Members of the Steering Committee
23 May 2005 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo (seated, center) witnesses the signing of the Declaration on the Development and Promotion of Philippine Services by the Philippine Services Coalition at the Conservatory, Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati City. Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for International Economic Relations Edsel T. Custodio (seated, left) signs for the government while Ambassador Donald G. Dee, President of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Special Envoy for International Trade Relations (seated, right), signs for the private sector. Undersecretary Tomas G. Aquino of DTI, Dr. Gloria Pasadilla of PIDS, Ms. Patricia Lontoc of AIM Policy Center; Dr. Ponciano Intal of DLSU-AKI wait their turn to sign the Declaration. Director Peter Walters of ITC and Ambassador Jan de Kok of the EC Philippine Delegation and Mr. Xuejun Jiang of ATF also witness the signing of the Declaration. (courtesy of DFA)
Government
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for International Economic Relations Edsel T. Custodio heads the Steering Committee of the PSC. Shepherding the project from conceptualization to implementation, he is one of the driving forces who has pushed for an integrated response to the challenges that GATS has given to the Philippines. DFA is one of the three project proponents of the PSC.
His office houses the Secretariat of the PSC.
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
Trade and Industry Senior Undersecretary for International Trade Tomas G. Aquino is a member of the Steering Committee. His office is represented by the DTI Bureau of Export Trade Promotion (BETP), which has an active interest in making sure that competitive services industries are developed and promoted in the right markets. BETP is one of the project proponents, and is represented by Assistant Director Jason Lao and Ms. Tess Loring.
National Economic Development Authority (NEDA)
Deputy Director General Margarita Songco is a member of the Steering Committee. Her alternate is Director Brenda R. Mendoza of the Trade, Industry and Utilities Staff. DDG Songco is the ATF Focal Point in the Philippines.
Business Sector
Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI)
Ambassador Donald G. Dee, President of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Special Envoy for International Trade Relations is a member of the Steering Committee. His alternate is Mr. George Siy, PCCI Trustee for Services.
Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT)
Mr. Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr., President of the PHILEXPORT and Chairman of the PCCI, is a member of the Steering Committee. His designated alternates are Mr. Gerardo Anigan and Ms. Flordeliza Leong. PHILEXPORT is the private sector project proponent of the project.
Philippine Research Institutes
Philippine Research Institutes
Foreign Service Institute
Director Teresita V. Berner is a member of the Steering Committee. Mr. Juan Miguel Padua, Head of Special Projects and the Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies of FSI, is her alternate in the Steering Committee.
De la Salle University - Angelo King Institute of Economic Business Studies (DLSU-AKI)
Dr. Ponciano Intal, Executive Director of DLSU-AKI, is a member of the Steering Committee.
Asian Institute of Management Policy Center(AIM Policy Center)
Dr. Federico M. Macaranas, Executive Director of the AIM Policy Center, is a member of the Steering Committee. He is also the Export Champion for Education Services.
Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS)
Dr. Josef Yap, Executive Director of PIDS, is a member of the Steering Committee. His alternate is Dr. Gloria Pasadilla; further, she is the Research Director for the integrative Trade Policy and Trade Negotiations Study.
PSC opens the membership to the Coalition to those institutional stakeholders who are interested to assist in the development and promotion of the Philippine services sector.