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Ambassador Ma. Teresita C. Daza (2nd row w/ Philippine flag), Consul General Punsalang (bottom row, right) and Consul Briones (3rd row, rightmost) join the rest of the ACS in discussions with Professor Sahd

 

(Santiago, 29 May 2020) – As part of the Philippine Embassy’s efforts to understand the political and socio-economic impact of the Chilean crisis of 2019 and now the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Philippine Embassy joined the rest of the ASEAN Committee in Santiago (ACS) in an online meeting to discuss the current crisis and Chile’s post-pandemic future.

The online meeting conducted via Google Meet was entitled “From Social Outburst to Pandemic: What is the Future of Chilean Politics?” and featured Dr. Jorge Karmy Sahd, Director of the Center for International Studies of the Pontificia Universidad Católica of Chile. The Philippine Embassy was represented by Ambassador Ma. Teresita C. Daza, Consul General Marcos A.S. Punsalang and Consul Dennis John C. Briones. Discussions were facilitated by the Embassy of Thailand as current ACS Chair.

Professor Sahd highlighted Chile’s efforts in trying to contain the pandemic specifically the country’s shift to more targeted quarantine measures. He expressed optimism that Chile’s sound macroeconomic fundamentals—especially as compared to its Latin American neighbors—would help it mitigate the long-term economic impact of the pandemic. With regard to the health crisis’s implication on domestic politics, he opined that it actually served as an opportunity for all parties to take stock of what’s truly important for the country and to focus on post-pandemic recovery.

Replying to a query from Ambassador Daza on what to expect after the two successive crises, Professor Sahd explained that Chile has so far managed the socio-economic impact of the crises well and is expected to continue doing so. He also said that it is the President who should act as unifying figure to stir the country in efforts to survive the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the market and daily Chilean life.

The ACS is composed of the Embassies of the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The group continues to explore other online programs similar to the one recently conducted while quarantine and social distancing measures are in place in Santiago. END