President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday, Nov. 9 flew to Phnom Penh, Cambodia to participate in the 40th and 41st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summits and related summits.
In his pre-departure speech at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2, Marcos said he would emphasize the importance of regional cooperation on maritime security, climate change, food security, health cooperation, and economic recovery.
The President will also present various issues including the pandemic, the situation in Myanmar, developments in the South China Sea, and the war between Russia and Ukraine.
“It is my first time to attend the ASEAN Summit as a leader, the highest policy making body of ASEAN. In the next few days, the leaders of ASEAN member states will discuss and provide policy decisions on current political security, economic, socio-cultural developments as well as global issues that are affecting Southeast Asia and this region and beyond,” Marcos said.
There will also be a summit with the dialogue partners of ASEAN including Australia, Canada, China, Japan, India, Korea, and the United States.
According to the President, there will be bilateral meetings in some of the counterparts in ASEAN and ASEAN dialogue partners where he will present the priorities of his administration.
The Chief Executive will also meet with the Filipino community in Cambodia.
“ASEAN has always been a cornerstone of Philippine foreign policy and through these summits I will convey the Philippines’ continuing support for ASEAN centrality, for Cambodia as the current chair of ASEAN and for Indonesia as incoming chair of ASEAN next year,” he added.
“And so this is the purpose of the trip and once again we will promote the Philippines not only as an investment center, not only as a tourism center but as a global partner for ASEAN member nations and for all our friends around the world who will be joining the ASEAN conference,” he continued.
First Lady Liza Marcos, House Speaker Martin Romualdez and some members of his Cabinet were also present at the pre-departure ceremony at NAIA Terminal 2.
The Palace said that Vice President Sara Duterte will serve as the officer-in-charge while the President is in Cambodia for the ASEAN Summit from Nov. 10 to 13. —Report from Mark Fetalco/KC
