Duterte to attend APEC-related events in Papua New Guinea

Malacañang said President Rodrigo Duterte will be present at Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)-related events in Papua New Guinea on Saturday.

"The Palace wishes to announce that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte will participate in today's APEC-related events, which include, among others, a dialogue before prominent business leaders during the summit of chief executive officers of the APEC Business Advisory Council or ABAC and a meeting with leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum, capped by a gala dinner in the evening," Presidential Spokesperson and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said in a statement issued Saturday.

However, Duterte will leave for the Philippines right after the APEC-related events on Saturday due to "urgent domestic developments."

"The President will personally convey this imperative decision to his good friend Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’ Neill who we hope will understand the same," Panelo said.

He gave the assurance though that the Philippines supports Papua New Guinea's chairmanship of the APEC.

"The Philippines remains supportive of Papua New Guinea’s Chairmanship and will continue to be positively engaged with APEC, which our country considers as the most important economic cooperation platform in the world, especially in reinforcing the formulation of the new and inclusive APEC Vision beyond the year 2020," Panelo said.

Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez will represent Duterte in the remaining APEC-related events.

Lopez is expected to push for the Philippines' priorities in APEC, "particularly in our pursuit of a comfortable and secure life for our people, with the same full resolve," Panelo said.

"He is the best person to manifest the President’s support for international mechanisms that will enable our micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to take advantage of digital and online platforms to benefit their businesses and bring their products and services overseas," the presidential spokesperson added.

Lopez will also work with other leaders in having small business link internationally, in line with the Philippine-led initiative, the Boracay Action Agenda, Panelo said.

Duterte missed several meetings during the 33rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Singapore earlier this week, such as the ASEAN-Australia Informal Breakfast Summit and the gala dinner Singapore hosted for heads of government.

Malacañang on Wednesday said Duterte hardly slept the night before and needed to take power naps in between meetings. —KG, GMA News