MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will not attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Week in Lima, Peru, from Nov. 10 to 16, Malacañang announced Thursday (07 Nov 2024).
The President will focus on domestic priorities, including responding to recent calamities, according to Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Acting Secretary Cesar Chavez.
To represent the Philippines at the summit, Marcos has designated Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Acting Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque as the country’s Special Envoy to APEC. The announcement of Roque’s appointment confirms the President’s absence from the event.
The APEC summit will bring together leaders, ministers, and senior officials from the 21 APEC member economies—accounting for half of global trade and 60% of global GDP. This year’s theme, “Empower. Include. Grow,” focuses on inclusive growth, digitalization, and sustainable development.
Under Peru’s chairmanship, APEC aims to set strategic priorities for trade, innovation, and resilience in the coming year.
New appointees
In addition to the APEC announcement, the PCO released a list of new presidential appointees.
Among them are Noel Eugene Euebio Servigon, appointed non-resident ambassador to Bulgaria and Moldova, and Benjamin Turgano, named acting president and CEO of the Natural Resources Development Corp. (NRDC).
Other new appointments include Richard Anthony Fadullon as prosecutor general and Romeo Dela Cruz as assistant secretary at the Department of National Defense.
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