CIRSS Head at the 2015 Conference of APEC Study Centers

Opening session of the ASCC Conference 2015

Professor Maria Anna Rowena G. Layador, Head of the Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies (CIRSS) of the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), participated in the APEC Study Centers Consortium Conference (ASCC) 2015 held at Boracay Island, Aklan, on 12-13 May 2015.

The event was organized by the Philippine APEC Study Center Network (PASCN)–Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) in partnership with the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) and the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI).

Prof. Layador, the Institute’s Chief Foreign Affairs Research Specialist, was a discussant in Session 3: Enhancing the Regional Economic Integration Agenda: Trade and Investment Patterns and Supply Chain Connectivity. Mr. Jovito Jose Katigbak, Foreign Affairs Research Specialist, assisted Professor Layador.

Prof. Layador shares her insights and comments in Session 3 of the conference.

During the opening of the conference, Undersecretary Rolando G. Tungpalan, Deputy Director-General for Investment Programming of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), delivered the keynote address which focused on the history and significance of APEC Study Centers to APEC and discussed key challenges and advancing regional economic cooperation. This message was affirmed by Dean Fernando Aldaba of the School of Social Sciences of ADMU, Dr. Bokhwan Yu, Deputy Dean of ADBI, and Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat Alan Bollard, represented by Dr. Akmad Bayhaqi.

On the first day of the conference, five sessions tackled issues on improving the regional economic integration agenda, integrating SMEs into the regional and global economy, and advancing human capital development. The second day opened with a keynote speech by Fr. Jose Ramon Villarin, President of ADMU, who encouraged stakeholders to promote and foster the Triple P – profit, people, and planet – approach to development. The final session centered on fostering sustainable and resilient communities in the APEC region.

The ASCC Conference 2015 was concluded with the ASCC Business Meeting and the Official Announcement of the ASCC Conference 2016 to be held in Peru.

Academics and scholars from the different APEC study centers in 20 APEC member economies convened to tackle issues and exchange ideas on the APEC 2015 priorities. The outputs of the Conference may be used as inputs to the different APEC working group discussions and may be included in the Leaders’ statement.