EROPA Bulletin Volume 35 Nos. 1-2 | Page 5

Vol. 35 Nos. 1-2 (January-June 2014) Korean, Japanese colleagues... EROPA Bulletin 5 A-FAB, EROPA join experts’ meeting on AEC, economic integration What kind of 2015 ASEAN economic integration do we want? Experts and policy advocates from different organizations in Southeast Asia convened in an experts’ meeting on the ASEAN Economic Community to address this question. The ASEAN for a Fair, Ambitious and Binding Global Climate Deal (A-FAB), together with EROPA and the Ateneo School of Government (ASOG), based in Manila, Dr. Sang Ok Choi (far left) and Dr. Chang Yong Jin (2nd from right) Philippines, gathered distinguished academicians, from Korea University, together with Secretary General Orlando S. practitioners and advocates from Southeast Asian Mercado, Dr. Maria Fe V. Mendoza and Ms. Estrella Ocampo. organizations and civil society groups on 19 May 2014 After the said meeting, Dr. Kikuchi went on to present at the ASOG Meeting Room to address issues on the his study to the faculty and students of the National ASEAN economic integration and its implications on College of Public Administration and Governance, different areas of sustainable development. University of the Philippines. The morning session focused on the A SEAN Economic On 11 February 2014, Dr. Sang Ok Choi and Dr. Community (AEC). Dr. Marissa Maricosa A. Paderon, Chang Yong Jin from Korea University presented professor at Ateneo De Manila University, gave the for clarification with the EROPA Secretariat their participants an overview of what ASEAN Economic preliminary findings on the state/quality of public Integration is and what ASEAN member states should bureaucracy in East Asia. The discussion spanned across expect from it. Professor Koh Keng Lian of the the following aspects of public bureaucracy: personnel National University of Singapore and the Asia-Pacific management, financial management, organization, Centre for Environmental Law presented the status of transparency and open government, control of public environmental governance in ASEAN. Experts from bureaucracy, and bureaucracy-politics and bureaucracy- Oxfam International shared their insights on ASEAN free trade agreements and private sector investments. society relations. Among those present in the meeting with Prof. Choi and Prof. Chang were Dr. Mercado, Dr. Mendoza and Dr. Alex Brillantes, Professor at National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) and Commissioner of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), who provided some reference materials for the study. [EB] In the afternoon, representatives of farmers’ groups, non-government organizations and the academe shared their insights on community-based enterprises and the promotion of human rights and social forestry. They highlighted the expansion of industrial agriculture and extractive businesses in ASEAN, at the expense of the environment and welfare of communities in the region. ►►