Despite the TrAPEC, APEC was good for us
And now APEC is a memory — and despite the warts and bumps, it succeeded without any unto ward incident that would have left the country pockmarked on the world stage.
Not just that not one of the 19 heavy weights who attended it were spared from harm. After Paris, there was a Damocles Sword hanging over the summit. Equally important is that no Filipino was hurt in a criminal or terrorist act during the summit when policemen’s eyes were trained on Metro Manila and insurgents could have taken advantage of the situation elsewhere.
It isn’t easy to host a summit of the world’s economic gods in any place but Mt. Olympus. Manila has no subway, is overpopulated, and lacks major infrastructure. It’s like hosting the President, Vice President, Senate President and Speaker of the House and their entourage in an apartment in a densely populated area in one of Metro Manila’s inner cities. You clean up the place, you spruce it up but you cannot turn it into Ayala Alabang overnight.
But at least you rolled out the red carpet, prepared a feast — although the entire barangay was inconvenienced.
Perhaps traffic management isn’t this administration’s ace. But you have to give it to the Aquino administration for pulling off two high-risk, high-profile events (the Papal visit in January and the APEC summit last week) with everyone safe and many Filipinos proud.
Kris Aquino, who spent her own money for the flowers, the staging, the artists’ honoraria, the sound system, the piano for the lunch she and her sisters tendered for the spouses of the leaders, agrees it was indeed a proud moment for the country.
“I am most proud that with world leaders and economic giants, they all respect Noy. Couldn’t ask for more,” said Kris, who sat behind her brother and President Obama at the reception for the barong- clad APEC leaders at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“Actually, my best memory is the easy camaraderie Noy shares with President Obama, Prime Minister Abe, and the rest of our ASEAN neighbors! They like and respect him!” said the proud sister.
I noticed, too, that during the dinner, President Obama, who was already seated when the President of South Korea Park Geunhye came to the table, gallantly stood up and held out her chair and gently pushed it back after she was seated. He didn’t wait for an aide to do it — he just instinctively stood up when he saw her walking to her chair.
Paul Cabral looked mighty proud of his
barongs, revealing that he was not given any opportunity to take the leaders’ measurements. He was sent very basic information about their sizes and so he and his staff pored over photos and video footage of the leaders to get as close a fit as possible.
(To be concluded)