PRRD signs order constituting PH committee for Expo 2020 Dubai

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivers his speech during the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) campaign rally at the Caraga State University in Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte on April 21, 2019. ARMAN BAYLON/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte has signed an administrative order constituting the Philippine Organizing Committee (POC) for the Expo 2020 Dubai.

In Administrative Order 17, signed by Duterte on Wednesday and released to the media on Friday, he assigned the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary to be the chairperson, and the Commissioner-General of the POC and the Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary as vice chairpersons.

The newly-signed order cited the need to facilitate the preparation and participation of the Philippines in the Expo 2020 Dubai.

“The participation of the Philippines in the Expo 2020 Dubai provides an excellent opportunity to further enhance the country’s presence in a global scale, and promote the country’s commercial and public interests in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia region,” the order read.

“The Expo 2020 Dubai offers a platform to foster creativity, innovation and global cooperation, which will contribute to the country’s goal of vigorously advancing science, technology and innovation as a strategy for long-term growth, consistent with the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2017-2022,” it added.

Other members of the POC include the respective Secretaries of the departments of foreign affairs, budget, labor, science and technology, and information and communications technology.

According to its website, Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo ever hosted in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region and is expected to attract 25 million visitors.