Amando M Tetangco, Jr: Ensuring efficient & eco-friendly ASEAN mints Speech by Mr Amando M Tetangco, Jr, Governor of the Central Bank of the Philippines (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas), at the 14th Technical Meeting of Mints in ASEAN (TEMAN), Manila, 23 November 2009. * * * Distinguished members and participants to the 14th Technical Meeting of Mints in the ASEAN, special guests, good morning! On behalf of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and our Security Plant Complex, it is with pleasure that I welcome all of you to the Philippines for the 14 TEMAN Conference. As you may have noticed, the conference theme we adopted is SPCwhich stands for “Strengthening Partnership and Cooperation.” I understand that in Indonesia, the abbreviated word TEMAN means friends. What better way to move forward with friends therefore than to strengthen partnership and cooperation. The Organizing Committee envisions the conference to be a catalyst for new and dynamic ideas, for critical thinking, and for open discussions on issues affecting the minting industry. Among others, we want to create more value for our products, to facilitate advancements and enhancements in our systems, and to contribute ultimately in the broader and lofty task of building up our respective nations. Indeed, TEMAN plays a vital role in empowering its member Mints to provide quality products and services to their people. Given the global financial crisis that had triggered a global economic slowdown, TEMAN must take appropriate steps to work out a common agenda that will promote process and cost efficiencies, while addressing urgent issues such as the need to adopt more environment-friendly processes. Ladies and gentlemen. The world has realized that there is no progress to speak of if this is made at the expense of the environment; because in the end, it is a step backward not forward if the environment suffers as a result of our operations. We have seen how industrialization made for the benefit of human beings has been generating toxins and pollutants which now threaten the very same human beings. The challenge for TEMAN therefore is to align itself with the goals of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations which is committed to continue sustainable development or the pursuit of a green and eco-friendly economy. Afterall, the 10 TEMAN members have one thing in common: we are all members of ASEAN. That goes for Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Union of Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and the Philippines. I hope therefore that clean and green topics will be very much a part of your discussions. In words and in deeds, let us help take on the case for a cleaner and better environment in our respective mints, in our homes, and in our communities. Our own Security Plant Complex has already taken meaningful steps in this direction. I hope that this TEMAN conference will give it more new ideas to implement as an eco-friendly mint. I am counting on it. Finally, I wish to congratulate the members of the 14th TEMAN Organizing Committee – my colleagues at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas – for all their efforts in ensuring the success of this conference. Please stand up so we can acknowledge you with a round of applause! To our foreign guests, I advise you to find time to explore and know more about our country, our culture, and our people. You will find that this is a great place which is worth coming back for. Once again, I wish you all a successful and fruitful conference! Thank you all and Mabuhay!