APEC ministers to dine at Capitol, Cebu fort

Cebu will again play host to participants of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) with transportation and energy ministerial meetings scheduled in Cebu  starting next week.

Ambassador Ma. Angelina Sta. Catalina, APEC deputy director general for conference services, said the Provincial Capitol and the Cebu city government will host welcome dinners for APEC delegates at the social hall of the Capitol  and at Fort San Pedro, the country’s oldest and smallest triangular fort.

“You can see, the APEC (national organizing council) is looking at the use of historical sites to promote Cebu not only for tourism, but as a destination for investment, a destination where things can happen,” she said .

Cebu City  was the venue of almost 90  meetings for the  Third Senior Officials’ Meeting and other related meetings from Aug. 21 to Sept. 6.

“Cebu has had the most number of meetings for APEC,” said Sta Catalina who visited the Capitol on Tuesday to check facilities.

The transportation ministerial meeting organized by the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) is from Oct. 8 to 10 while the energy ministerial meeting led by the

Department of Energy (DOE) is on Oct. 13 and 14 at Mactan’s Shangri-la Island Resort and Spa.

The domed Capitol building, completed in 1938,  was  designed by architect Juan Arellano, who also worked on the the National Museum of the Philippines and the Manila Central Post Office.

The Capitol, which bears some resemblance to  the  White House in Washington D.C., was  completed during the term of  Cebu governor Buenaventura Rodriguez.