Dr. Remedios Ching, Dean of College, headed the delegates (composed of Mr. Marcelino Macapinlac Jr., Director of Institutional Research and Academic Development Office (IRAD),
Dr. Ralph Sabio, Coordinator of the School of Business, Mr. Michael Antonio, Chair of the Department of Social Sciences and Ms. Mary Joy Rosales-Orante, faculty of the Department of Social Sciences) that represented St. Scholastica’s College-Manila in Ateneo Center for Asian Studies (ACAS) 5^th International Conference entitled “Global Financial Crisis in the Asian Context: Repercussions and Responses.”  This event held last July 9, 2010 at the Ricardo and Dr. Rosita Leong Hall Auditorium, School of Social Sciences, Loyola Schools, Ateneo De Manila University, Katipunan, Quezon City was in cooperation with Taiwan ASEAN Studies Center (TASC).   

The conference was divided into morning and afternoon sessions. Words of greetings were delivered by Rev. Dr. Bienvenido Nebres, SJ, President of Ateneo de Manila University to welcome all the international and local speakers, guests, faculty members and students from SSC, Ateneo, UE, UST, PUP, among others. 

Different speakers from neighboring Asian countries presented their papers based on their areas of expertise. The focus of the morning session was the presentation of papers on the following topics: 1. Heterodox and anti-cyclical polices by Dr. Mohamed Aslam from the University of Malaya (“Global Financial Crisis and Heterodox Economic Policy”) and Dr. Ralf Havertz from Keimyung University, South Korea (“Anti-cyclical Policy as Key Factor of Crisis Mitigation in Asian Economies”); 2. Comparative impact of the crisis by Dr. Declan Hayes from the University of Southampton, UK (“Quantifying the Comparative National Power of the People’s Republic of China and her Competitors Following the Credit Crunch Crisis”), Dr. Betty Dee Makani-Lim from San Jose State University, CA and Stanford University and Dr. Felix Chan Lim from Stanford University (“The Impact of the Global Financial Crisis on Stakeholders of Companies in Asia: A Systemic Analysis”) and Ms. Anne Candelaria, and Ms. Carmel Abao  both from the Ateneo de Manila University (“When Push Comes to Shove: Spending Implications of the 2008 Global Recession at the Town Level”); 3. Panel presentation by Taiwan ASEAN Studies Center: Taiwan and Asian Integration after the Global Financial Crisis by Ms. Kristy Hsu, LLM (“The Proposed Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement [ECFA] Between China and Taiwan”) and Dr. Edwin Yang (“The Impact of the Global Financial Crisis on the Filipino Workers in Taiwan and Its Implications”). Discussants Dr. Taichen Chien and Dr. Joseph Lim shared their thoughts on the papers presented.  

Another highlight during the morning session was the launching of the Asian Studies Association of the Philippines (Asia-Phil).  Representatives from member schools were recognized. 

The afternoon session centered on the repercussions and responses in the following countries: 1. Thailand by Dr. Surachai Chancharat, Dr. Nongnit Chancharat and Anongnuch Thienthong from Khon Kaen University in Thailand (“Influences of Corporate Governance Mechanisms on IPO’s Survival: Evidence from Thailand”) and Dr. Nongnit Chancharat and Dr. Surachai Chancharat (“An Empirical Analysis of the Survival of Small and Medium Enterprises in North Eastern Region of Thailand”); 2. Indonesia by Dr. Sukawarsini Djelantik from Parahyangan University, Indonesia (“The Impact of the Global Financial Crisis on Indonesian Migrant Workers”) and Dr. Eric Frecon from S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore (“Repercussions of the 1997 and 2008 Global Financial Crises on Maritime Piracy: The Case of Riau Specific Economic Zone in Indonesia”); 3. Philippines by Dr. Masaaki Satake from Nagoya Gakuin University, Japan (“Overseas Dependency or Alternative Development? The Impact of the Global Financial Crisis on the Philippine Economy”). 

The audience comprised of students, faculty members, guests (both from local and abroad) gave feedback in the form of questions, clarifications and comments on the papers presented during the open forum per session. The event shed light on the notion that financial crisis does not only happen in one part of the world but rather it is spread world-wide in the aspects of economy/business, working condition, policy-making, plight of women, among others.  The conference was an appropriate venue for different experts from selected countries to share their researches of lessons learned during the global financial crisis.  The audience was very receptive and attentive in the exchange of perspectives.      

Rev. Fr. Jose M. Cruz, SJ, Dean of the School of Social Sciences, Loyola Schools, of Ateneo de Manila University delivered the closing remarks.