MANILA, (PIA) -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will fly to Labuan Bajo in Indonesia Tuesday, May 9, to participate in the 42nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit and other related meetings.

This, following his historic bilateral meeting with United States President Joe Biden in Washington, DC, and his attendance at the coronation of King Charles III in London.

The conference, themed "ASEAN Matters: Epicenter of Growth," will serve as a platform for ASEAN leaders to deliberate and share perspectives on pressing regional concerns, forge consensus on matters of shared importance, and chart the course for advancing ASEAN's community-building initiatives.

At the summit, Pres. Marcos will push for the promotion of food and energy security in the ASEAN region.

Moreover, he will be advocating the importance of highlighting the central role played by the region.

The President will also promote the Philippines’ priorities of multilateral linkages with othr members.

These areas comprise ensuring sustained food and energy security, implementing measures to restore the economy, fighting against transnational crimes, enhancing technical and vocational education and training, embracing climate and disaster-resilient technologies, transitioning to renewable and alternative energy sources, and protecting the rights of migrant workers, among other priorities.

Pres. Marcos, along with other leaders of ASEAN-member states, has been invited by Indonesian President Joko Widodo. (PIA-NCR)