PH Joins Support for APEC 2019 Priorities

Trade and Industry Undersecretary Ceferino S. Rodolfo and DFA Officer-in-Charge for International Economic Relations Lourdes O. Yparraguirre lead the Philippine Delegation to the 2nd Senior Officials Meeting for 2019 and the 25th Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT). (APEC PH photo)

SANTIAGO 28 May 2019 — The Philippines joined 20 other economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in expressing support for robust outcomes of priorities of host Chile for APEC, deepening regional integration, as well as sustaining support for the multilateral trading system as embodied in the World Trade Organization (WTO).

On the recommendation of Senior Officials holding their Second Meeting this year on 15-16 May 2019, APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT) holding their 25th Meeting on 17-18 May 2019, issued a joint statement in working towards ensuring strong deliverables on Women and Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises; Digital Society; Integration 4.0; and Inclusive Growth.

This is the first consensus statement made since Manila hosted the APEC MRT in 2015.

The Ministers also affirmed and renewed a commitment towards achieving free and open trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific through collective and individual efforts while noting that the concept of Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) as a long-term contribution to APEC’s regional integration agenda has been progressing through work programs within APEC and trade agreements among APEC economies.

It tasked officials to accelerate practical and concrete areas of work that can advance APEC’s support for the WTO’s work, including in areas such as capacity building initiatives for transparency and notifications, and the implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement.

The Ministers further recognized calls from the business community for APEC to continue supporting the multilateral trading system and encouraged continued constructive engagement on WTO issues, including in the lead-up to the twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference in Nur-Sultan on 08-11 June 2020.

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Officer-in-Charge for International Economic Relations Lourdes O. Yparraguirre headed the Philippine delegation to the Second Senior Officials Meetings (SOM2) in the coastal city of Viña Del Mar, in the Valparaiso Region of Chile.

Meanwhile, Trade and Industry Undersecretary Ceferino S. Rodolfo represented Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez at the 25th Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Trade. Philippine Ambassador to the WTO and APEC Post-2020 Vision Group Representative Manuel A. J. Teehankee was also on hand to take part in the APEC Public-Private Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue organized by host economy Chile.

Philippine engagement in APEC is in support of Philippine micro-, small-, and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs) that are a major driver of Philippine economic growth. MSMEs accounted for up to 99.6 percent of total enterprise and employ at least 62 percent of the Philippines workforces. They are responsible for 36 percent of the Philippine gross domestic product (GDP). END