President Marcos to visit Cebu this Friday for ABAC, National Museum inauguration

President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. | INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

CEBU CITY, Philippines – President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. will be visiting Cebu this Friday, July 28, 2023, a few days after delivering his second State of the Nation Address (Sona).

Marcos will be attending the third leg of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Advisory Council (ABAC) in the morning. Then in the afternoon, he will be leading the inauguration of Cebu’s first National Museum in Aduana Port.

Cebu was selected as the host for the third leg of this year’s ABAC meetings.

The three-day event, held in a casino-resort in South Road Properties (SRP), welcomed over 200 delegates and guests as it kicked off on Thursday, July 27.

“It will bring together prominent business leaders, policymakers,and stakeholders from across the APEC economies to address significant economic challenges and devise strategies for long-term sustainable growth and collaboration,” organizers said in a statement.

President Marcos is expected to “share his administration’s vision and priorities for fostering economic growth and cooperation within the Asia-Pacific region,” they added.

National Museum of the Philippines – Cebu

The President will also be attending the inauguration of the National Museum of the Philippines – Cebu, which will be housed at the Aduana building.

Also known as the old Customs House and Malacañan sa Sugbo, this Friday’s event will also mark the completion of its restoration and renovation into a National Museum.

READ MORE: Malacañan sa Sugbo’s conversion into Cebu National Museum begins

“The former Customs House continues its prominence as we anticipate it as a new venue for showcasing the Cebu island’s endearing history and culture,” portions of an entry from the NMP’s official website read.

The Aduana building is one of the most prominent structures in Cebu that dates back to the American occupation in the early 20th century. It was declared a National Cultural Treasure.

It also served as the main Customs office in Cebu until 2004 when it was renamed to Malacañan sa Sugbo, the official residence of the President in the Visayas.

However, in 2013, the 7.2-magnitude quake rendered the building unsafe for occupation. It was in 2019 when the NMP entered into a usufruct agreement with the Cebu Port Authority (CPA), which owns and manages the property, to turn it into a National Museum.

/bmjo

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