Welcoming our visitors

As you read this, finance chiefs and other monetary and economic officials from around the world are gathered in Manila for the 45th annual meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank.

Meeting for four days (until May 5) at the PICC and SMX Convention Center, some 4,000 participants, among them government officials, representatives of multilateral lending institutions like the World Bank, international bankers and officials of multinational companies, will decide on the priority areas deserving of bank assistance while taking part in seminars on development and other concerns.

A refreshing development is the use of wireless information technology to allow even outsiders to follow events during the meeting, and to access background information, giving the public “a flavor of ADB’s organization, its operations and annual meetings.” Ordinary folk can even post comments and ask questions to meeting participants through an “app” or application providing links to the meeting, or through social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook. Users of the app, said a news report, could also participate virtually in the seminar through a live webcast, with moderators able to include their questions and comments in the discussions.

This should “open up” the meeting, which to ordinary citizens of member-countries has been previously an ultra-secret affair, with the process by which policies and programs are created kept hidden from public view and scrutiny. While majority of ADB’s projects are directed at poor and least-developed areas in the region, the greater transparency with which officials have decided to conduct this year’s meetings should allow at least the “connected” to listen in and share their thoughts on plans for Asia’s future.

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Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima has described the ADB meeting as the country’s “coming out” party, an opportunity “to showcase the dividends of good governance and its role in building an economy.”

As with any party, especially when the country is playing host to the world’s financial movers and shakers, the government is rolling out the red carpet and making sure the participants not only hold a meaningful and successful meeting, but also come away with a positive experience which, it is hoped, will translate into an improved global image for the Philippines.

Already, social and business leaders have been tapped to host dinners in their homes for the visiting officials, giving guests a taste of the vaunted Filipino hospitality, and perhaps launching an informal competition for the title of “host with most” among the country’s elite.

The government has also tapped luxury car maker BMW to provide cars for the use of the visiting dignitaries. According to the grapevine, BMW was chosen because it came up with an offer too good to refuse. BMW would offer the use of the brand-new units for free, and after the meeting would offer them for sale at a substantial discount, by as much as a million pesos cheaper, I’ve heard.

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A younger relative, who works with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, is taking part in the meeting as a “guide” for one of the visiting country delegations. He actually auditioned for the job, joining about a hundred other hopefuls who competed in terms of social graces, knowledge of official protocol, English proficiency, knowledge of the country’s geography, history and current affairs, and general conviviality. The guides will also be at the visitors’ beck and call, billeted in the hotels hosting the delegation during the duration of the meeting.

This certainly is a big deal, and a chance for the Philippines to impress the world’s financial community not just with hospitality, sight-seeing, cultural opportunities and great food, but also in terms of efficiency and competence. This is a chance to make a splash on the world stage, and to convince future investors and development partners that the Philippines is worth their attention and cooperation, that we can make things happen and can clean up our act.

Even if we’re not getting anywhere near the PICC or SMX in the next few days, let’s do everything we can to make our visitors feel welcome!

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It barely made the news, but a recent order by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has far-reaching consequences for the administration of justice in this country.

De Lima has ordered prosecutors to stop collecting fees from complainants seeking to file cases before the courts.

The justice secretary revoked a department circular issued in 2004 by then Secretary Raul Gonzalez allowing the National Prosecution Service to charge fees from litigants, even the poor and unlettered.

Lawyer-friends had long complained about this practice, as it practically slammed the door shut on needy complainants who could not cough up the money to pay for filing a complaint, however legitimate, even if access to justice is a basic right of any citizen, rich or poor. Individuals who wanted to file a case had to pay as much as P5,000, which was then used to fund the special allowances of state prosecutors. De Lima said she revoked the order since the salaries of prosecutors had already been raised by 100 percent with the implementation of the Salary Standardization Law.

“We feel that filing a case, especially if you’re really a victim of injustice, should not be subjected to any premium,” De Lima told reporters.

This is certainly a meaningful step towards improving ordinary citizens’ access to justice. And the truly astonishing thing is that it took a simple step like revoking a department circular to achieve it. De Lima has been embroiled in headline-hogging controversies since she took office, but this unheralded step may yet prove the most meaningful of her term.