No walk-ins at PH consulate in San Francisco during APEC summit

Consul General Neil R. Ferrer participated as a panelist in a pre-APEC event organized by the Global Chamber®, a global community of business leaders. From left: Consul General of Vietnam in San Francisco Hoang Anh Tuan, Consul General of Malaysia in Los Angeles Anil Adenan, and Ferrer | Contributed photo

Los Angeles – More than 20,000 people are expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco, according to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA).

Streets and freeway ramps around the main venue—the Moscone Center in the South of Market neighborhood—will be closed from Nov. 14 to 19. Street closures will also impact businesses and offices in other parts of San Francisco, including the Philippine Consulate.

The Philippine Consulate General has announced it will not accommodate walk-in transactions for all frontline services from Nov. 14 to 17. These services include passport, dual citizenship, notarials, civil registration, visa, and overseas voting registration. Regular consular operations will resume on Nov. 20, Monday.

The SFMTA reminded residents that street closures will result in significant traffic impacts. “Those visiting the area are encouraged to take public transit,” the SFMTA said in an advisory. “Drivers should expect delays. Plan extra time for travel and parking.”

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. will attend the APEC summit, joining other heads of state from the Pacific Rim regions, including President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Consul General Neil R. Ferrer joins panel at pre-APEC event

Consul General Neil R. Ferrer recently participated as a panelist in a pre-APEC event organized by the Global Chamber®, a global community of business leaders.

The event focused on sharing insights into the opportunities and successes in the Asia Pacific region ahead of the APEC Economic Leaders Week (AELW) in San Francisco. It was held at Dynamico Space on the third floor of the Philippine Center, with sponsorship from Dynamico and G-P Consulting.

Ferrer noted the Philippines’ active support for creating a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth in the Asia Pacific region.

“Through its participation in APEC, the Philippines is working on creating a more inclusive and responsive environment in the region to ensure our common prosperity and sustainable future,” said Ferrer.

The panel underscored the need to work together, connect people, and address challenges, including differences in mindset, lack of infrastructure, and supply chain issues.

The panel included the consul general of Vietnam in San Francisco, Hoang Anh Tuan, and consul general of Malaysia in Los Angeles, Anil Adenan.

The panel also featured private sector representatives, including Malaysian-American Victor Tan, CEO of Oryx Advanced Materials, and Filipino-American Lieza Danan, CEO of LiVeritas Biosciences.

The discussion was moderated by business developer and social media expert Angela Dunz of Linked In Badass. The event was hosted by Global Chamber member Murat Wahab, founder of the business consulting firm Hakim Saya.

For emergency consular services during the summit—from Nov. 14 to 17—the public may contact the Philippine consulate at 415-269-2090.

For traffic and transit updates related to the APEC summit, go to: https://www.sfmta.com/ or https://sf.gov/apec-2023