The addresses at the National Convention of Filipino Businessmen

Title

Identifier

Editorial

Language

English

Source

The American Chamber of Commerce Journal Volume XXVII (Issue No. 7) July 1951

Year

1951

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

Editorials “ ... to promote the general welfare” It was a happy thought to name the one-week observ ance of the fifth •anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of the Philippines, *‘Achievement Week”. “Achievement” is a positive and “Achievement uplifting word and may well be applied Week’’ to the past five years of Philippine endeavor, for while one meaning of the word is “to bring to a successful conclusion” or “to bring into a perfect state”, the more common meaning is “some thing accomplished by praiseworthy exertion”. While any true achievement is solid and enduring, the word does not generally mean anything so complete or finished as, for example, the word “consummation”. And so it is with us in the Philippines. Much has been achieved during the past five years, although, in our opin ion, more might have been if the Government had adopted different measures in certain important respects. Much of what has been achieved was attained in the face of, and not because of such measures. It is the people, individually and in the mass, who are the real achievers. Yet, quite properly, the Government, as representative of the people, is entitled to receive the general credit. Therefore, though we have not won the victory and it is not yet time for triumph, All Hail to the Republic, All Hail to the Government of the Republic, All Hail to the President of the Republic! There is no danger that we should all be so completely satisfied with what had been achieved that we would now cease our efforts and seek repose,—resting on our still rather bare and stalky laurels. We shall have the words of the poet Longfellow in mind:—“Still achieving, still pursuing...” What was the rest of it? Yes: “with a heart for any fate.” The Addresses at the National Convention of Filipino Businessmen The somewhat belated May issue of the Philippines Commerce, official organ of the Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, contains all the addresses delivered during the four-day National Convention of Filipino Businessmen held in Baguio from April 28 to May 1, and well deserves not only a careful reading today but a putting by for future reference. The “theme” adopted for the Convention was “A Mid-century Survey of the Philippine Economy”, a most timely one in view of the fact, pointed out by several of the speakers, that the nation has just started out on a great new effort at economic development with the aid of the E.C.A. The program of the Convention was ably planned and the speakers were all wisely chosen from among the leading officials and businessmen of the country. Very competently did they cover the main aspects of the eco nomy and the economic problems of the Philippines. The speeches were without exception informative, capable, and earnest, and the total effect of their perusal is most heartening to anyone concerned about the Philip pines and its future. Most encouraging of all was the notable absence of anything approaching the narrowly nationalistic spirit which many observers here and in other countries in these post-war times have come to fear. There was naturally an emphasis on Filipino as distinguished from alien interests in the country, but nothing was said to which any fair-minded reader could take exception. Very evident, on the other hand, was an enlightened patriot ism, a high sense of responsibility, and a sincere concern for the depressed labor and farm-tenant classes. Most encouraging also was the emphasis laid, even by the govern ment spokesmen, on the importance of private enterprise. A list of the forty-three resolutions adopted is pub lished in this issue of Philippines Commerce, but the texts are not included so that no statement can be made with respect to them. To give some idea of the scope of the agenda of the Convention, we list the speakers and their subjects as follows: First Day Opening Remarks, by Lino Castillejo, member, Board of Gov ernors, Reconstruction Finance Corporation. Call to Convention, by C. S. Gonzales, Chairman, Executive Committee. Welcome Address, by Florencio Villanueva, President, Baguio Chamber of Commerce. Restrictions,—A Test of National Discipline, by Aurelio Periquet, President, Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. Land Division Must be Just, by Salvador Araneta, Adminis trator of Economic Coordination. Modernization of Philippine Agriculture, by Luis Lichauco, Chairman, Board of Directors, Land Settlement and Development Corporation. Problems of Industrialization, by Filemon C. Rodriguez, General Manager, National Power Corporation. Second Day Opening Remarks, by Francisco Dalupan. Taxation as an Incentive to Production, by Andres Soriano. Government Corporations and Private Business, by Hermenegildo B. Reyes, Vice-President, Manila Electric Company. Our Economic Progress, by Miguel Cuaderno, Governor, Central Bank. Labor as a Factor of Production, by Conrado Benitez. (Afternoon session) Opening Remarks, by Fermin Francisco. The Manila Railroad in our National Life, by Prospero Sanidad, President, Manila Railroad. (At Mansion House) New Day for Businessmen, by Elpidio Quirino, President, Republic of the Philippines. Third Day Opening Remarks, by Eduardo C. Romualdez. Greater Filipino Participation in Domestic Trade, by Gil J. Puyat, Vice-President, Gonzalo Puyat 8s Sons. New Bearings for Philippine Foreign Trade, by Cornelio Balmaceda, Secretary of Commerce and Industry. Our Commercial Foreign Relations, by Felino Neri, Under secretary of Foreign Affairs. Fourth Day Opening Remarks, by Amado N. Bautista. Agricultural and Industrial Development, by Fernando Lopez, Vice-President, Republic of the Philippines. Closing Remarks, by C. S. Gonzales, Chairman, Executive Com mittee, and Dr. O. L. Villacorta, Vice-President, Chamber of Com merce of the Philippines. We thought of starring the more important of the addresses, but refrained after coming to the conclusion that we would have to star them all. The reader can not but be impressed by the grasp of these speakers on the fundamentals of economic and social progress. And being they key-men they are in in dustry, business, and government administration, one must conclude that despite the errors and shortcomings of the past and present, we may face the situation with some equanimity and even confidence. Report of Advisory Committee Urban Land and Housing Problems In the June issue of the Journal we published an article, “Highlights of the Landed Estates Committee Report”, by C. M. Hoskins, Chairman of the Committee, on which was composed of mem bers of the Manila Realty Board, an association of real tors, and in this issue we publish an article on a report on urban land and housing distribution, by F. Calero, who was the Chairman of another committee composed of members of the same public-spirited organization. Both reports were prepared upon the invitation of Dr. Salvador Araneta, Administrator of Economic Coordina tion, and while the first report dealt with the problem of large landed estates and their purchase by the Govern ment for resale to the tenants, the second report deals with what is chiefly a city problem, that of providing ade quate housing for families of low income. The two reports furnish an outstanding example of cooperation between a government executive agency and an organization of businessmen. Both reports have received considerable public notice and Mr. Calero has informed us that the recommendations of his Committee with respect to the simplification of the building ordinances of Manila and to the drafting of a new building code, applicable throughout the Philippines, have received the endorsement of the Philippine Association of Civil Engineers and of the Philippine Institute of Architects. Its recommendation with respect to housing priorities for veterans was approved in a resolution adopted recently by the Philippine Veterans Legion. We believe that it will be generally conceded that the power of America, actual and potential, was never so great as today and is, in truth, the great American Power est of any nation in history, and American We believe that it must also Prestige be conceded that in view of this power, and despite the moderation with which it has been exercised, and despite, furthermore, the American beneficence extended throughout the world, America’s international prestige, though admittedly great, falls far short of what it should be. The reason for this, or the blame, may be found in or laid to American leadership, but in our opinion it is an error to refer this exclusively to individuals such as the President, the Secretary of State, or other national leaders and national representatives. The cause, we believe, is to be found in the democratic system rather than in the faults or errors of individual leaders. Democracy has many virtues and we prize it above all other forms of government, but we should re cognize that leadership in a democracy takes the form of .a certain commonness, kindliness, and universal sympathy (as the political scientist C. E. Merriam has pointed out), which qualities, together with the attitude of compromise and conciliation, are not impressive internationally and receive but scant respect, tending, in fact, in many places in the world, to elicit only contempt. In other words, America’s very humanity and good ness is a handicap in the management of its international relations, which is so dependent on the maintenance of dignity and prestige for the exertion of'an influence com mensurate with its power. In the ancient world, not only the proconsuls and legates of Rome, but Roman citizens were everywhere feared and their persons held sacrosanct, and the same thing was true, though perhaps to a lesser degree, of the officials and citizens of later empires. All these powers not only maintained the “externalia of prestige” but never hesitated to give swift force to its substance. Where they ruled, they were obeyed, and in the spheres of their in fluence, their guidance was accepted, their advice was heeded, and their remonstrances, if matters went as far as that, could not conceivably be disregarded. We must, of course, not lose sight of the fact that there was injustice and oppression, that there were rebel lions and wars, but, broadly speaking, there was law, and there was order. And under the Pat Romana and under the Pax Britannica more recently, world civilization was greatly advanced. We only point out the facts; we would not even by implication speak for a return of the imperialisms of the past. Such a return would indeed be impossible, with the wakening of men everywhere to their human capacities and rights. But for the advanced nations to tolerate the continuing menaces of barbarism, for the strong to entertain the preposterous dictates of the weak and to allow fanatic parochial nonentities by their irresponsible actions to endanger the interests and the welfare of the whole world, is as monstrous as it is ridiculous. Whether under the imperialistic system or under a more democratic order, the leading nations must lead, and this necessitates the maintenance of their prestige as much as their command, for the one suffers with the other. It is a matter of recent history that the Japanese face-slapping of British citizens in China led to ever bolder encroachments and ended in an insane adventure of largescale aggression. The maintenance of prestige demands the exercise, everywhere and at all times, of one quality in particular, and that is courage, a courage which sometimes and in detail will have to border on audacity. 212

pages

211-212

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