05 December 2014 – Preparations are in full swing for the Philippines’ hosting of APEC 2015. In addition to hosting a series of technical working meetings and Senior Officials' meetings, various government agencies are slated to host high-level policy dialogues and ministerial meetings that will culminate in the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in November 2015.
The Philippines will host the following high-level policy dialogues and ministerial meetings next year:
- High-Level Policy Dialogue on Human Capacity Building (TESDA);
- Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting (DTI);
- High-Level Policy Dialogue on Science and Technology in Higher Education (DOST and CHED);
- Finance Ministerial Meeting (DOF);
- Structural Reform Ministerial Meeting (NEDA);
- Senior Disaster Management Officials Forum (NDRRMC);
- Women and the Economy (DTI and PCW);
· SME Ministerial Meeting (DTI);
· High-Level Meeting on Health and the Economy (DOH);
- High-Level Policy Dialogue on Food Security and the Blue Economy (DA and DENR);
- Transportation Ministerial Meeting (DOTC);
- Energy Ministerial Meeting (DOE); and
- APEC Joint Ministerial Meeting (DFA and DTI).
In a meeting of all host agencies on December 01 hosted by Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory L. Domingo, agencies were reminded to continue to be guided by the country’s inclusive growth and development objectives, and to identify concrete initiatives or deliverables for each meeting. Secretary Domingo said it is important for the Philippines to focus our work on cross-border flows or actions that can be achieved through the cooperation of APEC’s 21 Member Economies.
Aside from individual presentations on the status of their preparations, agencies took the opportunity to identify topics or issues shared by one or more high-level policy dialogue and ministerial meeting. Cross-cutting issues such as SME development, science and technology, and business resilience were discussed.
The Philippines will host its first APEC 2015 meeting, the Informal Senior Officials’ Meeting (ISOM) on December 08 to 09 in Manila. The ISOM will introduce the Philippines’ APEC Host Economy Priorities for 2015. END