Must the public pay such a price for the APEC summit?

Burlington, Iowa: The November 18-19, 2015, APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in Manila being the biggest international gathering President B. S. Aquino 3rd will preside over before he leaves office on June 30, 2016, Malacañang is understandably pulling out all the stops to ensure its unqualified success. Aquino cannot afford to risk the safety and comfort of any of the 20 presidents, prime ministers and chief executives who will be attending the summit, so he is trying to transform Metro Manila, at least superficially and for a few days, into what it is not.

But he has a funny way of doing it. He wants to please the guests at the public’s expense.