Cebu eyed to host pre-summit events

CEBU City is being considered to host the pre-summit activities of the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference (Apec) in 2015.

Mayor Michael Rama revealed this yesterday as he said that the selection should be announced at the Cabinet level to make it official.

The mayor sees the development as an indication that Cebu has a greater chance to bag the hosting rights for the main summit which will see the leaders of the Apec member-countries coming to the Queen City of the south.

“There were initial reports that some (Cebu destintions) have been accepted. Some habr been approved. Kanang meeting-meeting lang but it has to be officially announced especially at the cabinet level,” he said.

“We still have many challenges to surmount because we want to project that we have a tourism destination, BPOs (business process outsourcing), heritage destinations or convention exhibit and conference destinations,” the mayor added.

Rama said that the Metro Cebu Development Coordinating Board which consistd of government and private sector representatives are working on Cebu City’s bid to host the main summit. Other cities are in the running for the hosting of the main summit, but the National Organizing Committee has yet to make its choice.

The Cebu steering committee made a presentation of the province’s readiness to host the summit before a panel led by Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras, a Cebuano.

Almendras, brother of Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale, was recently in Cebu to attend the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry annual membership meeting.