President Bongbong Marcos departed for Indonesia to attend the 42nd ASEAN Summit this week.
Marcos said that he will assert the importance of ASEAN centrality in the region despite existing geopolitical rivalries.
“My participation will serve to promote and protect the interest of the country including our continued efforts toward economic growth, attaining food and energy security, promoting trade and investment, combating transnational crimes such as the trafficking of persons, and protecting migrant workers in crisis situations,” Marcos said in his pre-departure speech.
The opening ceremony for the summit will be on May 10, Wednesday.
“The leaders of ASEAN will also exchange views on pressing issues of common concerns such as developments in the South China Sea, the situation in Myanmar, and major power rivalries, amongst others,” Marcos said.
The chief executive added that he is also attending the 15th Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area.
“In these meetings, we will have the opportunity to highlight the importance of strengthening cooperation in the BIMP-EAGA sub-region to sustain a striving economy,” the president said.
