PORT MORESBY — President Duterte is skipping some meetings in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit to return home early to address “urgent domestic developments,” his spokesman Salvador Panelo said Saturday.
The President has expressed hope that Papua New Guinea, host of this year’s APEC summit, would understand his decision to cut short his three-day visit and leave the Pacific Island nation by Saturday night.
Based on his new schedule, Duterte will attend the APEC economic leaders’ summit, which opens Saturday, but will skip other activities scheduled on Sunday. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez has been designated represent him in the second day of the annual talks here.
“The Palace wishes to announce that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte will participate in today’s APEC-related events, which include, among others, a dialogue before prominent business leaders during the summit of chief executive officers of the APEC Business Advisory Council or ABAC and a meeting with leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum, capped by a gala dinner in the evening,” Panelo said.
“Urgent domestic developments, however, require the Chief Executive to return to the Philippines after today’s activities. The President will personally convey this imperative decision to his good friend Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’ Neill who we hope will understand the same,” he added.
The President, who arrived in Port Moresby Friday morning, was originally scheduled to attend the APEC economic leaders’ summit on November 17 and 18 to push for closer economic integration in the region amid the digital trade. He was supposed to arrive in Davao City Sunday night.
A revised itinerary showed the President is scheduled to leave Papua New Guinea at 11: 15 p.m Saturday and arrive in Davao City international airport on Sunday 3:15 a.m.
Despite the President’s absence in some APEC events, Panelo assured that the Philippines continues to support the chairmanship of Papua New Guinea.
He said the country would continue “to be positively engaged with APEC, which our country considers as the most important economic cooperation platform in the world, especially in reinforcing the formulation of the new and inclusive APEC Vision beyond the year 2020.”
He said Lopez would serve as the President’s “special representative” for the remainder of the APEC meetings. He said the trade chief was the “best man” to express the President’s support for the development of micro, small and medium enterprises during the summit.
“Secretary Lopez, a known champion of entrepreneurship in the Philippines, is expected to advance our country’s priorities in APEC, particularly in our pursuit of a comfortable and secure life for our people, with the same full resolve,” Panelo said.
“He is the best person to manifest the President’s support for international mechanisms that will enable our micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to take advantage of digital and online platforms to benefit their businesses and bring their products and services overseas,” he added.
In line with the Philippine-led initiative the Boracay Action Agenda, Panelo said Lopez would work with other APEC leaders towards enabling small businesses in the region to link internationally. (Genalyn Kabiling)