RP hosts 5-day meet of Asean + 3, APEC energy ministers

The Philippines plays host to a series of meetings of Energy Ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

Set to open today at the Shangri-La Hotel in Makati and at the World Trade Center are the meeting of the ASEAN plus 3 Ministers of Energy Meeting (AMEM + 3), the 22nd ASEAN Ministers of Energy Meeting (22nd AMEM), the 6th APEC Energy Ministers Meeting and the 5th ASEAN Energy Business Forum (AEBF).

Energy leaders from all over the region and neighboring countries will meet for five days to look into various issues from energy market development and growth to enhanced energy security for long-term sustainability.

With the prevailing volatility in global oil prices, it is expected that energy ministers from APEC member economies will focus on major issues for the energy industry and some "initiatives to protect the sector from terrorist attack". The last APEC meeting on energy was held 2002 in Mexico City.

AMEM + 3 consists of ASEAN members - Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Brunei, Myanmar and Laos – plus the three major economies of Japan, China and South Korea.

The Department of Energy (DOE) said the Philippine government is likely to conduct at least five bilateral discussions with several ASEAN and APEC member countries on June 8 to 11.

For security purposes, the DOE opted to withhold the identities of the APEC leaders from the US and European countries who would be attending the meetings.

Based on the tentative schedule of the meetings, some officials from Brunei, Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam will also be part of the panel discussions.

For the 22nd AMEM, it is expected that the group will zero in on the progress reports for the SEA energy cooperation areas, and the trans-ASEAN gas pipeline and other related issues, including the power grids.

The energy leaders will also present the results of the final review of the ASEAN Plan of Action for energy cooperation until 2009.

One of the most important issues to be discussed is the preparation for the third SOME (Senior Officials Meeting on Energy) + 3 consultations for future meetings.