Staying proudly Filipino amid Asean integration

a free flow of goods, services, investments, capital, and skilled labor between and among Asean

Some sectors claim that only big businesses, particularly those which can afford overseas expan trade. The ordinary Filipino will services and skilled labor. Why the various Asean agreements towards this end.

The Asean Framework Agree ment on Services ( AFAS) was drawn up in 1995 and amended in 2003. The members agreed a substantial number of sectors which is in fact until 2015.Each cation or experience obtained, requirements met, or licenses or member state, for the purpose of licensing or certification of service suppliers.

PH schedule of commitments

The Philippines, just like other member states, has its own schedule of commitments. For example, pertinent to foreign natural persons, our country committed that “upon recommendation of the concerned Professional Regulatory Board ( PRB), the PRC [ Professional Regulations Commission] may approve registration of and of registration/ license and professional identification card with or without examination to a foreigner who is registered under the laws of his state/ country and whose certificate of registration issued therein has not been suspended/ revoked.”

accounting firms, are likewise allowed to practice freely in our land. As part of its schedule of commitments, the Philippines pledged to allow market access to “single practitioners and part nerships for public accountancy practice [ which] shall be regis tered Certified Public Accoun tants in the Philippines.”

The permission for foreigners to practice a profession here is not limited to accountants. Simi larly, “foreign engineers may be admitted to take the board exam/ tion/ be entitled to rights and cally permits Filipino engineers to practice within its territorial limits on same basis as subjects/

Unimpeded employment of foreign professionals and 100 per cent foreign equity participation in consultancy services related to the installation of computer hardware and software implementation ser vices is likewise promised by the Philippines. Will this mean the death of local Filipino information technology companies?

In fact, even menial services, like repair services of electrical house cleaning services can be awarded to foreign service providers. What will happen to the neighborhood

Romulo’s

We are now at the midstream of progress – within the Asean locally and with the global community. There are fears that the Filipino, historically, culturally, and economically will be lost to the surging tides of foreign domination. Who could resist buying imported goods at a lower price than the locally produced ones? Will these foreign goods and services alter our mindset and infect us even with foreign history and culture? Wail not for we are Filipinos. lo’s most famous literary work—

to rekindle in me our national identity in the middle of these Asean activities. Romulo is still alive and apt for these modern times.

In case the readers have forgot ten, it starts with this:

“I am a Filipino–inheritor of a glorious past, hostage to the uncer tain future. As such I must prove of meeting my responsibility to the past, and the task of performing my obligation to the future.”

Where are we at this midstream of progress? Romulo answered,

“At the vanguard of progress in this part of the world I stand–a but not one defeated and lost. For, through the thick, interlac ing branches of habit and custom above me, I have seen the light of the sun, and I know that it is good. I have seen the light of justice and equality and freedom, my heart has been lifted by the vision of democracy, and I shall not rest until my land and my people shall have been blessed by these, beyond the power of any man or nation to subvert or destroy.”

Finally, an ending that should be

“I am a Filipino born to free dom, and I shall not rest until freedom shall have been added unto my inheritance—for myself and my children and my children’s children—forever.”