Recto: Is Phl ready for 2015 APEC summit?
MANILA — "Is traffic-choked National Capital Region ready for the Asia-Pacific Economic Conferences in November 2015 where 21 heads of government will converge in Metro Manila?" Senator Ralph Recto asked government yesterday.
Recto wanted to know if government preparations ranging from fixing roads to putting more cops on the street are on track with the P4.6billion budget for the APEC Summit.
"If Barrack Obama and Vladimir Putin will hug and pose for a selfie in November next year, will they be doing it in a metropolis that international reporters covering the APEC summit would hail as safe and clean?" the Senate President Pro Tempore asked.
"Or will the traditional ' class picture' of APEC leaders have cargo trucks stuck in traffic as background?"
The US president and the Russian premier are among those who are expected to attend the annual gathering of leaders of Pacific Rim economies which have banded together in a forum which seeks to promote free trade.
Reports said up to 10,000 delegates, journalists and support staff will descend into Manila for the 25th edition of the APEC leaders confab.
Some 21 meetings and ministerial conferences have also been slated on the run-up to the summit.
The site and date of the latter, as well as those of the pre- summit meetings, have not been officially announced. News reports, however, said the summit and most of the preparatory conferences will be held i n Metro Manila.