<\/a>Due to APEC 2015 summit, commuters from Cavite have to walk going to Baclaran, Paranaque City to find passenger vehicles on Monday, November 16, 2015, after authorities closed down a portion of EDSA. NINO JESUS ORBETA<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Grace Poe urged the government, on Monday, to consider the plight of Filipinos affected by the weeklong Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Metro Manila.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really our responsibility to ensure the security of our visitors. But we should not forget to give consideration and deliver services to our countrymen,\u201d Poe said in an interview after addressing an international forum in Pasig City.<\/p>\n
Poe, a candidate for President in the next year\u2019s elections, noted that the strict security measures and traffic rerouting for the APEC meeting have affected the people in the metropolis.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany of them had to change their schedule and had suffered inconveniences. I know we should have some patience, but it\u2019s just right for the government to provide alternate (routes) for people who are still going to work,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Poe, head of the Senate committee on pubic order and dangerous drugs, said state security agencies and their foreign counterparts must share intelligence information about possible security threats in the wake of the terrorist attacks in France.<\/p>\n
The senator also believed that there should be a regular assessment of the Philippines\u2019 membership to APEC and other similar international trade organizations.<\/p>\n
While the country\u2019s membership to such international organizations might bring about economic development, she said the government should ensure \u201cmutual protection and mutual support\u201d in terms of each country\u2019s policies on trade and commerce.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the responsibility of the government to always review (the country\u2019s membership to international groups) if it still respond to our needs,\u201d she said. \u201cWe have to protect ourselves, but we should also cooperate with the international community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Under a Poe presidency, she said she would \u201calways push for something that would be advantageous to our economy.\u201d SFM<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\nRELATED VIDEOS<\/p>\n