The Philippines Conference @ CSIS

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the U.S.-Philippines Society hosted a select and high-level group of experts and senior policy makers for The Philippines Conference @ CSIS on September 26. The program will be held at the Capital Hilton, 1001 16th Street, NW, Washington D.C.

Our co-sponsor, the U.S.-Philippines Society, launched last June with the visit of President Benigno Aquino, is committed to raise the profile of the Philippines in the United States.  

Keynote speeches were given by Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert Del Rosario, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, and Secretary of Finance Cesar Purisima and covered three key themes:

i. Defining Philippine Foreign Policy
ii. Governance & The Role of Rule of Law in the Philippines
iii. Taking the Philippine Economy to the Next Level

The center of gravity for U.S. foreign policy, national security, and economic interests is shifting to Asia and the United States is thinking more strategically about Southeast Asia in particular. The Philippines, a key ally for the United States, plays an integral role in economic and political developments in the region. Our two nations share common interests and efforts in a wide range of substantive policy areas including trade and investment, regional security, science and technology, education, and transnational issues such as anti-piracy, non-proliferation, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and sustainable environmental policies. Many of these issues are part of the ongoing discussion between the two countries.

BIOGRAPHIES

ALBERT F. DEL ROSARIO

SECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Republic of the Philippines

The Honorable Albert F. del Rosario was born in Manila on November 14, 1939 and has worked for both the private sector and government. He attended Xavier High School in New York City and subsequently graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics.

Secretary Del Rosario's business career spanned a vast field which included insurance, banking, real estate, shipping, telecommunications, consumer products, retail, pharmaceutical, and food industries, among others. He was member of the board and director of various firms prior to entering public service as Philippine Ambassador to the United States in Washington D.C.

For more information, please visit Secretary Rosario’s profile on the Department of Foreign Affairs website.

LEILA DE LIMA

SECRETARY OF JUSTICE

Republic of the Philippines

The Honorable Leila de Lima has been Secretary of Justice of the Republic of the Philippines since June of 2010.  Before her appointment at the Department of Justice, she served as Chairperson of the Commission of Human Rights from 2008 to 2010 and as a partner at the De Lima Law Firm from 1998 to 2008.  Additionally, Secretary Leila de Lima was a Professor of Law at San Beda College of Law, her alma matter, during the years 1986 – 1994 and 2006 – 2007. 

For more information, please visit Secretary De Lima’s profile on the Department of Justice website.

CESAR PURISIMA

SECRETARY OF FINANCE

Republic of the Philippines

Secretary Purisima served in the government of the Republic of the Philippines as Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry in 2004 and Secretary of the Department of Finance in 2005, and in July 1, 2010 he was reappointed as Department of Finance Secretary. He also served as Chair and Member of the Board of many government companies including National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR), Land Bank of the Philippines, and Monetary Board (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas).

For more information, please visit Secretary Purisima’s profile on the Department of Finance website.

AGENDA

WEDNESDAY – SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

LOCATION: 

The Capital Hilton
1001 K St, NW
Washington, DC 20006

September 26, 2012

8:00 AM      Registration of Participants

8:30 AM      Welcoming Remarks

Mr. Ernest Bower, Senior Adviser & Chair for Southeast Asian Studies, CSIS 

The Hon. Jose Cuisia, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the United States 

8:40 AM      Keynote Address, "Defining Philippine Foreign Policy"

The Hon. Albert Del Rosario, Secretary of Foreign Affairs

Introduction by Dr. John Hamre, President & CEO, CSIS

9:10 AM      “U.S. Foreign Policy in Asia & the Importance of the Philippines Alliance”

Moderator: Mr. Ernest Bower, Senior Adviser & Chair for Southeast Asia Studies, CSIS

The Hon. Kurt M. Campbell, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, U.S. Department of State

The Hon. Mark Lippert, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, U.S. Department of Defense

The Hon. Thomas Hubbard, Senior Director, Asia, McLarty Associates; Former Ambassador to the Philippines

10:45 AM    Keynote Address:  “The Rule of Law and Respect for Human Rights under the Aquino Administration”

The Hon. Leila de Lima, Justice Secretary

11:15 AM    Panel Discussion and Q&A

Moderator: Mr. Murray Hiebert, Senior Fellow and Deputy Director, Southeast Asia Program, CSIS

The Hon. Frank Wisner, former U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines and India; partner, Patton Boggs 

The Hon. Luis CdeBaca, Ambassador-at-Large, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, U.S. Department of State

The Hon. Roderick M. Hills, Chairman, Hills Center for Governance, CSIS; former Chairman, U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission

12:00 PM    Luncheon

12:15 PM    Keynote Address: “Taking the Philippine Economy to the Next Level”

The Hon. Cesar Purisima, Secretary of Finance

1:00 PM      Panel Discussion and Q&A

Moderator: Mr. Matthew Goodman, William E. Simon Chair in Political Economy, CSIS

The Hon. Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Managing Director, the World Bank [invited]

The Hon. Charles Collyns, Under Secretary for International Affairs, U.S. Department of the Treasury

Mr. Stephen Groff, Vice-President of Operations, Asian Development Bank

Mr. Jay Collins, Global Co-Head, Public Sector Group, Citi

1:50 PM      Closing Remarks

The Hon. John F. Maisto, Ambassador (Ret.), President of the U.S.-Philippines Society

2:00 PM     Conference closes

CSIS would like to thank our co-sponsor for this event:

CSIS would like to recognize and thank the following sponsors of The Philippines Conference @ CSIS:

Raytheon

FedEx