Afterthoughts and lessons from APEC

The deed is done. The delegates have left and the dust has settled. To the great relief of the nation, we beat Murphy’s Law despite numerous potential disasters in this mammoth event. We succeeded to put our best foot forward while keeping our guests out of harms way. If anything, we proved that while we may be a nation of free spirits, we can also be detail-obsessed, should the need arise. Deserving kudos for their impeccable work are Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa and his team including Ambassador Marciano Paynor, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the APEC Business Advisory Council and the National Competitiveness Council. We especially salute Director Ricardo Marquez and the entire Philippine National Police for skillfully ensuring the security of the delegates in the face of multiple terrorist threats. Those who worked to show the world what “Filipino flair” is all about also deserve acknowledgement. Leading the way [...]