PHL ‘95 to 97 percent ready’ for APEC leaders’ meeting 

Organizers of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting (AELM) to be held in Pasay City next week said they are “95 to 97 percent ready” for the event to be attended by 21 heads of member-economies and their delegates.  

 

Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr., director general of the APEC 2015 National Organizing Council, also appealed for the public’s patience over the heavy traffic to be caused by the arrival of 21 world leaders, including US President Barack Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, among others.

 

“I think we are about anywhere from 95-97 percent ready. What we are doing now is just fine-tuning all of the details that need to be done,” Paynor said. 

 

Paynor emphasized that security preparations will be at the “highest level.” 

 

“Nakita niyo naman noong pumunta dito si Pope [Francis], ang preparation natin ganoon-ganoon na lang, eh how much more dito?” he said. 

 

Meanwhile, Paynor also defended the P10-billion budget for the year-long hosting of APEC meetings and activities. 

 

“I think that amount should not be taken out of context. It should be taken as an infusion of a particular amount of money that we suddenly had and then we put it into the economy,” he said. 

 

He assured the public that every single cent of the budget will be “spent well.” —KBK, GMA News