Senior officials from 21 member economies of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum commenced their meeting in the northern Philippine province of Pampanga on February 6.

During the two-day function, participants are to discuss APEC’s policy directions in 2015.

The Philippines’ Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Laura Del Rosario, who is also chair of the meeting, said those orientations must preserve the outcomes of APEC’s 2014 meeting while taking in this year’s theme of building inclusive economies and a better world.

According to Laura Del Rosario, since January 26, technical working groups and committees have met up to devise initiatives, policies, and capacity building programmes to foster free trade and economic cooperation.-VNA