MANILA, Philippines - Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario raised the DFA profile a notch higher by going to where foreign ministers feared to tread... and lead OFWs out of Libya. The Brits used their commandos to bring out their 150 nationals.
Please don't send our SWAT.
SINGAPORE, ANYONE? P-Noy tut-tuts Sen. Bongbong's boast that Marcos Sr. would have made the Philippines a Singapore.
No way that these 7,107 islands with 13 indigenous languages (Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilokano, Hiligaynon, Waray, Capampangan, Bicol, Albay Bicol, Pangasinan, Maranao, Maguindanao, Kinaray-a, and Tausug) could ever be a Singapore. But the Philippines could have several Singapores.
When then Foreign Affairs Secretary Robert R. Romulo took DFA senior officials to team-building at Subic, I asked why that enclave under Dick Gordon was as good as (if not better than) when the Americans left it.
Where Quick Lip Dick failed was in being distracted by the national picture, instead of concentrating on Olongapo.
Lee Kwan Yew succeeded in bite-size Singapore. He might not have the same success in pan-Malay federation.
SBMA... Clark... EPZA...even Marikina, Cebu, Makati, etc. - if their CEO were given a free hand - could be a Singapore.
Each of these enclaves would have the exceptional advantage that Singapore doesn't own...available inexhaustible resource of management and manpower.
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE? China does it with Shenzhen, Pudong, Guangzhou, etc.
Following Presidential Chief Trouble-Shooter Mar Roxas's impasse, Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte says that POEA is exploring for OFWs alternatives to Taiwan. Really? At a time of disturbed Middle East?
METROPOLITAN. MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino taps British expert Stefan Trinder to solve Metro Manila traffic. Don't even think of driving on the left side of the road.
MMDA decries huge mess post EDSA 25th year commemoration. Next time, provide enough trash cans.
GOOD NEWS. Global banking giant Citigroup identified the Philippines as one of 10 most promising countries to benefit from integrated economy in terms of investments in the next 40 years.
We heard that before...50 years ago, the Philippines was as the brightest promise of Asia, second only to Japan... 25 years later (and 25 years ago), the promise of EDSA. This "promising young man" is nearing senior citizenship... Feedack: jaz_aide@yahoo.com
