Government already doing preparations for 2015 APEC Summit, says official

Wikipedia Photo

MANILA — The government is already doing the necessary preparations for the country’s hosting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit next year.

In an interview Saturday over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan, Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the government is already building and rehabilitating infrastructures to be used during the summit.

“Ongoing ang construction natin doon sa isang venue natin na napili, iyong sa Iloilo at iyong dito naman sa Manila ay ongoing na rin ang mga rehabilitation sa isang building na kinakailangan natin to hold the concluding event of the summit,” Valte said.

The venue for the leaders’ summit, the business sector and the APEC CEO summit is also being prepared, she said.

The President has already chosen different venues where the meetings will be held but Valte said the details are still being finalized and the Palace will do the announcement once everything is threshed out.

At the same time, Valte said the organizing council for the summit has started capacity building workshops to ensure that departments and agencies are ready to host and receive guests from 20 member-economies of the APEC.

“So ngayon nga tini-train na natin ang ating mga departments kasi ang mga department natin mga kanya-kanyang magho-host iyan ng mga ministerial, ng mga senior officials meetings at saka mga technical working groups meeting,” Valte said.

“So sinisigurado nating handa sila kapag dumating na po iyong kanilang toka.

“

The country hosted the World Economic Forum on East Asia last May and it will be followed by the APEC summit next year.

The Philippines’s hosting the 2015 APEC summit is seen to boost investment in the country.

The country last hosted APEC summit in 1996 during the presidency of Fidel Ramos.