CLARK FREEPORT-Security forces and emergency preparedness and response teams began Tuesday the deployment of personnel and equipment in Clark and Subic in line with the first Senior Officials’ Meeting and Related Meetings (SOM1) of the 2015 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit from January 26-February 7.
“We are deploying around 3,000 of our personnel to ensure peace and order inside and within the perimeters of the two Freeports. We shall make our presence felt but not visibly seen by the delegates,” Philippine National Police Deputy Regional Director PSSupt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe said.
PNP Police Regional Office 3 has been conducting since last year relative trainings that would beef up its preparations for SOM1.
This includes Close Protection Orientation, Hostage Negotiation Course, Proper Etiquette and Protocol, Radio Operation and Procedures Course, Pistol Proficiency Training, Civil Disturbance Management Training, and Explosives and Ordnance Refresher Course.
A simulation exercise was held Saturday to test these preparations.
“For our part, we have formed an Emergency Preparedness and Response Task Group which is composed mainly of member-agencies of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and local disaster risk reduction and management offices. Our goal is to guarantee that necessary measures are taken to mobilize equipment, facilities, materials, human and financial resources required to respond to any possible emergency that may happen during SOM1,” Office of Civil Defense Regional Director Josefina Timoteo said.
It is likewise responsible for the development of strategies and contingency or response plans to reduce losses from disasters.
OCD heads the group whose 24/7 Emergency Operations Center is located inside the premises of the 1st Air Division of the Philippine Air Force.
SOM1 begins with a series of more than 30 working group and committee-level meetings covering various topics such as Trade and Investment, Economic and Technical Cooperation, Anti-Corruption, Counter Terrorism, Competition Policy, Ocean and Fisheries, Customs, E-Commerce, Services, Life Sciences, Health, Illegal Logging, and Services.
Following from the outcomes of the APEC Informal Senior Officials’ Meeting held last December 8-9, 2014 in Manila, the various meetings will also discuss how each working group can advance the APEC 2015 priorities and the overall theme of “Building Inclusive Economies, Building a Better World”.
The series of working group and committee-level meetings from January 26 to February 5 shall culminate with the Senior Officials’ Meeting on February 6-7 at Fontana Leisure Park in Clark Freeport.
As host, the Philippines will also hold a Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) on Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM), Creative Industries, and Research and Development Services on February 3.
The PPD on Services is the first in a “Dialogue Series”, which aim to guide the APEC Senior Officials and the APEC Business Advisory Council in promoting trade in services in the Asia-Pacific region. (Carlo Lorenzo J. Datu)
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