Singapore. November 13-14, 2009. The APEC CEO Summit 2009 brought together more than 800 of the world’s top business leaders to Singapore to meet with leaders of some of the Pacific Rim’s most powerful nations.
The chairman of Gawad Kalinga, Tony Meloto, was invited to be one of the speakers during the two-day summit at the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Because engagement between the public and private sector was the highlight of the summit, interactive open dialogue and panel discussions paved the way for the alignment of APEC policies and goals with global business.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and US president Barrack Obama were among the many heads of states who attended the event.
The CEO Summit focused on the economic crisis and key global issues that included climate change.
Meloto’s talk about Gawad Kalinga showcased GK as the global model of social development consistent with the UN Millennium Development Goals that seeks to reduce poverty by half by 2015. Meloto said that since its launching six years ago, GK has transformed over 1700 poverty-ridden and crime-laden communities throughout the Philippines. Emerging as the Asian model for community development and poverty alleviation, GK has provided successful program templates that have been replicated in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Cambodia. (Source: Associated Press)