Econ integration in Asia up for forum discussion

Realizing economic integration in Asia will be tackled by experts in a conference set on Wednesday, Nov. 8, at the Makati Shangri-la Hotel.

The one-day summit with the theme “ASEAN leadership amid a new world order” will also discuss the issue of strengthening the socio-cultural foundation of ASEAN cooperation.

This was announced by Dindo Manhit, president of Stratbase ADR Institute, a private think tank and host of the forum.

Former ambassador Albert del Rosario, chairman of Stratbase, will keynote the conference that will be attended by distinguished leaders in security, economics and international affairs from different countries.

The first session of the conference will tackle “Protecting the ASEAN Community from Evolving Political-Security Challenges.” Stratbase partnered with the Philippines Inc. and US-Philippines Strategic Initiative to facilitate the session.

Manhit said the topic is relevant as the Asia-Pacific region continues to cope with threats to the stability of inter-state relations and to the welfare and ways of life of its people.

“For Southeast Asia, the challenge in the South China Sea persists, as states trade moves aimed at improving their respective positions in the waterways. In this panel, we focus on the state of play in the disputes, and how the affected countries intend to pursue avenues of cooperation that reduce the risk of violence and escalation, such as the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea, and promote the peace and stability of the region such as through cooperation on maritime humanitarian and search and rescue activities,” Manhit said.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana will keynote the first session, which will have four other panel speakers, including Dr. Renato De Castro, a professor at the International Studies Department of the De La Salle University and a trustee of Stratbase; Gregory Poling, director of Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative; Dr. Masashi Nishihara, president of Research Institute for Peace and Security (Japan); and Dr. Jay Batongbacal, director of the University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea.

The second session, in partnership with Asia Society, will take place in the afternoon to tackle “Strengthening the Socio-Cultural Foundations of ASEAN Cooperation.”

To expound on the issue, former foreign affairs secretary Roberto Romulo, who now serves as chairman of Carlos P. Romulo Foundation, will keynote the second session that will have three other panelists, including Prof. Yorizumi Watanabe from the Faculty of Policy Management, Graduate School of Media and Governance of Keio University; Aekapol Chongvilaivan, country economist for the Philippines at the Asian Development Bank; and former trade secretary Gregory Domingo, who is now governor for the Philippines of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia.