PBBM TO SKIP APEC SUMMIT DUE TO DOMESTIC CONCERNS
PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will skip the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Week that will be held in Lima, Peru from Nov. 10 to 16, Malacañang announced Thursday.
Marcos will not join the APEC Summit to prioritize domestic concerns, including government responses to calamities, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Acting Secretary Cesar Chavez told Palace reporters.
Chavez said Marcos had decided to designate Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Acting Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque as Special Envoy to the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week.
“The designation of Secretary Roque confirms that the President is not attending,” he said.
Roque’s appointment as special envoy was posted on the PCO’s official Facebook page.
The APEC Economic Leaders’ Week will bring together the leaders, ministers, and senior officials of the 21 APEC member economies, which account for half of global trade and 60 percent of world gross domestic product to shape the future of trade and globalization policies.
APEC’s 21 member economies are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam.
Carrying the theme “Empower. Include. Grow,” this year’s priorities focus on trade and investment for inclusive and interconnected growth; innovation and digitalization to promote the transition to the formal and global economy; and sustainable growth for resilient development.
Chaired by Peru, the APEC meeting aims to provide a strategic vision and directives for collaboration in the region in the coming year. Philippine News Agency
