A LAWMAKER on Saturday said that Cebu is prepared to host the 30th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit in 2017.
House Assistant Majority Leader Rep. Gerald Anthony V. Gullas Jr. of the First District of Cebu said that should organizers prefer to hold the meeting outside Manila, Cebu can manage the hosting of the summit. “Manila and Cebu are the only two places in the country that managed to host an Asean summit in the past,” Gullas said.
It will only be the third time for the Philippines to host an Asean summit. The country hosted the Third Asean Summit in Manila in 1987 and the 12th Asean Summit in Cebu in 2007.
“If the Philippines will be hosting two Asean summits back-to-back in 2017, then we are hoping that Cebu will get the chance to host one of the two meetings,” the lawmaker said.
Asean groups Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Gullas, however, said it is not clear yet whether the Philippines will be hosting two Asean summits one after the other in 2017, or just one meeting.
“Since 2009 the 10 members of Asean have been holding two summits every year—one in the first half of the year, the other in the second half—but always in one host country,” he said.
Myanmar hosted the 24th and 25th Asean summits in 2014. Malaysia is hosting the 26th and 27th summits this year. Laos will host the 28th and 29th summits in 2016.
“Cebu is always ready to host high-level international gatherings. We have more than enough convention facilities for the meetings and plenty of hotel accommodations for delegates,” Gullas said.
The lawmaker also said that Cebu international gateway is also being upgraded for any international event.
Gullas was referring to the construction of a new terminal for the Mactan-Cebu International Airport. The airport’s old terminal, which is being renovated, will eventually service only domestic flights by 2018.
Meanwhile, Cebu recently hosted three separate meetings of the finance, transportation and energy ministers from 21 members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec).
At the close of the Apec finance ministers’ meeting last month in Cebu, Gullas added that Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima had said the Philippines will be hosting the Asean summit in 2017.