25 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) presented the “APEC 101: Imagine the Possibilities” Information Roadshow on September 19 at Saint Louis University, Baguio City. This is the second 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 his welcome remarks, Saint Louis University (SLU) President Fr. Jesse Hechanova expressed appreciation to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for choosing SLU as the Northern Luzon university hub and second stop of the roadshow in coordination with the SLU School of Accounting and Business Management. 

DFA Undersecretary Laura Q. Del Rosario, Philippine Senior Official for APEC, addressed a crowd of around 450 students, faculty and local media. Students from other universities in Baguio City namely, the University of Baguio, University of the Cordilleras, and the Philippine Military Academy, were also in attendance.

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. Undersecretary Del Rosario also shared the Philippines’ initiatives in APEC and other APEC 2015 hosting updates. 

The Philippines will be hosting the APEC meetings starting December 2015. END