Metro Manila, Philippines – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed agencies to ensure that the Philippines’ chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations delivers concrete benefits to Filipinos while advancing regional cooperation and development.
Marcos on Monday, Feb. 2, led an interagency meeting at Malacañan Palace to review preparations for the ASEAN chairship this year, which should translate to job creation, support for small businesses, improved digital services and stronger people-centered programs.
Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said Marcos also pushed for ASEAN to prioritize assistance to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, particularly through the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area, or BIMP-EAGA, during the ASEAN Summit.
Castro said coordination among agencies is ongoing to ensure a smooth, secure and well-organized hosting of ASEAN meetings and summits.
“The president wants our ASEAN chairmanship to be felt by ordinary Filipinos while also strengthening cooperation across the region,” Castro said during a Palace press briefing, adding that the Philippines is fully prepared to host the biannual summit.
The country recently hosted the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Retreat and the ASEAN Tourism Forum in Cebu, events officials cited as proof of the country’s readiness for larger ASEAN gatherings.
The chairmanship will mark the country’s fourth time to host the regional gathering, the last of which was in 2017 during the Duterte administration.
