PBBM notes summit’s success in binding common interest with PH
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrived in Manila at midnight Sunday, declaring his first attendance as Chief Executive at an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit a “successful debut” while focusing on the pressing global issues of climate change and food security.
This was after Mr. Marcos rallied world leaders at the regional summit to act decisively and immediately on these problems while highlighting the five bilateral meetings the Philippines held with host Cambodia, Brunei, South Korea, Vietnam, and Canada over three days.
In his speech after arriving from Phnom Penh, Mr. Marcos said: “I am pleased to report that my visit to Cambodia for the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summit was successful. I actively participated in the ASEAN Summit. (It was) very interesting as it’s the first one I’ve been to as President.”
“We got the opportunity to put forward our positions and plans and find ways to move forward and coordinate” with the other Southeast Asian nations and the leaders of the guest countries that graced the summit, he added.
The President said it was gratifying to see “a large area of similar concerns” – especially on food supply and the spiraling prices of oil products, as he noted that all ASEAN member states agreed that “not one nation can solve these problems on its own.”
“We have to solve these together – that’s my most important takeaway,” said Mr. Marcos, as members of his Cabinet welcomed him upon arrival.
The President noted ASEAN’s concerns over Myanmar, Ukraine, and Timor Leste’s application to the regional bloc, while all nations pushed for a “comprehensive post-COVID-19 recovery.”
“I am happy to say that when I went up and spoke during the global dialog, it seemed we thought in the same way. We articulated our national interest and commitment to work with ASEAN and dialog partners, and will deepen cooperation on key areas,” he said.
Mr. Marcos noted the roundtable discussions with business leaders from across the region organized by the Trade department, as he invited them to visit the country “and have a look at what opportunities they might find in the Philippines, as it seems our efforts at post-pandemic recovery are bearing fruit.”
“We look forward to working with Indonesia as the incoming ASEAN chair,” the President added.
He also greeted Speaker Martin Romualdez, his cousin who was part of his official delegation to Cambodia, a happy birthday. The Leyte lawmaker turned 59.
In his intervention during the 17th East Asia Summit earlier Sunday, Mr. Marcos told world leaders: “Our people look to their leaders, to us, to correctly navigate the uncertain waters of this new world. Our partnerships will make us strong. Our partnerships will give us wisdom. The future awaits.”
The President made the call earlier Sunday in front of world leaders, which included US President Joe Biden, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Kate Ardern, Japanese Prime MinisterFumio Kishida, India Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, South Korea President Yoon Sukyeol and Australia Prime Minister Anthony Norman Albanese.
On Saturday, the President said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the US need to collaborate more closely to address maritime security issues and transnational crime.
“Let us continue our cooperation in fighting against illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing and also in combating marine plastic debris and marine pollution,” Mr. Marcos said in his intervention during the 10th ASEAN-US Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Moving towards the post-pandemic economic recovery, the chief executive said stakeholders in ASEAN and East Asia must build on and improve existing strategies towards holistic and green, and sustainable development to ensure environmentally-sound economic progress.
“It has become glaringly clear that there is a dire need to strengthen food security towards self-sufficiency in our region, to increase adaptability and resilience in the face of threats to the global supply chain,” the President said.
“It is incumbent upon us, for our sake and that of future generations, to act decisively and immediately on climate change,” Mr. Marcos said.
The Philippines, Mr. Marcos said, expresses its support for EAS initiatives, especially on promoting women’s economic empowerment, strengthening energy security, and promoting volunteerism for sustainable development –– all consistent with the EAS objectives as a leader’s-led forum on strategic issues.
The PH leader said he also looked forward to working closely together with Indonesia, the incoming ASEAN Chair for the year 2023, in continuing community-building efforts.
On Saturday, the ASEAN and US leaders adopted a statement declaring the establishment of the ASEAN-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP).
US President Joe Biden said the CSP between the United States and the ASEAN bloc will help to tackle “the biggest issues of our time”.
The pact, Biden said, seeks to defend nations against “threats to the rule of law” and “build an Indo-Pacific that is free and open, stable and prosperous, resilient and secure.”
He said the agreement marked a “new era” in US-ASEAN ties.
During the summit, Mr. Marcos also renewed his call to make the highly contested West Philippine Sea, an area of peace, security, stability, and prosperity and not an area of armed conflict or geopolitical discord.
“Let us be guided by the universal principles of peaceful coexistenceand friendly cooperation as laid out in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia. as high contracting parties to the treaty, we have a moral and legal obligation to work towards finding resolutions and not resort to inciting conflicts. That path leads us only to perdition,” the President said in his intervention during the 17th East Asia Summit.
The Philippines, as an archipelagic country with porous maritime borders, considers maritime cooperation as a key priority in bilateraland multilateral cooperation and engagements, specifically in the South China Sea, the President said.
At the same time, Mr. Marcos said the Philippines welcomes engagementswith states and organizations which respect ASEAN Centrality, especially in the priority areas of cooperation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, particularly maritime cooperation.
The Philippine leader also called upon his colleagues in the ASEAN to continue engaging Myanmar stakeholders and to push for the urgent implementation of the Five-Point Consensus reached in Jakarta during the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting last April 2021.
Also on Saturday, the President recognized the crucial role played by the Brunei Sultanate in the Mindanao peace process.
During his bilateral meeting with Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah on the sidelines of the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Phnom Penh, Mr. Marcos said efforts to ensure long-lasting peace in Mindanao are proceeding despite the roadblocks posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I’m happy to be able to inform, Your Majesty, that the peace process is proceeding along. Although we have extended the Transition Authority for another three years simply because they were unable todo their job during the pandemic,” Mr. Marcos said.
“This process – the negotiations between the Bangsamoro and our Muslim brothers and sisters began in 1976—I believe, is the fruition of that. And we are very happy,” he added.
Brunei is part of the International Monitoring Team and the independent decommissioning body in the peace process in the southern Philippines.
Bolkiah, meanwhile, pledged his country’s continued support to the efforts of the Philippines in ensuring peace and stability.
“We will continue to support your government’s efforts in ensuring peace and stability through various initiatives in the southern Philippines including our participation in the unification and modification assistance,” the sultan said.
Mr. Marcos also informed the sultan about the scheduled 2025parliamentary election in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
He said he looked forward to having a functioning autonomous government in the south.