MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – The 12th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), scheduled to open on Sunday, has been postponed to January because of a strong storm that is expected to hit Cebu, ASEAN National Organizing Committee Chairman Amb. Marciano Paynor Jr. confirmed yesterday.
In an emergency press conference at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) yesterday, Paynor, together with Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, the chairperson of the Cebu Organizing Committee, announced the development as tropical depression Seniang was eyed about 1,000 kilometers east of Leyte island and was forecast to make landfall Saturday, before moving toward Cebu on Sunday.
“The summit is postponed to January due to typhoon Seniang… and it is nothing that we can do about so we just have to accept it,” said the saddened Paynor, infront of the international media who were clearly dismayed over the meeting’s postponement.
This decision was made in full consideration of the safety and welfare of the participants, the private individuals and groups involved in the different aspects of holding the event, and the officials who are carrying out the preparations, said Paynor.
As the leaders participating in the Cebu Summit are determined to continue with the work of building A Caring and Sharing Community, the Cebu Summits will be held in January 2007. The specific dates of the Cebu Summits will be determined after further consultations with the governments of the Leaders participating in the Cebu Summits, said Paynor.
Paynor is confident that the slight change in the dates of the Cebu Summits will not in any way affect the determination and the commitment of the Leaders and all officials involved in achieving the objectives of the Summit nor will it diminish the significance of their work.
Even if Typhoon Seniang will change path in the next few hours, Paynor said the postponement will push through because the typhoon could hit other ASEAN member countries. Although the dates have been changed to first week of January, Paynor clarified that the summit will still be held in Cebu.
ASEAN Summit spokesman Victoriano Lecaros said the decision to postpone the summit was reached by the NOC after consulting President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Officials of the ASEAN members countries have also been consulted prior to the decision to postpone the summit, Lecaros stressed.
“We were not able to prepare for it,” said Lecaros, referring to the typhoon.
Lecaros said the organizers and everyone who worked hard for the summit were dismayed with the postponement but urged Filipinos to be patient and wait for another one month.
He also clarified that only the leader’s summit has been reset while the ministerial meetings, which started since December 7, will proceed as scheduled. He did not give specific date when the ASEAN Summit will be held saying the schedule will depend on the different schedules of the ASEAN leaders.
Paynor, meanwhile, denied reports that the real cause of the postponement was the travel advisory from five countries who warned their citizens about an impending terror threat in the Philippines, especially in Cebu. He earlier stressed that the organizers have not received any specific threats of terrorism during the ASEAN Summit.
“If there are two persons in this room who want this summit to push through it will be me and Gov. Garcia. We have been working hard to see to it that the summit be held here, but like our health, the weather changes unexpectedly and we can’t do anything about it,” said Paynor.
He said the NOC will negotiate with the hotels with regards to the cancellation of bookings and their current expenses for checked-in guests.
Paynor said the NOC will negotiate with the hotels with regards to the cancellation of bookings and their current expenses for checked-in guests. #
