QUEZON CITY, (PIA) --President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is set to leave on Wednesday, November 9 to join fellow leaders at the 40th and 41st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summits in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
In a press briefing on Friday, Office of the Secretary officer-in-charge Atty. Cheloy Garafil said the 17th East Asia Summit, the 25th Asean Plus Three Summit, and Asean Leaders' meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres were among the high-level meetings that will be held during the four-day event.
"These related summits will review the existing and new areas of cooperation and exchange views on regional and international issues between Asean and its dialogue partners. The dialogue partners include Australia, Canada, China, India, Republic of Korea and the USA (United States of America),"she said.
Garafil said, aside from attending the Summits, President Marcos would also meet with the Filipino community in Cambodia.
She said the chief executive is expected to "update them on the programs and policies of his administration, especially on the protection and promotion of the rights and welfare of OFWs."
Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for ASEAN Affairs Daniel Espiritu who was also at the press briefing said on top of the list of the President's foreign policy priorities when it comes to ASEAN are post-pandemic recovery and economic transformation.
"So that would cover food security, energy security, digital transformation, and the digital economy, and also climate change in as much as this is very much related to our disaster management efforts in the Philippines," he said.
On international issues, Espiritu said Manila would also be at the forefront of calling for the implementation of five-point consensus on Myanmar as well as the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine. The subject of the South China Sea dispute is likewise included.
This year's ASEAN summits and related meetings chaired by Cambodia carry the theme "Asean A.C.T.: Addressing Challenges Together."
The theme emphasizes the ASEAN's spirit of "togetherness" as one community and the common will to address and overcome challenges confronting the regional bloc. (pia-ncr)
