Upon landing in Beijing as a Philippine delegate to the APEC Voices of the Future (VOF) program, I expected our schedule to be flooded with lectures and seminars consisting of chief executive officers (CEOs), heads of state, and cabinet officials exchanging ideas on investment and trade.
This was not entirely the case.
Throughout our stay, we were fully immersed in Chinese culture, treated to the most exotic and gastronomic Chinese cuisine and were toured around famous landmarks that showed off China’s claim to civilization. It was completely remarkable.
The APEC VOF program was held in November 2014 and winter was just kicking in. There were times when we had to wake up as early as 4:30 am, to get to our destination for the day.
One of my most memorable experiences was when we trekked the Great Wall of China in the freezing cold. It was the most grueling and satisfying climb of my life. Now that I look back on that experience, I do not even recall being extremely tired.
All I can remember now is the bonding with all of the youth delegates and admiring the breathtaking scenery.
Building bridges across cultures
The APEC VOF is an annual youth program that gathers 150 young leaders and educators from the 21 APEC Economies.
Being an official Philippine representative in last year’s event was truly a remarkable experience. It was as an amazing chance to engage with other youth delegates in both a formal and informal setting about political, social and cultural issues.
I was delighted to be given this rare opportunity to discuss our perspectives on the APEC vision with CEOs, top policy makers and ABAC members. Through this program, we were able to attend the APEC CEO summit and witness world leaders and businessmen have open discussions on trade, investment and economic growth. It was inspiring to see that the majority of those who asked questions during the open forum were the youth delegates rather than the CEOs and businessmen.
On the last night of the program, each delegation had to perform its own cultural presentation. Each delegation was vying to be the best yet routing for the others to succeed as well. It was a refreshing way of sharing each other’s culture and forging friendships.
Cooperation and camaraderie rang throughout the entire night. Finally, when we gave each other tokens that symbolized each of our countries, we were showing to the world that we symbolized hope and unity, an end to all kinds of disputes.
The APEC VOF program in Beijing was a melting pot of different cultures and perspectives. We all came from different backgrounds and followed different paths in life, yet we had a common goal - to help build a better future for our countries.
Being part of the APEC VOF gave me a deeper understanding of the importance of APEC and why it is necessary for countries to get together and find a common platform on economic issues.
After my APEC VOF experience in China, I realized that the host country has the enormous advantage in showcasing all that it has to offer in terms of people, culture, and economic viability, but that’s not all.
This coming November 2015, the Philippines will be hosting the APEC CEO summit. In that summit, world leaders, fortune 500 CEOs, top businessmen, and a multitude of delegates will get a first hand taste of what the Philippines is all about.
The last time the Philippines hosted the APEC CEO summit was way back in 1996 when Fidel V. Ramos was still President. So many things have happened to our country since then. This time around, we call the shots on how to showcase our country as an emerging economy viable for investment.
This November 2015, let’s show the world what we’ve got. - Rappler.com
This year, APEC VOF will be held on November 12 to 19 in Manila. By working and learning together, APEC Voices’ teams share their views on the APEC vision with world leaders, senior officials and even chief executive officers. Applications are now open for Philippine youth delegates and educators. To download the application form and other program details you may visit www.apec2015ceosummit.ph/voices2015. Deadline of submission of applications is on September 18, 2015.
Angelica Cañete is a graduating student from De La Salle University Manila (DLSU) with a degree in Applied Economics. She also has an EDGE certificate of business management from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. She was an official Philippine delegate to the APEC 2014 Voices of the Future program in Beijing, People's Republic of China. Angelica was part of numerous organizations in DLSU and was a volunteer for events such as the Philippine Model Congress and the De La Salle Worlds 2011-2012 (World Universities Debating Championship). She loves to travel and explore new places.