ASEAN: Ebola Preparedness

Ministerial meeting was held at Bangkok and was participated by 13 ASEAN countries. High level
health care officials from 10 ASEAN countries plus China, Japan and South Korea and discussed about
Ebola preparedness and how the 13 countries could form a network to control the deadly virus in Asia.

ASEAN Awardee for Agriculture Excellence

Mr. Rogelio Espejo Jr., won over numerous nominees in the ASEAN Region and is the only
Filipino to bag the Excellence in Agriculture Award for Community and Rural Development for this year.
According to Mr. Espejo, the basis of his proclamation as an ASEAN Awardee for Agriculture Excellence,
is the agricultural technology formulated by agriculturists like himself, which benefited the many.
According to Mr. Espejo, the Philippines has the potential to become a top rice-exporting country in the
ASEAN Region if only the technocrats or agricultural experts from the said country would strive hard to
educate the Filipino farmers about it. Mr. Espejo further advised the farmers and those in the
agriculture sectors to be persistent in learning and never hesitate to seek advices from experts from the
different fields of agriculture in order for the Philippines to become competitive in the upcoming ASEAN
Integration.

The Importance of Freedom of Information

The Right to Information is a universally recognized principle essential to participative

governance. One way in which the countries can win the war against corruption is through the use of
public information. Recently, the Asia Society conducted a forum which was held to provide a better
understanding of Freedom of Information and its implications towards society. With the right
information, countries can combat public officials and government institutions from taking advantage
over its citizens. According to India’s Central Information Commissioner, Mr. Shri Yashovardhan Azad,
the Philippine government should adopt the appellate mechanism for information concerns and he
further added that the Right to Information is essential for democracy to thrive. He also stated that in
democracy, knowledge is a public resource which people should have access to. Mr. Azad also added
that participative governance is the key of good governance today.

Issues on China-PHL-ASEAN Relations

According to Field of Foreign Relations Expert and Former Ambassador Apolinario Lozada Jr., as
the China’s sphere of economic influence to other Asian countries continues to expand, their expertise is
in demand by other countries that are developing their own economic projects. The Spratly Islands
dispute was also discussed, and according to Mr. Lozada, the basis of the Philippines’ claim is the legal
aspect whereas China’s is based on the historical aspect. Mr. Lozada stressed that the Philippines may
not be able to agree but can always agree to disagree, but this should not be the main factor in
determining the relations, understanding and friendship between two Asian brothers and sisters. He
stated that the Philippines’ approach in the political solution for the mentioned dispute was
unsatisfactory inasmuch as all our diplomatic means should have been exhausted without antagonizing
the other party. Even though we claim that all countries are equal, we should not overlook the
magnitude of our problems especially with regards to the lives of the Filipinos as well as to our economic
development.

ASEAN China Relations: Prospects and Challenges with ASEAN Integration 2015

According to Field of Foreign Relations Expert and Former Ambassador Apolinario Lozada Jr., the
most important question that we should really address is, has China given up its priority over ASEAN?
Which will prevail, the ASEAN Policy as one or the individual bilateral realtions? Mr. Lozada is more
concerned with the bilateral aspect. He stated that the ASEAN is a country with 10 subdivisions and each
of the subdivisions has the independence in their policies with regards to their relations with other
states outside ASEAN.