Department of Foreign Affairs (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines — The secretaries of the Departments of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Trade and Industry (DTI), and Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) are among the “probable” delegates who will join President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summits in Cambodia.
“At this point, a [Philippine] delegation is not yet final. But, the most probable ones are the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, the Secretary of Trade, and also the Secretary of the DSWD,” DFA Assistant Secretary Daniel Espiritu said in a press briefing on Friday.
“Why these three? Because they form the three pillars of Asean. The secretary of foreign affairs is for the political security pillar; the secretary of trade for the economic pillar; and the DSWD secretary for the social, cultural pillar,” he explained.
Espiritu noted that other Cabinet members might likewise be included in the delegation, depending on the decision of the President.
“At the same time, it’s up to the President to decide who others to bring with him, especially on issues that may be relevant to these other Cabinet secretaries because actually those three Cabinet secretaries are only the lead in these pillars but these pillars also include other Cabinet members,” he said.
Marcos will participate in the 40th and 41st Asean summits in Phnom Penh, Cambodia next week.
Among Marcos’ foreign policy priorities in the Asean Summits and related summits are the post-COVID-19 pandemic recovery and transformation.
“So that would cover food security, energy security, digital transformation and the digital economy and also climate change in as much as this is very much related to our disaster management efforts in the Philippines,” said Espiritu.
The President is also anticipated to meet with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol on the sidelines of the event.
The Asean Summit, Office of the Press Secretary officer-in-charge Cheloy Garafil noted, is the highest policy-making body in Asean.
The East Asia Summit, Asean Plus Three Summit, and the Asean Leaders’ Meeting with the United Nations secretary-general will take place concurrently.
The related summits will look into the existing and new areas of cooperation and tackle regional and international issues.
Marcos is also expected to meet with the Filipino community in Cambodia during his visit.
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