National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan and his staff were trapped in an elevator at a building in Mandaluyong where the ceremonial signing of the implementing rules and regulations of the Public-Private Partnership Code was to take place on Thursday.

No details were available from NEDA but rescuers set up a ladder to allow Balisacan and his staff to leave the elevator after more than an hour.

"I was trapped in an elevator for one hour and 40 minutes but it was competently managed," said Balisacan in his speech.

''Longest elevator ride-just thankful that we are all safe,'' said Balisacan in his post at his Facebook account. DMS