PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. yesterday said he hopes “to put some meat” and build on the discussions started during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) about pressing issues confronting the world during the meeting of world leaders in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) this week.
The President left for Bangkok, Thailand yesterday afternoon with a promise to “unlock economic potential, digitalize the country’s participation in the digital economy, and sustainable development, as well as address the climate change crisis, among others” during the 29th APEC Summit.
“I hope to build upon the discussions that we had during the Asean Summit. There were many as I mentioned when I first arrived from Cambodia, from Phnom Penh, it is very clear that there are many areas of consensus between our countries in the Asia Pacific, Indo-Pacific region.
“And that is what I hope to build on. We have established that those are the concerns — the common concerns of all the leaders, of all the countries around the region. I am hoping now to put some — to put some meat on those very preliminary discussions that we have had. I believe that will be also — that is also what the other leaders are intending to do and I hope to report good progress when I come back from Bangkok,” he said.
Marcos, who is attending his first APEC Summit as president, also aims to engage the other leaders about ensuring the safe and seamless cross-border passage of Filipino seamen and workers; economic inclusion of the Philippines’ micro-small, and medium enterprises; women, indigenous people, and other segments whose economic potential remain to be unlocked; addressing climate change; the digitalization and the country’s participation in the digital economy “and the connectivity that must be achieved if we are going to take full advantage of that digitalization, sustainable development.”
The President said that while in Thailand, he and First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos are expected to meet King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana, who granted a royal audience for the APEC leaders and their spouses.
He said he will also meet with Thai business leaders on the APEC sidelines to invite investments and seek business opportunities, promote Philippine exports and discuss the administration’s economic agenda, and join a panel discussion on “The Global Economy and the Future of APEC” with select APEC leaders.
He said he will also have bilateral meetings with other leaders but he declined to say who they are pending the finalization of arrangements.
Marcos said part of his itinerary is to meet with the Filipino community before he returns to Manila from the November 16 to 19 Summit.
The President emphasized the importance of the APEC Summit, which he said is one of the Philippines’ prime platforms to engage the economies in the Asia-Pacific region.
“Ang dala natin sa ganitong mga summit at mga meeting (ay) ang ating mga pangarap (“we bring to this kind of summit our dreams),” he said, adding APEC member economies are hosting the largest segments of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
APEC economies also account for 85 percent of the Philippine regional trade and provide Filipino consumers access to goods and services from the region.
This is Marcos’ first trip to Thailand, and his sixth trip abroad, since becoming president.
The President went on a state visit to Indonesia from September 4 to 6, followed by his state visit to Singapore from September 6 to 7, and his visit to the United States to attend the United Nations General Assembly from September 19 to 24.
Marcos returned to Singapore last October 4 to watch the F1 Grand Prix and follow up on business agreements during his state visit and attended the Asean Summit in Cambodia from November 10 to 13.
He is also expected to attend the Asean-European Union Summit in Belgium in December and go on a state visit to China in January.
