300 Volunteers Needed for Cebu APEC 2015 Event

The Asia-Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) Cebu Organizing Committee (COC) needs 300 student-volunteers for the hosting of meetings in Cebu this August to October.

Undersecretary Anthony Alcantara, APEC 2015 National Organizing Committee (NOC) deputy director general for operations, had an initial talk with representatives of four (4) colleges and universities in Cebu.

Generally, Alcantara said the volunteers will assist or guide the delegates starting from their arrival, meetings, and until they leave for their hotels.

Lito Maderazo, overall coordinator of the Cebu organizing committee, added that most of them will stay at the venue of the meetings or operation centers. The meetings will be held in Shangrila’s Mactan Resort and Spa, Marco Polo Hotel, and Radisson Blu Hotel. The Media operation center will be in Marriott Hotel.

In the conference management services committee, 100 volunteers are needed as conference or documentation officers, for socials, and logistics. Maderazo asked the school reps if they could treat the exposure as their practicum or on the job trainings saying “this is not an ordinary event that they would be exposed to.”

Tourism Instructor Eds Lopez, who represented the University of Cebu (UC) Banilad Campus, UC is open for their students to work for the big the event. However, she believes that the exposure might not be considered part of their curriculum. She said they have different guidelines for their school practicum.

Also present during the meeting were representatives from the University of San Carlos, UC Main, St. Theresa’s College and University of the Philippines Cebu College.

The NOC and COC will eventually inform the schools on their subsequent preparations. Alcantara said the students will be given briefings, orientations, or trainings prior to the APEC meetings.

The APEC hosting is expected to help boost the tourism industry in Cebu as delegates can spread the word on their fantastic experience during their stay. Being able to showcase our products and industries will open the opportunity for businessmen in the Asia Pacific region to invest in Cebu.

Governor Hilario P. Davide III is the chairman of the local organizing committee, with the city mayors of Cebu, Lapu-lapu and Mandaue as co-chairs. Cebu’s hosting will start on August 24 to September 10. They will be back again on October 8 to 14. Cebu will host one senior officials’ meeting with over 3200 participants and four ministerial meetings. Maderazo said there will 40 to 60 meetings in all during those dates.

APEC has 21 member economies: the United States; Australia; Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Chile; China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; The Philippines; Russia; Singapore; Republic of Korea; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; and Vietnam. As per APEC protocol and practice, all the delegates, except the ministers, are paying for their own hotel accommodations.

www.cebu.gov.ph/news