Former President Fidel V. Ramos yesterday pushed for the revitalization of the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) and the establishment of a free trade area within the larger but still evolving Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Free Trade Area (AFTA).

Ramos arrived from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, where he led a Philippine trade delegation to the Sabah International Business Conference (SIBC 2004) and Sabah International Trade Exposition 2004 (SITE 2004)

Ramos, who is widely acknowledged to be the "Father of BIMP-EAGA," a concept he has advocated since October 1992, is now working for a free trade area within AFTA.

He called upon the BIMP governments to play the "catalytic role" to revitalize the growth polygon by accelerating necessary reforms in key areas like air, sea and land transport, customs, quarantine, immigration, and safety standards, to foster freer movement of goods and services and promote the greater integration of people and economies of EAGA.

In his keynote speech at the SIBC 2004, Ramos said, "This is the kind of economic complementation we must seek through EAGA which reflects the globalization of business now happening in many other similar natural economic clusters around the world. Our abundant natural resources, proximity to the world's largest markets, as well as its vast pool of eager-to-learn young people, skilled workers, and professionals could become EAGA's ingredient for success."

The SIBC 2004 was attended by more than 350 government and business leaders and entrepreneurs and served as the prelude to SIE 2004, a major biennial event supported by the nations in the region.

The 24 countries represented during the multisectoral trade and investment exposition were China, Japan, Australia, Indonesia, Brunei, United Kingdom, South Korea, Poland, Mexico, Italy, Belgium, Uzbekistan, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa and Taiwan.

The 50-strong Philippine delegation led by Chairman Antonio Santos of the Mindanao Business Council, Sarangani Gov. Miguel Dominguez, Sulu Gov. Benjamin Loong, Tawi-Tawi Gov. Sadikul Sahali, and top Palawan tourism leaders occupied four out of the 150 display booths, presenting products and services in agriculture, manufacturing, construction, tourism, travel, and information technology.

SIE 2004's main focus is the development of business and trade within BIMP-EAGA as well as with other international trading partners. It also provided an excellent setting for neworking among the participating enterprises and other guests.

During the event, Ramos held one-on-one talks and exchanged views on current issues on trade, security, travel, tourism, education, small and medium enterprises and other common concerns with government leaders, particularly Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji AMan, Minister of Industrial Development Ewon Ebin, former Deputy Chief Minister Clare Martin of the Northern Territory of Australia, and University of Malaysia-Sabah Vice Chancellor Tan Sri Abu Hassan.

As chairman of RPDEV and the Board Forum for Asia (BFA) board of directors, and as member of the governing or advisory boards of other international economic and strategic forums, Ramos pursues his commitment to people empowerment, environmental protection, economic diplomacy, democratic governance, and Asia-Pacific security, in order to attract invertments, trade, tourism, technology transfer, and other forms of socioeconomic co-operation beneficial to the Asia-Pacific region in general and to the Philippiens in particular.

Taken from Manila Bulletin 12th September 2004