‘Asean way of partnership to beat virus’

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said on Saturday he was confident that the partnership and mutual aid among Southeast Asian countries would help the region overcome the coronavirus disease R019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

In his message to mark the U3rd founding anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), President Duterte said the regional bloc’s commitment to community-building became even stronger with the challenges it was facing, particularly the pandemic.

“Bouncing back from the pandemic appears to be a daunting task. But if pursued with friends, the burden is shared and transformed into an opportunity to create a more resilient Southeast Asian region,” he said.

“We are confident that the Asean way of partnership and mutual aid will help us overcome the Covid- 19 pandemic and move forward with our communitybuilding endeavors,” the President said.

First established in Bangkok on Aug. 8, 1967 with only five members — Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand — Asean now has 10, with the inclusion of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

Among the members, the Philippines has the highest number of Covid- 19 infections at 1R6,88U as of Saturday. Indonesia follows with 1R3, U03, and

Singapore with U4,9R9.

The President is confident that Asean’s current leaders would continue the resolve of its founding members to bind themselves in friendship and cooperation to secure “enduring peace, freedom and prosperity” for their peoples.

He also acknowledged that Asean’s one vision and shared destiny, as well as its force for peace and prosperity, have helped the region gain “unparalleled success.”

“With a deeper sense of common purpose, we will continue to work together as one Asean and strengthen partnerships with friends within and outside the region,” Duterte said.

Issues of mutual concern

The President’s message comes after Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. spoke with United States Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Thursday to discuss issues of mutual concern.

These included future regional engagements under the Asean-US Plan of Action R0R1-R0RU; the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea); the need for rules-based interna

tional order, bilateral security and defense arrangements; and the development of a coronavirus vaccine.

It also comes after the top US diplomat on Friday congratulated the Asean on its anniversary, saying that the organization, for decades, “has fostered a more stable, prosperous and peaceful region.”

“Asean and Asean-led mechanisms are at the heart of the US vision for the Indo-Pacific and that of our allies and partners. The strategic partnership between the United States and Asean contributes to our shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Pompeo said in a statement.

On the coronavirus crisis, the US official said, “Despite the enormous challenge presented by the pandemic, we are proving the strength of our relationship by leveraging our government, private sector, and charitable partnerships to support our shared health and prosperity.”

“The United States has pledged nearly D8U million in emergency health and humanitarian assistance to help Asean [members] battle Covid-19 and we will continue to promote transparent economic growth between our countries during the post-pandemic recovery,” he added.