MAY anim na bilateral meetings ang dadaluhan ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sa sidelines ng Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit sa Thailand sa susunod na linggo.

“Yes, the President is having bilateral meetings with six counterparts. The arrangements are still being finalized so I’m not at liberty to disclose yet at this time which economies and leaders they are,” ayon kay DFA Assistant Secretary Eric Tamayo sa isang panayam.

Napaulat na dadalo rin sa APEC Leaders Meeting si United States Vice President Kamala Harris.

At sa tanong kung makakapulong ni Pangulong Marcos sina Harris at Russian President Vladimir Putin, na dadalo rin sa summit, sinabi ni Tamayo na: “Right now, I can say that among the roster of bilateral meetings of the President that these meetings have yet to be explored for the time being.”

Nauna nang sinabi ng White House na bibisita sa Pilipinas si Harris para muling pagtibayin at palakasin ang US-Philippines Alliance.

Ang Thailand ang magho-host ng APEC Summit ngayong taon na may layunin na ituon ang pansin na ipanumbalik ang connectivity sa pamamagitan ng pagpapatuloy ng “safe and seamless cross-border travel, reinvigorating tourism and the services sector, facilitating business mobility as well as increasing investment in health security.”

Ayon kay Office of the Press Secretary officer-in-charge Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil, ang APEC Summit ay isang oportunidad sa Pilipinas para isulong ang “economic agenda at priorities.”

“These include the empowerment of our MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) and their inclusion in global value chains, recognition of essential role of our maritime crews and seafarers in ensuring stable and resilient supply chains, ensuring our food and energy security and climate change mitigation and adaptation,” ayon kay Garafil. (CHRISTIAN DALE)