Rody to Asean: Let us work as partners
President Duterte yesterday highlighted the need for inclusive development in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as he urged member countries to work together to make the grouping a model in regional integration.
“Let us work together as partners in engaging the world. Let us ensure that our ASEAN narrative remains strong and that the lessons we learned and the values we hold dear as a community are told in full and said with resonance,” Duterte told the 14th ASEAN Leadership Forum yesterday.
Duterte urged his fellow ASEAN leaders to ensure that the process of forging a “common regional destiny” remains inclusive.
He said the Philippines shares ASEAN’s view that inclusiveness is vital in pursuing regional and international agenda.
Duterte said inclusiveness can be attained if ordinary people understand the importance of the regional bloc in their lives. He said such effort could turn ASEAN into an “effective model for regional integration.”
“Citizens’ participation is a key in governance and is the bedrock of any strong nation.
In the Philippines, we encourage our peoples to contribute in setting national programs and directions,” Duterte said.
“In my administration, citizen feedback is essential to ensure that the wheels of government work and work well for our people,” he added.
Duterte stressed the importance of making the people understand how ASEAN works.
“It is equally important that we make our peoples understand how important ASEAN is; how its past gains have directly contributed to their well-being; and how the realization of ASEAN’s goal will make their lives better,” he said.
“Getting our peoples to own the ASEAN story as their story and to see their future in the ASEAN future would be among the focus of our efforts. We need to cultivate their sense of ownership by putting ASEAN in their consciousness, let them feel that they are a part of efforts to achieve common aspirations.”
Duterte said diversity is one of the strengths of the regional bloc, which he lauded for promoting “positive change” in the lives of its people.
The President said diversity, which he said would have been the “perfect storm” that could have paved way to strife, has not deterred ASEAN members from working together to attain common goals.
“To be sure, there are many different opinions and positions, as many issues and challenges that we face. But as a country and as a people, we value diversity and differences,” Duterte said.
“We are confident that this is the source of greater strength and a firmer resolve for a government and people determined to transform society, bring reforms and create positive change,” he added.
Duterte said ASEAN would continue to pursue its international engagement to advance common interests like inclusive and innovative growth of our economies, the preservation of heritage and culture; pursuit of the stability and security, and addressing threats like terrorism, violent extremism and criminality like illegal drug trade.
“The ASEAN story is remarkable. Its success in the past 50 years is evident in how the association has become the driver of regional community building efforts and fulcrum upon which the regional security and architecture balances,” Duterte told the delegates.
“Through the years, ASEAN has demonstrated success in building peace and security, facilitating economic growth, and social development and engaging the larger world community,” he added.