Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
NAYPYIDAW, Burma—Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima must have attended too many meetings in China with President Aquino and other Cabinet officials that he arrived here still catching up on sleep.
The official live feed of the opening day of the 25th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Leaders’ Meeting on Tuesday caught Purisima nodding off while President Aquino was addressing other Southeast Asian leaders at the plenary session.
Purisima was seated behind Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario and Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, who were wide awake as they sat behind the President.
Straight from Beijing
The three Cabinet officials joined the President for the two-day Asean summit here straight from the two-day Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Leaders’ Meeting in Beijing.
The live feed of the plenary session was shown on a widescreen and several television monitors in the tent set up for the press outside the summit venue, the Myanmar International Convention Center.
After dozing for a few minutes, Purisima woke up and appeared to be trying to stay awake by looking at the ceiling as President Aquino gave his speech.
Lost battle
The battle to stay awake lasted only for a moment, and Purisima nodded off again.
President Aquino and his party had only 10 hours to squeeze in some rest and get themselves ready for the start of daylong meetings at the Asean summit.
Their five-hour Philippine Airlines charter flight from Beijing arrived at Naypyidaw International Airport after 11 p.m. on Tuesday (about half an hour past midnight Tuesday in Manila).
The President and his party motored for about 15 minutes to reach his appointed residence, the presidential villa at the compound of the Horizon Lake View Hotel, a five-minute ride from the summit venue.
Jogging at dawn
Purisima, who stayed in another villa at the hotel’s compound, did not show any sign of fatigue as he was seen around dawn jogging in the vicinity.
After jogging, he was next seen lifting weights for some minutes after 6 a.m. at the villa’s small gym.
Also joining the President from Beijing were National Economic and Development Authority Director General Arsenio Balisacan, Presidential Management Staff chief Julia Abad and chief protocol officer Celia Feria.
Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. arrived in Naypyidaw a day ahead of the President.
President Aquino was the last of the 14 world and regional leaders participating in the summit who were welcomed by Burmese President Thein Sein and his wife, Khin Khin Win, at the lobby of the convention center.