President Rodrigo Roa Duterte underscored that ASEAN member-states and Australia must address extreme poverty, which has been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Part of the collective efforts is to accelerate each nation’s and the region’s socio-economic recovery.
The President enumerated various ways. First is the reinvigoration of trade and economic ties. He cited the ASEAN-Australian, New Zealand Free Trade Agreement and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. While he acknowledged that the pandemic has changed the way countries do business, science, innovation and technology can provide direction for economies to recover; thus, there is a need to intensify cooperation in this area.
Second, the Chief Executive expressed his strong support to gender-sensitive initiatives that recognize the role of women in post-pandemic recovery efforts underscoring that empowered women support economic growth and resilience. President Duterte then took the occasion to thank Australia for helping make material and neonatal health services more possible and accessible in our province of Masbate under the Philippine-Australia Comprehensive Partnership.
Third, the President asked his counterparts to prepare the region for future pandemics by building the capacity of the health system through the ASEAN-Australia Health Security Partnership.
