mission to Cebu and Metro Manila to coincide with the meeting.

IV. Filipinos in Singapore, 2006 estimates

Estimated number of overseas Filipinos in Singapore as of June 2006

Distribution of Filipinos according to profession as of June 2006

Singapore Laws Affecting Foreign Workers in Singapore

Beginning 2005, the Singapore Ministry of Manpower (MoM) introduced the following changes in the city-state’s labor laws and regulations affecting foreign workers:

MoM increased the minimum age requirement for foreign domestic workers (FDWs) from 16 to 23 years old and introduced a minimum requirement of 8 years of formal education and documentary proof of such.

MoM introduced the FDW Safety Awareness Course (FDW-SAC) in April 2005 for all FDWs in Singapore. The FDW-SAC seeks to raise the awareness of FDWs on domestic safety (with focus on living in high-rise buildings), inform them of their basic rights and obligations, and orient them to their new life in the city-state. A FDW guidebook was also provided. A Tagalog version of it will be produced in 2006 with the assistance of the Philippine Embassy in Singapore.

MoM also introduced a program for first-time employers to sensitize them to issues affecting FDWs. It includes the following:

1. Entry test requirements for FDWs to ensure that they understand basic safety instructions, numeracy, and English literacy skills; and

2. Ensuring payment of salaries of foreign manpower within seven days after the month for which work was done.

V. Concluded Bilateral Agreements

A. Convention between the Republic of the Philippines and the Republic of Singapore for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income, signed at Manila, 1 August 1977.

B. Implementing arrangement to the Agreement between the Republic of the Philippines and the Republic of Singapore for the Stationing of a Republic of Singapore Air Force Detachment at Clark Air Base for Continuation Training, signed in Manila on 25 and 26 July 1979.

C. Exchange of Notes concerning the arrangement for the stationing of Royal Singapore Air Force Detachment (RSAFD) to undergo continuation training of the RSAF Pilots at Clark Air Force Base, dated 10 September 1976 and 16 January 1979, signed in Manila and entered into force in 16 January 1979

D. Exchange of Notes amending the arrangement made in the Basic Agreement in the form of Exchange of Notes dated 10 September 1976 and 16 January 1979 concerning the stationing of a Republic of Singapore Air Force Detachment (RSAFD) at Clark Air Base for continuation training of the RSAF Pilots, dated 8 June 1979 and 3 July 1979, signed in Manila and entered into force 3 July 1979.

E. Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Singapore and the Government of the Philippines concerning the Participation of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) in Cope Thunder Exercise 84-4, signed in Manila on 8 December 1983 and 12 December 1983.

F. Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Government of Singapore concerning participation of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) in Cope Thunder Exercise 87-2, signed in Manila on 3 and 5 October 1986.

G. Memorandum of Understanding on Joint Military Exercise between the Republic of the Philippines and the Republic of Singapore, signed in Manila, 5 May 1994.

H. Memorandum of Understanding on Cultural Cooperation between the National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Arts Council of the Republic of Singapore, signed in Manila, on 10 June 1997.

I. Philippine-Singapore Action Plan signed on 14 December 1998

J. Memorandum of Understanding between the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the National Arts Council on the Philippines-Singapore Cultural Cooperation Programme, signed in Singapore, on 25 August 2001.

K. Memorandum of Understanding between the Republic of the Philippines and the Republic of Singapore on Tourism Cooperation, signed in Singapore, on 25 August 2001.

L. Undertaking between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Government of the Republic of Singapore Concerning the Recognition of Certificates Under Regulation I/10 of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978, as Amended, signed in Singapore, on 25 August 2001.

M. Confidential Memorandum of Understanding on Air Transport between the Republic of the Philippines and the Republic of Singapore, signed in Singapore, on 25 August 2001.