SINGAPORE – The great age of global labor is imminent and world nations must now regulate the influx of human capital to shield them from all forms of abuse, President Arroyo said.

At the opening of the 17th Asia-Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) Economic Leaders’ meeting here, the President sought to “put order” in labor mobility, led by skilled overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), as trade of goods and services continue to expand across the world.

In her advocacy promoting workers' rights, the President said global labor was a “real global phenomenon” that will come this century, adding that millions of Filipinos employed across the world are the “pioneers.”

“One of the major dynamics of the 21st century is likely to be the flow not just of financial capital, not just goods and services, but human capital. The flow of labor will determine much about how the world grows and works together,” she told a group of Filipino workers gathered at the posh Fullerton Hotel last Friday night.

“We have a lot of trade now in goods, a lot of trade in services, communications and we are now also set to enter a great age of global labor. Today, it is the Filipinos who are the leaders but tomorrow it will be many, many countries doing this,” she added.

The President, on a three-day visit here since Friday, said world leaders must tap the possibilities of the global labor and stop the abuse that preys of workers from all walks of life.

As the market becomes sophisticated with the entry of professionals and business executives, she said there should be more protection for workers particularly those engaged in manual labor who are the most vulnerable to abuse.

“We need to put to order there the way we placed order in trade. We are pioneers in the new age of global labor and it is our obligation to protect our workers wherever they may be,” she added.

Apart from seeking order in global labor at the APEC Summit, the President said she would also raise priorities in addressing the crisis and preparing for recovery, supporting the multilateral trading system, accelerating regional integration, and strengthening APEC. The summit, which ends on Sunday, carries the theme “Sustaining Growth, Connecting the Region.”

“The world is more safe, secure and vibrant when leaders from so many nations come together to solve problems and look to the future together. That is the strength and hope of the APEC meeting: To work hand in hand with our Pacific neighbors to forge a more perfect world,” she said.

The President, meantime, praised anew the overseas Filipino workers for their contributions to the domestic economy, citing their $11-billion remittances since August.

In particular, Filipinos working in Singapore have moved up the value chain of higher paying jobs, including transportation, information technology, banking, and healthcare, she said.

She likewise vowed that her administration would continue to generate jobs at home to prevent Filipinos from looking employment elsewhere.

“My vision is to help make our economy competitive enough so that one day going abroad will just be a career choice, not the only option for our hardworking Filipino workers,” she said.

In Singapore, there are 144,312 Filipinos workers, mostly domestic helpers. Minor labor problems were reported in recent years, mostly maltreatment, unpaid salaries, and poor working conditions.

Meanwhile, President Arroyo said Asia may be recovering from the global recession but the Philippines is not abandoning its fiscal stimulus programs just yet.

The President, addressing around 500 Filipino workers at the Fullerton Hotel last Friday night, said the risk of fiscal meltdown remains even as Philippines and some economies have survived the sting of the credit crunch.

On this city nation to join the two-day Asia Pacific Economic Conference Economic Leaders’ meeting, the President said her government has adequate funds for measures to further stimulate domestic economy, particularly shield the poor from the impact of the global fiscal storm.

Prior to the main economic leaders' summit, APEC finance ministers have discussed on when the fiscal stimulus should be taken out although “everyone agreed that it is too early for an exit plan,” the President said. The actual problem was how to finance the stimulus package, she added.

“We can still finance the fiscal stimulus, our bonds is still very, very marketable. I think we are resilient and will bounce back to the rapid growth that we have achieved before it slowed down somewhat, but at least never turned negative, during the global economic crisis,” the President said.

Mrs. Arroyo, who has taken pride of tough fiscal reforms that enabled Manila to sustain growth albeit slowly, said Asia has made a “solid comeback” surviving the global fiscal storm better and with greater resilience.

“Even the Philippines, with the challenges of a developing nation, was prepared for the global shocks. It could have been worse if we had not taken the hard but necessary economic and fiscal reforms several years ago. That has kept the wolf away from the door. But the wolf is still there,” she said.

Sustained fiscal stimulus program is part of preparing for an early recovery from the global economic crisis by the 21 APEC leaders in their summit this weekend.