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By Angelo S. Samonte, Reporter
President Gloria Arroyo left Tuesday for the
World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, where she will
look for global support for the Mindanao peace process, poverty
alleviation, and the antiterror campaign.
More than 2,500 participants from 88
countries—including 27 heads of state or government, 113 Cabinet
members, and leaders of religious, media and nongovernmental
organizations—are expected to attend the forum.
President Arroyo is also expected to address the
high-level plenary session of the Swiss Congress.
Mrs. Arroyo said the Philippines’ global
engagement strategy is intended to achieve a robust foreign policy,
the central pillars of the country’s plan for a safe and strong
Philippines.
While the government is adopting this strategy,
the President said there is a need to further boost the domestic
economy to cushion the possible impacts of spiraling fuel prices and
the sagging US economy that may affect the Philippines.
“At the WEF in Davos in Switzerland, we will
meet with a number of world leaders, political and business, who are
partners with the Philippines in bringing peace to Mindanao, aid
assistance to our poor, and global security in the fight against
terrorism,” Mrs. Arroyo said.
”Another central goal of our trip is to
continue the relentless promotion of the Philippines as a good place
to invest and do business,” she added.
Mrs. Arroyo boasted of her administration’s
efforts to bring in foreign investments into the country, and said
the country is now on its way to sustained economic growth.
After her trip to Davos, the President will
visit the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where there are many overseas
Filipino workers. Mrs. Arroyo said she will work to ensure a
positive working environment for them.
Besides addressing labor and diplomatic issues,
the UAE trip “will also take us to the Arabian Gulf and the
Emirates of Dubai, where we will meet with top businessmen from all
over the Gulf and the leaders of UAE, a government that’s played
an important role in global … investment and energy resources,”
she said.
Dialogue with bishops
Meanwhile, Several Cabinet officials have met
with the bishops from different parts of the country to discuss
major issues, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said.
“The meeting is part of regular consultations
with the bishops,” he explained.
“They asked for the need to look into the
poverty situation of our people, greater productivity, more food for
the poor, and also the need for faster action on cases pertaining to
agrarian reform. The bishops are really concerned,” Ermita added.
In its 2007 report to Mrs. Arroyo, the
Department of Agrarian Reform said it seeks to remedy poverty and
improve productivity by improving tenure or leasehold arrangements
for farmers and effecting better conditions for farm workers on
lands covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, but not
yet acquired by government.
As of end 2007, Agrarian Reform department has
placed 19,613 hectares under leasehold, involving 8,459 agrarian
reform beneficiaries, Pangandaman said.
Cabinet Secretary Ricardo Saludo described the
meeting with bishops as “fruitful,” adding that the initiative
is part of efforts to consult with different groups.
“There were certainly remarks of appreciation
coming from both sides on the work we do,” he said.
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