TOP BUSINESS. President Rodrigo Duterte poses for a picture with (L-R) Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. President Capt. Ronald Go, Chairman of the Board Antonio Dela Cruz, John Gaisano, Jr., Sebastian Angliongto, and Bonifacio Tan.
PHOTO: PAULO RIZAL/DAVAOTODAY.COM
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday urged the member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to maintain both “unity and cooperation” which he recognized as crucial for the collective success of the ASEAN.
At the same time, Duterte pointed out that ASEAN communities “…in truth, there is still a lot of hard work to be done for true transformation that will benefit our peoples in the region.”
In his speech as the ASEAN chair during the official launch of the 2017 ASEAN Summit, Duterte vowed that he would uphold the “ideals and values” of the ASEAN and to work for the realization of its “shared aspirations.”
“We are committed to the building of a strong and resilient ASEAN community. We will actively promote and enhance ASEAN interests and well-being through policy initiatives, coordination, consensus and cooperation,” the president said.
Since he assumed the presidency, the Mindanawon president has visited at least nine countries in Asia. Duterte visited Brunei, China, Japan, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia and Laos. His state visit was perceived to be as an effort to strengthen the regional ties of ASEAN member-states.
It was in his Laos trip that Duterte accepted the chairmanship of the ASEAN Summit of which he said that Philippines would serve as a “model of regionalism.”
For Duterte, the launching of the Philippines’ chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is
“a landmark in ASEAN’s continuing positive narrative.”
“It is an event to renew the enduring ties that bind us all as ASEAN member-states. It is an occasion to reaffirm the shared aspirations and values which will lead ASEAN to the future our peoples deserve,” he pointed out.
Duterte also called the ASEAN communities to provide “opportunities for a truly better life; a life that has broken the bonds of dependence and ignorance.”
Apart from providing opportunities, Duterte urged the ASEAN to strengthen and promote regional interest. “Let us renew a solemn pledge to do all we can for the very core of our national and regional interest.”
“We must continue working on a bigger, more open and rules-based market for business and trade to thrive. We must forge on with increased people-to-people interaction through commerce, travel and education. We must strive for a region that promotes and maintains peace, security and stability,” he said. (davaotoday.com)
