Phl starts preparations for 2015 APEC Summit

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines has started preparations for hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in 2015.

As part of the preparations, the Department of Foreign Affairs Office of the Undersecretary for International Economic Relations, in partnership with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Technical Assistance Training Facility and the United States Agency for International Development, recently held a workshop entitled, “APEC Capacity Building Workshop: Supporting the Philippines 2015 Host Year” to build awareness on the APEC process.

The workshop also provided information on the scope of work and the benefits that can be gained from APEC membership. 

Representatives from former APEC host economies, such as Peru (2008), the United States (2011) and Indonesia (2012), also shared their experiences in organizing APEC events.

In addition to increasing awareness, the workshop was designed to help equip working level officials with insights so they can maximize their participation in APEC meetings.

In support of these objectives, participants were given small group activities that involved analyzing and resolving an issue within the APEC context and presenting findings in plenary.

In her opening remarks, APEC National Secretariat director-general and DFA Undersecretary Laura del Rosario said the workshop would “help us learn how to put our agenda forward when we host in 2015.” 

She also reminded participants that the Philippine priorities should be “running in tandem or congruent with the objectives of APEC and specifically the Bogor goals.”

Over 100 participants from various government agencies attended the event. 

Among the resource speakers were Alan Bollard, APEC secretariat executive director; Eduardo Pedrosa, secretary general, Pacific Economic Cooperation Council; Peruvian Ambassador to Australia Luis Quesada; Ambassador Antonio Basilio, former APEC senior official for the Philippines and current APEC Business Advisory Council executive director; Dede Achmad Rifai, deputy director for APEC, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Indonesia; and representatives from the APEC Secretariat and the US Department of State.

APEC is an intergovernmental grouping currently composed of 21 member economies. Commitments made within APEC are non-binding and voluntary. 

APEC focuses on three key areas: trade and investment liberalization, business facilitation and economic and technical cooperation.

In 2008, the US launched APEC Technical Assistance Training Facility to support the APEC secretariat in various activities, including capacity-building and training.

The Philippines last hosted APEC in 1996.