Protests greeted the start of the 45th annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) board of governors in Manila yesterday. Activists from various groups were out in force near the Philippine International Convention Center to condemn what they say has been the bank’s role in the privatization of the energy and water sectors and in pushing coal and other "dirty technologies" across Asia and the Pacific. "There is no doubt that the privatization of these services causes harm to people and the environment as shown by the experiences of communities and people in Asia," said Lidy Nacpil, coordinator of the Jubilee South-Asia/Pacific Movement on Debt and Development. "Millions of impoverished and marginalized people have less access to safe and clean fresh water," she said. The ADB has been involved in privatizing water services in the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, South Korea, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. It has also played a role in the privatization of energy-related projects in the Philippines, Bangladesh, Thailand, Pakistan, Indonesia, and at least nine Indian states. Over 4,000 ministers and senior government officials, business leaders and financial experts from around the world are attending the meeting. This year’s ADB Governors’ Seminar will also take place this week. Labor leaders from around the world have also arrived in Manila to join protest actions. The Global Unions Federation said in a statement that its members will present a "show of force" against the policies of the ADB. The group, which claims to represent about 70 million workers across the globe, said its members "share a common determination to organize and defend human rights and labor standards, as well as promote the growth of trade unions."