Palace: Domingo still DTI secretary until after Apec meetings
After submitting his resignation to President Benigno Aquino III, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Gregory Domingo will remain in his post until the culmination of the ongoing Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) meetings in the country, a Palace official confirmed on Friday.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said Domingo has agreed to delay his departure until after the Apec Economic Leaders’ Meeting (AELM) in November.
“For those of you who were asking me kung magkakaroon ng disruption when the initial news broke out that si Secretary Greg was resigning, then I think we can put your fears to rest already because he will stay until after AELM in November,” Valte told reporters.
READ: Domingo resigns as DTI Secretary
Valte said the DTI was concerned with upcoming Apec ministerial level meetings, particularly the Small and Medium Enterprise Ministerial meeting in Iloilo next week, and the Apec Ministerial Meeting in November.
“Hopefully, now that he has agreed to delay his departure, then ‘yung mga agam-agam po kung magkakaroon ng epekto doon sa mga meeting, sa mga hosting should be put to rest,” she added.
Apec delegates ‘very happy’
Valte said Apec delegates have been “very happy” so far with the Philippines’ hosting of the international event in terms of security and logistics, among others.
“On the hosting, so far it’s going well. We are more than half—we are past the halfway mark already. We have—one, two three, four—almost four ministerials left going up into the big event, and preparations are already not just underway, pero talagang paulit-ulit na ho ‘yung pagpapraktis natin for that. And, so far, our delegates have been very happy with our hosting and they’ve said so themselves,” she said.
Aside from hosting, Valte added that the Philippine delegates were also successful in pushing for certain economic initiatives during the meetings.
“We have a very strong push to help our micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). So all our initiatives, in all of the meetings, kahit ministerial po ‘yan (na) malaki or kahit medyo maliit na parang technical working group meetings… Ang itinutulak po on the Philippine side would be how to help Filipino MSMEs to be able to integrate—to be able to penetrate the global value chain,” she added. Yuji Vincent Gonzales
