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Thursday, May 18, 2006
Most Asean meetings set at CICC: Paynor
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit National Organizing Committee chairman Mariano Paynor clarified that only one of the series of 12 summit meetings will be held in Shangri-la’s Mactan Island Resort.
A total of 53 meetings will be held from Dec. 4 to 14, and 90 percent of them will be at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC), which is being built at the Mandaue Reclamation Area.
Ambassador Paynor said this alone gives the CICC “the importance that it must have.”
Some Capitol officials, including Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr., were disappointed over reports that the final venue of the summit is Shangri-la and not the CICC.
“That is a perception and it is wrong,” Paynor said in a phone interview yesterday.
Petty things
When one says of summit venue, he said, one should speak of Cebu as a whole.
“If there is nothing positive we can say, it is our patriotic duty to be quiet. This job is difficult as it is already. Let’s not make it more difficult by talking about petty things. Let us rise above pettiness,” Paynor said.
As for security concerns after a bomb was found at an entrance of SM City mall last week, Paynor said the government will ensure that nothing untoward will happen during the hosting of the summit.”
Paynor also pointed out that everyone must put whatever political and personal differences “at the back burner” at this crucial point of preparations.
“We should speak as one, not even just as Cebuanos but as Filipinos. It’s not just Cebu that’s at stake but the whole country,” he said.
Issues
The Asean preparations have been bugged by issues such as funding, security and venue.
Paynor said he appreciates all those who refused to be lured into the “unnecessary discussions.”
“Let’s just do our job and do our best. It’s the country in general that will profit from this, specifically Cebu,” he said.
The Cebu Organizing Committee will meet again with Paynor to clarify things on May 26.
Capitol is rushing to finish the P250-million CICC, which is being built mainly for the summit.
The multi-use facility in Mandaue City was designed by architect Manuel Guanzon and its construction is two weeks ahead of schedule. (JPM)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (May 18, 2006 issue)
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