22 September 2014 - In preparation for the Philippine hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in 2015, the Office of the Undersecretary for International Economic Relations (OUIER) of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) kicked off the APEC 101: Imagine the Possibilities Information Roadshow on September 16 in Xavier University, Cagayan de Oro City. 

This is the first of a series of talks in universities around the country aimed to inform students and local civil society groups about APEC and its role in regional economic integration.

In her welcome remarks, Dr. Lina G. Kwong, Xavier University (XU) Academic Vice President expressed appreciation to the DFA for choosing XU as the Northern Mindanao university hub and first stop of the roadshow. 

DFA Undersecretary Laura Q. Del Rosario, Philippine Senior Official for APEC, addressed a crowd of around 120 students, faculty and local media. Students from nearby Mindanao University of Science and Technology (MUST) and Liceo de Cagayan University (LDCU) were also present.

In her “APEC 101: Imagine the Possibilities” presentation, Undersecretary Del Rosario shared the work of APEC through its three pillars: (1)trade and investment liberalization; (2) business facilitation; and (3) capacity building.  The Undersecretary invited the audience to think about the possibilities that seamless movement of  people, capital, goods and services provides for budding entrepreneurs and career-starters like themselves. She also shared the Philippines’ initiatives in APEC and other APEC 2015 hosting updates.

The APEC 101: Imagine the Possibilities Roadshow will next be held in St. Louis University, Baguio City.

The Philippines will be hosting the APEC meetings starting December 2014. END