QUEZON CITY, (PIA) -- President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recognized the importance of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as he attends the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and Related Summits in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from November 10 to 13. According to him, “ASEAN has always been a cornerstone of Philippine foreign policy.”

In the next few days, the leaders of ASEAN Member states will be discussing and providing policy decisions on recent political, security, economic, and socio-cultural developments and other international issues affecting Southeast Asia.

There will be summits with ASEAN’s dialogue partners which include Australia, Canada, China, Japan, India, the Republic of Korea, and the United States to review existing and new areas of cooperation and to trade views about various global issues.

In his departure speech, the President explained the importance of his attendance at the summit, “My participation will promote and protect Philippine interests in ASEAN. We will emphasize regional cooperation on maritime security, climate change, food security, health cooperation, and economic recovery. We will also address regional issues such as the pandemic and the situation in Myanmar, developments in the South China Sea, and the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, among other important matters.”

“[W]e will also be having bilateral meetings with some of my counterparts in ASEAN and ASEAN’s Dialogue Partners. I will seek further cooperation in key priorities of my Administration as well as how to explore what we can do to come together to address the most pressing issues of the region,” President Marcos said.   

The President also looks forward to meeting the Filipino community in Cambodia. He also said that the mutual recognition of the contribution of the two countries to each other’s nation-building efforts is very much alive there. He stated how he gives importance to the partnerships that the Philippines make.

“And I think this is going to be a very, very good opportunity for us to forge new partnerships and to strengthen those that have already existed for a very long time,” the Chief Executive said.

President Marcos promised to promote the Philippines not only as an investment and tourism center but as a global partner for ASEAN member nations and for all countries from around the world who would be joining the conference.

“I just would like to thank all our ASEAN partner members for the interest that they have shown in the new policies that we have established here in the Philippines since I took office. So, with that, I think we have a very good foundation on which to build within ASEAN.” (ARB, PIA-CPSD)