300 student volunteers needed for Cebu meetings

The local organizing committee of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit 2015 needs at least 300 student volunteers for the hosting of meetings in Cebu from August to October.

The volunteers will  assist or guide  delegates from their arrival, in their meetings, and until they leave for their hotels.

The hosting will start on August 24 to September 10. They will return on October 8 to 14, said Ethel Natera, Cebu provincial information officer in a statement.

There will be 40 to 60 meetings taking place on these dates.

Cebu will host one senior officials’ meeting with over 3,200 participants and four ministerial meetings.

Lito Maderazo, overall coordinator of the local organizing committee, said that most of the volunteers 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.

In the conference management services committee alone, 100 volunteers are needed as conference or documentation officers, for socials and logistics.

Last Monday, Undersecretary Anthony Alcantara, APEC 2015 national organizing committee deputy general for operations, had an initial talk with representatives of four colleges and universities in Cebu.

Present during the meeting were representatives from the University of Cebu (UC) Banilad and Main campuses, University of San Carlos (USC), St. Theresa’s College (STC), and the University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu.

During the meeting, Maderazo asked school representatives if their exposure to the hosting can be treated as practicum or on-the-job training.

“This is not an ordinary event that they would be exposed to,” he said.

Eds Lopez, a tourism instructor from UC Banilad, said the school is open for their students to participate in the event.

However, she said the exposure may  not be considered part of their curriculum since they have different guidelines on practicum courses.

All four schools agreed to send their students. Natera said that they expect to receive a list from them in the next few weeks.
Volunteers will undergo training before  the APEC meetings.

Natera said that the APEC hosting is expected to help boost the tourism industry in Cebu as delegates experience the island province.

“Being able to showcase our products and industries will also open the opportunity for businessmen in the Asia Pacific region to invest in Cebu,” she added.

Gov. Hilario P. Davide III is  chairman of the local organizing committee, with the city mayors of Cebu, Lapu-lapu and Mandaue as co-chairpersons.

Meanwhile, Chief Inspetor Wildemar Tiu, who stepped aside  as head of the Fuente station, will be given a new assignment in the Police  Regional Office as part of the security officers for the APEC Summit.

This was announced by Chief Supt. Prudencio  Bañas, regional  police director yesterday./REPORTER VICTOR ANTHONY V. SILVA with Correspondent Chito O. Aragon