POLANGUI, Albay, June 23–To promote awareness among the youth about benefits of being a citizen of ASEAN member country, campus tours will be held in the Bicol region.
Around a hundred high school students attended a forum on the Association of South East Asian Nation (ASEAN) initiated by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in Bicol on Friday at the Polangui General Comprehensive High School (PGCHS) in Barangay Poblacion, Polangui, Albay.
“We are conducting different campus tours in the Bicol region to involve students in becoming partners for change and being part of empowered communities,” said Marlon Loterte, assistant regional director of PIA- Bicol.
He said the youth should know the benefits that would come for the citizens of the Philippines which is a member-nation of the ASEAN group.
Loterte said the youth should be involved as they would become part of the nation’s future.
“We really want them to share and promote our advocacy on the ASEAN to communities in various barangays,” he said.
Loterte and his group discussed the history of the 50-year-old ASEAN and gave an overview on how the so-called ASEAN “integration” would benefit the 10-member countries of the regional group.
Miguel dela Rama, focal person for ASEAN concerns in Bicol, told the students that the regional group offers prospects for learning in higher educational institutions in the ASEAN member countries.
He said job opportunities would also be enhanced among the citizens of the ASEAN.
Dela Rama said it would also be easier to travel to ASEAN countries when member-states adopt a common visa and open sky policy.
He said the economic benefits that would come from ASEAN integration include lower tariffs for the goods coming from the Philippines and a “regulatory structure that would attract more investments.”
Dela Rama said PIA’s campus tour highlights the importance of ASEAN in the Filipinos’ daily lives and how each citizen in the country can help achieve the goals of ASEAN.
Juvince Vher Echon, a Grade 12 student from Libon, Albay, who joined the forum said he feels “proud to be a Filipino and to become part of ASEAN.”
He said that after hearing about the benefits of ASEAN integration he felt excited to graduate. “I want to contribute (my efforts) in achieving the ASEAN goal,” said Echon.
Paulene Ced, a Grade 10 student from Polangui, said she could help achieve the goals of ASEAN by disseminating information about it. (Connie B. Destura/PNA)