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CEBU
CITY, September 1 (PIA)—
Cebuanos can now get a glimpse of what the Asia Pacific Economic
Conference (APEC) is all about with the opening of the Activity Centerat the
Capitol today.
Cebu Provincial Information Officer Ethel
Natera said the APEC Activity Center is also open to media
and bloggers who were not able to obtain an accreditation at the APEC
International Media Center.
But more importantly, students, clubs, civic and
other non government organizations, even those from the government, can drop by
and be able to get an idea or inputs on what APEC is all about.
“This will be an avenue where we can help each
other in explaining APEC in layman’s terms,” Natera said.
The Activity Center which is at the
Dignitaries Hall of the Cebu Provincial Capitol will live stream some
of the meetings conducted during the day.
These are the same feeds shown at the International
Media Center.
There will also be briefings from
agencies involved in Apec meetings from time to time.
Free internet connection at the activity
center is also available until September 12.
In today’s launching, Lito Maderazo of the
APEC Regional Operations Committee (ROC) likened APEC to a neighbourhood
scenario.
“You have to talk about traffic, about health,
about peace and order. In APEC, the member-economies will talk about how
to easily transfer goods and services to each other,” Maderazo said.
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Regional
Director Asteria Caberte emphasized that APEC has a direct impact
on the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
She said the furnitures and fixtures at the
Mactan International Airport and in the hotels where the delegates meet and are
billeted were sourced from the local MSMEs.
Fashion accessories are also in high demand
among the female APEC delegates, while local farmers are producing and
supplying the fruits and vegetables to the hotels and restaurants.
Department of Tourism (DOT) Regional Director
Rowena Montecillo said the hotels are hiring additional workforce even on
a temporary basis just for APEC.
Assistant Secretary Lito Nadal encouraged the
Cebuanos to put their best foot forward.
“This is about Cebuanos owning APEC, we need to
show how hospitable the Cebuanos are,” Nadal said.
APEC is now on its 10th day in Cebu
province. (rmn/fcc/PIA7-Cebu)