Arroyo leaves today for APEC leaders’ summit

President Arroyo will fly to Busan, South Korea this afternoon to take part in this year’s annual leaders’ summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

She will be back on Nov. 19.

At the summit, Mrs. Arroyo will raise issues on poverty and terrorism, as well as information and communication technology, a booming industry in the Philippines.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Mrs. Arroyo has designated Vice President Noli de Castro as caretaker in her absence.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the President would also be conferred an honorary doctorate degree by a South Korean university.

Joining Mrs. Arroyo are: Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Trade Secretary Peter Favila, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Merceditas Gutierrez, Government Mass Media Group head Secretary Cerge Remonde, Ambassador Benjamin Defensor, APEC Counter-Terrorism Task Force technical head Undersecretary for International Trade Relations Edsel Custodio, and former foreign affairs secretary Roberto Romulo who chairs the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC)-Philippines.

The APEC leaders’ summit had been preceded by a series of consultations and meetings of the members’ senior officials and ministers to set the stage for the summit proper.

Senior officials finalized their rounds of meetings Nov. 12 to 13. Taking over from the senior officials, ministers held their own meetings from Nov. 15 to 16.

The leaders will arrive in Busan Nov. 17 and will conclude their summit with a formal declaration on Saturday, Nov. 19.

APEC, comprised of 21 member economies, has emerged as the premier forum for facilitating economic growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region.

Its members are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam.

Busan is South Korea’s second largest city, next to Seoul, the national capital.

A coastal and major port city, it is located along a myriad of sea routes offering gateways to Japan and to the rest of the world.

The APEC summit’s motif this year is "Co-prosperous Open Community," which has been included in the official emblem design for its Nov. 17 to 19 meetings.

The emblem embodies South Korea’s traditional Tri-Taegeuk mark, which is easily discernible in the country’s flag; the powerful surfing waves of Busan where the summit will be held; and the image of the Pacific Ocean rim which hems the APEC member economies.

The APEC Busan summit has adopted as its theme "Towards One Community: Meet the Challenge, Make the Change," with three sub-themes: renew the commitment to the Bogor Goals; ensure transparent and secure business environment; and build bridges over differences.

The Bogor Goals refer to the specific objective of firmly establishing "free and open trade and investments among industrialized members by 2010 and among developing members by 2020," adopted by the APEC leaders during their 1994 summit in Bogor, Indonesia.

APEC’s 2005 theme summarizes the strenuous will of the group’s member economies to achieve a vision to build one "economic community" in the Asia-Pacific region.

Since its birth in 1989, APEC has become a venue for increased face-to-face meetings among the heads of states, key ministers and senior officials of its member economies.

Its annual meetings at various levels have become important venues of interaction that have further enhanced understanding among its members, leading to trade promotion initiatives in the region.

The interaction mechanisms established to foster open and continuing dialogue and cooperation between and among government officials and private business leaders have resulted in increased consensus on business issues throughout the Asia-Pacific. — Aurea Calica