(Eagle News)–President Bongbong Marcos will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders Summit in San Francisco, California from Nov. 15 to 17, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
“As we all know, the Philippines is a founding member in 1989. APEC is important to the Philippines because it is the primary forum for our engagement with the other economies on the Asia Pacific region,” Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Charles Jose said.
Jose added that 11 of the Philippines’ top 15 trading partners are APEC members.
He said APEC economies play a significant role in the Philippines, accounting for 85 percent of the country’s total exports and imports, and approximately 56 percent of the foreign direct investments that entered the country.
He said this year’s APEC theme is “Creating a resilient and sustainable future for all” have been focused “on building sustainability, inclusivity and resilience toward a peaceful and prosperous APEC region,” and it “aligns with the economic agenda of the administration of President Marcos Jr., the Philippine Development Plan and the administration’s 8-point socioeconomic agenda and visage an economic transformation for a prosperous, inclusive and resilient Philippines by prioritizing the creation of more quality and green jobs.”
Jose said this year’s APEC Leaders’ Summit in the US will be President Marcos’ second with the previous one held in Thailand in November last year.
After the summit, President Marcos will also be making working visits to Los Angeles, California and Honolulu, Hawaii where he will meet with business leaders and the Filipino community, the government said.