Boracay, Iloilo City chosen to host APEC meetings

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Eight sites including the famed Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan and Iloilo City were chosen as venues for the 2015 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) ministerial meetings, a Malacanang official said. 

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr. confirmed that the sites in National Capital Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Western Visayas, Bicol and Central Visayas will host the next year’s summit meetings of economic leaders.

Ochoa emphasized that “the country is committed to the continued growth and development of the Asia-Pacific region through close and meaningful cooperation with the countries in the region and continues to be an active member of APEC.”

Aside from Iloilo City and Boracay, the cities of Manila and Tagaytay in Cavite, Metropolitan Cebu, Bagac in Bataan, Clark in Pampanga and Legaspi City in Albay have been designated as venues of the APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting, the APEC Ministerial and Sectoral Ministerial Meetings and APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting from December 2014 to November 2015.

Members of APEC Philippine coordinating committee conducted ocular inspections of possible venues for high-level meetings. 

With the massive international exposure, the upcoming ministerial meeting in Aklan will takes place on May 2015 comprising of cabinet members, business leaders and executives and news media from across the world.

Next year, the APEC meeting is also an ideal opportunity to boost the island’s tourism being one of the world’s best beach destinations. 

Ahead of APEC meeting, many infrastructure projects for Kalibo and Caticlan airports and ports in Cagban and Caticlan in Malay, Aklan are expected to be completed. 

 APEC is one of the most prominent summits as leaders from 21 economies in the Pacific Rim, ranging from the United States to Japan to Peru, gather to discuss trade and economic cooperation.

The meeting of leaders from Pacific Rim countries is being held in the Philippines for the second time.