Security biggest challenge in PH’s hosting of Apec—official
Philippine officials admitted on Thursday that security is the biggest challenge in hosting the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit next week where leaders of powerful nations like the United States, China, Japan and Russia are expected to attend.
Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr., director general of the National Organizing Council (NOC) for the Apec 2015 disclosed that part of the security measure that the NOC had instituted was to order hotels along Roxas Boulevard to shut down their windows while the leaders’ convoys are en route to the Philippine International Convention Center, the venue of the summit.
“(That is) part of how we can secure leaders as they go. This is a basic security practice worldwide,” Paynor said at the press briefing held at the designated International Media Center at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.
“In New York, for instance, when the UNGA (United Nations General Assembly) commences end of September towards October, they request all of the skyscrapers along Manhattan routes going to the UN, to have their windows closed,” he said.
Paynor said security is the biggest challenge to the Philippines’ hosting of the Apec summit.
He stressed that altogether, there will be 19 heads of sates, including President Benigno Aquino III, and two leaders of economies and one leader of a guest country which will serve as observer in the summit.
“We should understand that threats follow world leaders wherever they go. We have laid down a plan for such,” Paynor said.
He said the policy of the NOC is “when the leaders move then there should be no traffic moving.”
On Wednesday night, most of the senior officials of the Apec began arriving to attend the two-day Concluding Senior Officials Meeting which will start on Friday.
The Philippines is expecting to receive at least 7, 000 foreign delegates from the Apec member economies.
Paynor reiterated that the Philippines is 95 to 97 percent ready for the summit while fine-tuning some details.
“We have to ensure that each economy’s agenda will be hassle-free and their objectives are met,” Paynor said. RAM
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