Binay to greet Chilean, Mexican presidents for APEC

MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Jejomar Binay will play a role in the upcoming 23rd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which the country will be hosting next week.

"We have two state guests and traditionally the vice president greets the state guest so that's Chile and Mexico," APEC National Organizing Council Director General Marciano Paynor Jr. said in an interview with ANC's Headstart on Friday.

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto are among the heads of state expected to attend the APEC summit in Manila next week.

READ: Meet the VIPs who will attend APEC in Manila

Other than Binay, no other government officials running in the 2016 national elections will have a formal participation in the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.

"Only Cabinet secretaries who are sitting (will participate)," Paynor said when asked if former Interior Secretary and Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel "Mar" Roxas II will participate in the summit.

Meanwhile, presidential sisters Ballsy Cruz, Pinky Abellada, Viel Dee and Kris Aquino will attend to the spouses of APEC leaders.

"The presidential sisters... (will be) bringing the guests to Intramuros for them to have a feel of what the Philippines was before and how it has evolved," Paynor said.

Paynor confirmed that several of the APEC leaders will be accompanied by their spouses. United States First Lady Michelle Obama, however, will not be coming to Manila.

On the other hand, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indonesian President Joko Widodo will not attend the APEC summit in the country.

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