President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. is set to attend the 42nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit that will be held in Indonesia on May 10, following his visit to the United States, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Friday.
In a press briefing on Friday, DFA spokesperson Teresita Daza said Marcos, who was invited by Indonesia President Joko Widodo, will take part in a series of interfaces.
These interfaces include ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly or the AIPA, the ASEAN Youth Representatives, ASEAN Business Advisory Council or ASEAN-BAC, and High-Level Task Force on the ASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision.
The following day, May 11, Daza said the President will attend the 15th Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asian Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Summit.
“Here, the President during this meeting, the President will discuss developments and the BIMP-EAGA Vision 2025 towards promoting economic development, strengthening connectivity, and the sustainable management of natural resources in the sub-region,” she said, adding that 16 documents are expected to be issued, adopted or noted after the meeting.
Meanwhile, DFA-Office of ASEAN Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary Angelito Nayan said Marcos will tackle the country's priorities in various areas such as “long-term food and energy security, efforts toward economic recovery, combating transnational crimes, upgrading of technical and vocational education and training, adopting climate and disaster resilient technologies and transitioning to renewable and alternative energy technologies and the protection of migrant workers, among others.”
The chief executive will likewise be expected to “assert the importance of demonstrating ASEAN’s centrality in the region amid geopolitical issues”, he added.
