Marcos: APEC a platform to avert conflict, promote peace in the region

SAN FRANCISCO, USA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Thursday (PH Time) underscored the importance of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in averting conflict and promoting peace in the region.

“I wish to emphasize once more that global and regional economic governance platforms such as APEC are geared towards averting conflict because sustained prosperity and progress are only possible in a world that is at peace, which in turn must be a peace that is built on a solid economic foundation,” Marcos said in his remarks during the APEC CEO Summit.

Marcos said APEC member economies must also leverage on the bloc’s core value propositions as the premier regional forum in the Asia-Pacific, incubator of innovative ideas, pathfinder for collaborative solutions to emerging trade issues, and platform for forward-looking and responsive economic and trade policies. 

He said member economies should continue to build on APEC’s partnership with the private sector and be more in sync with the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) and other stakeholders.

“We must act regionally; we must also shrink our intentions globally by finding coherence in our workstreams with those of other economies of the world and other regional and international organizations,” Marcos said.

Meanwhile, the 2023 APEC Summit was also met with protest rallies from various groups here in San Francisco. 

Most of the rallyists protested outside The Pickwick Hotel where members of the Philippine media delegation are staying.

According to Rhonda Ramiro, convenor of No To APEC Coalition, the Summit will only benefit big corporations. She believed that the Summit is not helping in addressing the climate crisis, the unprecedented homelessness in the US, and the migration.

“The APEC is meeting the top CEOs in the world today to cut more deals that are going to punch more people into poverty,’’ Ramiro said. ‘’Its agenda is making profits for the one percent and the corporations that are already rich.’’ —VAL, GMA Integrated News