Marcos may meet with 6 leaders at APEC

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos is expected to meet with at least six fellow leaders on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meet, where he will also push for measures on food and energy security and climate change adaptation.

Leaders from 21 member-economies will tackle sustainable trade and investment, efforts to reconnect the region, post-pandemic recovery and inclusive and sustainable growth during this year’s APEC summit from Nov. 16 to 19 in Thailand.

It will be the first in-person APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting since 2018 and the first for the Marcos administration.

“The President is having bilateral meetings with six counterparts. The arrangements are still being finalized so I am not at liberty to disclose yet at this time which economies and leaders they are,” Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Assistant Secretary Eric Gerardo Tamayo said at a press briefing yesterday.

Asked if Marcos would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and US Vice President Kamala Harris, Tamayo replied: “Right now, I can’t say that among the roster of bilateral meetings of the President that these meetings have yet to be explored for the time being.”

DFA spokesperson Teresita Daza noted that the US government has announced Harris’ planned three-day visit to the Philippines after the APEC summit. She said the visit would provide another opportunity to further strengthen the Philippines’ engagement with the US.

Tamayo, who handles multilateral affairs and international economic relations, said Marcos would push for the revitalization of APEC’s role as a driver of global economic growth.

“The President will be calling attention to the need to ensure food security, energy security and also the robust response of APEC economies to the challenge of climate change adaptation and mitigation,” the foreign affairs official said.

According to Tamayo, APEC is the “most important, non-binding multilateral and regional engagement of the Philippines.”

“If you see the economic prognosis coming from our experts, the global economic situation is indeed quite disrupting many lives and many livelihoods. And it is important for us to be able to highlight the fact that economies need to address and need the future proof of the region in responding to these disruptions, be it coming from the pandemic and other disruptions around the globe,” Tamayo said.

“The challenge before us is to facilitate the rapid recovery of economies arising out of the pandemic, and also to undertake the necessary measures to counter disruptive forces that affect the current economic situation around the globe,” he added.

Press Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil said this year’s summit would be an opportunity to push the administration’s economic agenda and priorities, including the empowerment of micro, small and medium enterprises and their inclusion in global value chains, recognition of the essential role of maritime crews and seafarers in ensuring stable and resilient supply chains, food and energy security and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Marcos will also join the APEC CEO Summit, which will gather top business leaders in the region. He is scheduled to meet with top executives of Thai companies to discuss business opportunities, investments and expansion plans and the Filipino community.

“He will also have the opportunity to meet with leaders of economies to discuss our bilateral relations and seek (a) path towards mutual economic benefits,” Garafil said.

The Philippines is a founding member of APEC, which was formed in 1989 to support sustainable economic growth and prosperity in the Asia Pacific.

The member-economies of the multilateral bloc are responsible for about 85 percent of the Philippines’ trade abroad and account for 82 percent of tourism flows into the country.

More than half or 60 percent of Filipinos abroad are based in APEC economies and are responsible for 68 percent of remittance sent to the Philippines.

The Philippines hosted APEC meetings in 1996 and 2015.