• Duterte all set for APEC Summit in Peru
• Duterte discusses urgent issues with former President Ramos
• Duterte to NBI: Beef up efforts vs. money laundering
• Duterte congratulates senator boxing icon Pacquiao

His official schedule in Peru will start on November 19 where he is expected to attend the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting (AELM) and the CEO Summit.

He is also set to participate in the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), which is composed of three CEOs of each of the 21 APEC member countries.

The Philippines will be represented by Doris Magsaysay Ho, chairperson of last year’s ABAC in the Philippines and Guillermo Luz of the Competitiveness Council, according to Herrera-Lim.



“Basically, the ABAC meeting will give the business leaders an opportunity to discuss with the world leaders or the economic leaders of APEC the pressing concerns of business within our region,” the DFA official added.



The ABAC meeting will be followed up by the breakout sessions involving all the 21 leaders and 63 ABAC CEOs.



Herrera said President Duterte will be in “Group 4” together with the leaders of Japan, Mexico, and Singapore.

Among the topics to be discussed in the ABAC include taking the Asia Pacific to the next economic integration, growing global Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), building larger and robust inclusive financial markets, promoting sustainable development, regulatory quality and closing the gap.

After the ABAC, the President is expected to participate in the meeting with Pacific Alliance leaders, which include Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru.



The Chief Executive and other economic leaders are set to attend the dialogue with Facebook CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg.

The President’s day will be capped off by the gala dinner to be hosted by Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski.



On the second day, President Duterte is scheduled to attend the informal dialogue with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde.



He is also set to attend two retreats. In the first retreat, the leaders are expected to discuss challenges to the trade and investment in the current global context, ways to promote voluntary reforms in support of free trade and capital mobility, systems to boost the SMEs, internationalization or connection and participation in the global value chain, and ways to maximize opportunities offered by the digital, trade services and knowledge economy.



In the second retreat, the leaders will tackle food security, climate change, and access to water.



Herrera-Lim said President Duterte may have two to four bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the APEC Summit but refused to give further details about it.



He said the number of bilateral meetings is limited to ensure “good and constructive interaction” with the world leaders. PND

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Duterte said he promised the former leader that he would sign the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

“We talked about the treaty on climate change. He had his points. I gave him mine and we agreed that I’ll sign it,” Duterte said.

He said he is still waiting for the agreement to be submitted to him.

The President said he and Ramos also talked about how to handle and resolve the issues on the peace process involving Nur Misuari of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

“He (Ramos) gave a few suggestions. He gave me a book on how to retrace the history of how Misuari came in from the cold to talk to the government,” the President said.

The President added that his discussion with Ramos also focused on identification of probable candidates for various ambassadorial positions in critical countries where diplomatic issues must be handled well.

President Duterte described his meeting with Ramos which lasted more than an hour as “pleasant”.

He said while they disagree on some issues, the former President always treated him well.

“The President (Ramos) is always courteous and nice,” he said.

It will be recalled that Ramos criticized the administration shortly after he resigned from his appointment as special envoy to China. PND

“You have to do more especially in digging records that would show laundered money,” he said.

The President also warned the Central Bank and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) with regard to handling money laundering cases and scrutinizing people’s bank accounts.

At the same time, he reiterated that law enforcers such as NBI agents and members of the police force must stay away from the illegal drug trade that his administration is trying to curtail.

Law enforcers should do their duties well and not  worry about anything, according to the President. And as long as the agents and policemen are doing their jobs well, the President said he will protect them from prosecution.

The President also mentioned his administration’s plan to fight terrorism which he said could affect the country once Middle East radicals run out of hiding places.

The Philippines is building strong ties with Indonesia and Malaysia to effectively fight terrorism especially in the country’s southern border, he said.PND

Pacquiao is the newly World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight  champion after defeating Jessie Vargas in a lopsided unanimous verdict.

“Do or die ako kay Pacquiao,” said the President after raising the hands of the People’s Champ as symbol of his supremacy in the ring.

“I would like to extend the warmest congratulations from the Filipino people and the government to the Senator for doing us proud here,” the President said.

Pacquiao gave a gold fighting jersey to the President during his courtesy call.

Malacañan earlier called Senator Pacquiao a “national treasure in global sports” after winning his fight.
“The discipline, the determination, and the hard work of our People’s Champ are truly what makes him a National Treasure in Global Sports,” the Palace statement read.PND