ALMOST two decades ago, the Philippines took the spotlight as host and chair of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Summit for the very first time, seven years after its birth in 1989. Eighteen heads from member countries, including world leaders (then US President Bill Clinton and former Chinese President Jiang Zemin) converged in the high-profile event that was held in Subic Bay, Zambales.

“As soon as we learned that the Philippines was definitely going to host in November 1996, we agreed—congress, the private sector, even the judiciary, plus the common people, the NGOs—that this is our chance to showcase the Philippines,” recalled former President Fidel V. Ramos.

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