ABAC PH to push 4-point agenda in Apec Summit

The Apec Business Advisory Council Philippines (Abac PH) will push a focused four-point agenda to leaders and fellow businessmen as they join President Duterte and his top economic managers in the Apec Summit in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea next week.

“We will take advantage of the avenues made accessible in Apec as its overall agenda is consistent with Philippine interests. Our engagement with Apec is critical in achieving the shared goal of inclusive and sustainable growth,” Abac PH chair Tomas Alcantara said in the pre-Apec Summit meeting with the Department of Trade and Industry.

The agenda, developed with the guidance of Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, advanced the following: growing globally competitive MSMEs, accelerating economic growth through infrastructure, championing the services sector for a strategic global economy and harnessing digital innovation as key to the future economy.

These areas, presented in the Council’s letter to the President, are “strategic complements to the Philippine Development Plan, thus will create more businesses, generate more jobs and increase incomes to further reduce poverty.” The letter contains the relevant issues highlighted by Abac PH from the recommendations of key private sector representatives in the region to Apec leaders.

Abac PH will focus on the four-point agenda in their dialogue with Apec leaders and in discussions with their private sector counterparts in the region. The council will also use the Apec platform to put the Philippine agenda on the map in Apec’s priorities for 2019 and beyond.

Lopez noted that Apec would help in addressing issues at home.

“Apec priorities support the Philippine agenda. Open trade and investment, infrastructure, and innovation will strengthen our industries. Physical and digital infrastructure connectivity will ensure efficient delivery of goods and services, and help address the availability and affordability of items such as food.”

Apec is deemed the most important multilateral and non-binding trade forum for the Philippines.