Press Release
January 6, 2014

Philippine Senate participates in APPF

Sen. Grace Poe and Sen. Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara will represent the Philippines in the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico from January 12-16, 2014.

The APPF, consisting of 27 member countries, seeks to provide opportunities for national parliamentarians from the Asia-Pacific to discuss matters of common concern and interest, and promote regional cooperation.

The upcoming gathering will hold plenary sessions on political and security matters, economics and trade, and regional cooperation in Asia-Pacific.

Poe, chair of the Philippine Senate committee on public information and mass media, will take part in discussions on poverty eradication, strengthening of social cohesion, migration flows, participation of youth in development projects and women empowerment; and cooperation in education, culture, and science and technology.

The APPF was created in 1993 in Tokyo, Japan with the adoption of the Tokyo Declaration. It acts as the legislative branch of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. The Philippines, as a founding member, hosted APPF's second meeting in Manila in 1994 which adopted a resolution on the rules of procedure in the management of administrative matters within the organization.

APPF member countries also include Australia, Cambodia, Canada, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Chile, China, Colombia, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Republic of Korea, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, United States and Vietnam.

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