Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. speaks to Reuters during an exclusive interview at his hotel in Washington, U.S., May 4, 2023. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday left for Indonesia to attend the 42nd Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean ).
In his pre-departure speech, Marcos vowed to advance during the summit community-building efforts and the Philippines’ interests.
He said the South China Sea and Myanmar’s situation will also be discussed.
“My participation will serve to promote and protect the interest of our country, including our continued efforts towards economic growth, attaining food and energy security, promoting trade and investment, combatting transnational crimes such as the trafficking in persons, and protecting migrant workers in crisis situation among others,” he said.
“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 rivalry, among others,” Marcos added.
The President said he would also meet with officials of Timor Leste to discuss their prospective membership in the Asean.
He will also participate in the 15th Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East Asean Growth Area, and various interfaces with leaders with the Asean Inter-Parliamentary assembly and representatives of the Asean Business Advisory Council, Asean Youth and the High-Level Task Force on the Asean Community Post 2025 Vision.
“I look forward to our productive engagements, to our always productive engagements with our Asean partners,” Marcos said.
“This is a continuation of the process that we had begun deriving from the idea and the principle and the concept of Asean Centrality in the face of the challenges that we have to answer,” he added.
This is the 13th foreign trip of Marcos in less than a year of assuming the presidency.
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