February 27, 2014
By EUGENE ADIONG
BACOLOD City — Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Frank Carbon said he believes the capital city has “met the basics” in its bid to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit meetings next year.
He said Bacolod has “prequalified,” which is why the APEC National Organizing Committee inspection team came here in the first place.
The business group leader was reacting to the statement of Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. on the reports he received regarding the recent inspection.
Marañon earlier said he got a feedback from the inspection team that “the city is not ready to host international conferences.”
In a press conference after the ocular check, the inspection team said that Bacolod is a safe place to hold the APEC meetings and that it appreciates the cooperation among stakeholders here in preparing for the possible hosting.
“It depends on how one takes the statements of the inspection team,” Carbon said.
Carbon urged city stakeholders to work together to meet the APEC hosting requirements by December this year.
Marañon said the provincial government will support Bacolod’s hosting of the APEC meetings. He acknowledges that the stint will be advantageous not only to the city but also to the province./PN