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[av_heading heading=’Bacolod may host 2017 Asean gab’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY MAE SINGUAY
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BACOLOD City – This city may host another international event in 2017.
It is being considered as one of the venues for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit, said Hellen De La Vega, the Department of Foreign Affairs’ (DFA) assistant secretary for Asean affairs.
The Philippines is hosting the Summit that will also mark Asean’s 50th founding anniversary.
“A team will come over and do [a] regular evaluation and assessment,” De La Vega told a news conference at the New Government Center (NGC) yesterday.
She said the city has a big chance to bag the hosting stint, considering its experience in hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in 2015.
Available infrastructure and linkage to other Asean states are among the criteria in choosing a venue, De La Vega disclosed.
Bacolod hosted the “Disaster Risk Finance – APEC Roadmap of Resilient Economies” meeting from April 29 to 30 last year at the SMX Convention Center.
The meeting involved discussions on the micro-insurance landscape in the Asia-Pacific and the role of micro-insurance in calamity response.
Bacolod is also being considered to be one of the 50 Philippine cities that will hold a simultaneous candle-lighting to mark the Asean Foundation Day on Aug. 8, 2017, said De La Vega. The venue may be at the NGC.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia believes the city is capable of hosting the Asean meet.
“We do not only have a venue, we also have competent people,” he said.
A forum on the impact of the Asean Integration was held at the NGC Annex Hall yesterday.
De La Vega discussed the “Asean Community 2015,” or the integration of Southeast Asian economies.
She noted that Bacolod was the first city in the Philippines to seek help from the DFA to help raise awareness on the impact of the Asean Integration, especially on local business, trade and industry.
Leonardia, in a meeting with local Asean officials in Manila in August, asked the DFA to lead a series of forums explaining the effect of the Integration.
“We should help our people identify the opportunities, as well as the challenges and the risks,” said the mayor.
He said the city must consider the opportunities and challenges coming with the Integration in formulating development plans.
“We can no longer think of ourselves as simply a Philippine city,” he said. “We must now think of Bacolod as a city of Southeast Asia or even Asia.”/PN
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