With the establishment of the ASEAN Economy Community, Vietnamese exports stand to gain from the elimination of tariffs. But free trade also means the country will need to ensure its products remain attractive amid fiercer competition. Thi Huong of Vietnam Economic News looks at how the textile and agriculture industries plan to tackle this challenge in her story for the ‘Reporting ASEAN’ media fellowship programme.
The target of creating a fully integrated ASEAN stock market remains elusive with 10 very fragmented and diverse markets in the region. More support from individual countries is urgently required for the realisation of a borderless capital market. Chan Yi Wen of the Business Times explains the slow pace of financial integration in her story for the ‘Reporting ASEAN’ media fellowship programme.
If the ASEAN Economic Community is opening the door to medical professionals, why aren’t more doctors crossing borders for work in the region? Marlon Alexander Luistro of ‘The Filipino Connection’ finds out why in his story for the ‘Reporting ASEAN’ media fellowship programme.
Doctors from ASEAN countries should be able to move and work much more easily under the ASEAN Economic Community. But the devil, as always, is in the detail. The mobility of medical professionals faces challenges in mutual recognition agreements, language barriers, licensing exams, and hesitance to accept foreign doctors, reports Marlon Alexander Luistro of The Filipino Connection in his story for the ‘Reporting ASEAN’ media fellowship programme.
There are concerns that only one percent of Southeast Asia’s workforce will benefit from the ASEAN Economic Community’s Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs), leaving more than 9.5 million migrant workers in the region bereft. Amanda Siddharta of ‘Tempo’ magazine takes a look at what it will take for the rights of these workers to be protected.
Indonesian doctors are undecided if the freer movement of skilled medical practitioners across Southeast Asia, as part of the ASEAN Economic Community’s plans, will be a bane or boon for them and their patients. Amanda Siddharta of ‘Tempo’ magazine looks at the possible impact on the country’s healthcare system in her story for the ‘Reporting ASEAN’ media fellowship programme.
Intra-ASEAN labour migration has increased fourfold since 1990 to 6.5 million in 2013. The majority consists of semi-skilled and unskilled workers, but they are little seen in ASEAN’s integration plans. What safeguards have ASEAN put in place to protect them? Not much, as Saifulbahri Ismail of Channel NewsAsia finds out in his story for the ‘Reporting ASEAN’ media fellowship programme.
The freer flow of professional talent across the region is one of the key goals of the ASEAN Economic Community. But can the increased mobility of selected professionals actually be achieved? Saifulbahri Ismail of Channel NewsAsia looks into the challenges of liberalising jobs in his story for the ‘Reporting ASEAN’ media fellowship programme.
Fabian Chan has been a graphics journalist with Thomson Reuters in Singapore for almost 10 years now. Before that, he did illustrations, caricatures, editorial cartoons and infographics for the ‘Straits Times’ and ‘The New Paper’. Although Fabian works purely with a computer these days, he still enjoys the old-school way of pencil to paper. He is […]
Cheah Sinann is a Malaysian self-taught and self-syndicated cartoonist based in Singapore. He draws ‘Budi & Saltie’ – a green-oriented daily cartoon strip about a Borneo boy and his pal, a huge saltwater crocodile that is featured in the ‘Borneo Bulletin’. Against the backdrop of South-east Asian rain forests and swamps, ‘Budi & Saltie’ tackles issues […]
Joaquin Miguel Ruiz is a 27-year old freelance and graphic designer and illustrator. He is also a part-time lecturer of graphic design courses at the Communication Department of De La Salle University-Manila, in the Philippines. With roughly 6 years of design experience, his portfolio consists of design work such as logos, event collaterals for local […]
Ludwig Ilio was born in the Philippines and has lived in Singapore since 1997. He started drawing in Philippine newspapers in 1985 and joined ‘The Straits Times’ in 1996. Since 2008, his weekly cartoon feature ‘Saturday by Ludwig’ has appeared in ‘The Business Times’ (Singapore). Ludwig earned an architecture degree from the National University in Manila.
Hue, the former capital of Vietnam, was chosen as ASEAN’s third City of Culture for 2014-2015. Duong Thi Mong Thu of Vietnam Television takes a look at how the city keeps its heritage alive for residents, while showcasing it to the world in her story for the ‘Reporting ASEAN’ media fellowship programme.
Will the rights of women and children ever be a priority in ASEAN? Not likely, according to civil societies who believe political and economic concerns will always be addressed before socio-cultural issues. Natashya Gutierrez of Rappler reports for the ‘Reporting ASEAN’ media fellowship programme.
Less than a fifth of all projects under a 2012-2016 ASEAN Work Plan to promote and protect the rights of women and children have been completed due to a lack of funding by member states. Natashya Gutierrez from Rappler looks into the reasons for the slow disbursement of funds in her story for the ‘Reporting ASEAN’ media fellowship programme.
The ASEAN Economic Community envisions freer movement of labour across borders. With the lure of more opportunities and higher wages, could this lead to a brain drain in Vietnam? Le Hang Phan Thi of Vietnam News Agency looks at the push and pull factors for doctors in her story for the ‘Reporting ASEAN’ media fellowship programme.
Typhoon Haiyan was the worst natural disaster to hit Southeast Asia since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. ASEAN countries responded by supplying emergency supplies, relief aid and cash donations. But was it enough? Can ASEAN be relied upon to provide assistance in times like this? Charles Phang of ChannelNewsAsia takes a look at ASEAN’s disaster response efforts in his story for the ‘Reporting ASEAN’ media fellowship programme.
ASEAN hopes to create an integrated community that is economically competitive, has a common identity and maintains regional stability by the end of the year. Albert Wai of Today analyses how close the association is to reaching these goals in his story for the ‘Reporting ASEAN’ media fellowship programme.
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