Australia invites Rody to summit
To mark the 14th anniversary of Australia’s ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the “land down under” has invited President Duterte to join other leaders of the 10-member bloc at the ASEAN-Australia commemorative summit in Sydney on March 16-18. The formal invitation to Duterte was transmitted to Malacañang through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Australian Ambassador Amanda Gorely told The STAR the other night. Gorely said the invitation was signed
by Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull who was in Manila last November. The Prime Minister, upon the invitation of Duterte, attended the 50th ASEAN founding anniversary and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).
Australia is one of the major dialogue partners of the ASEAN and ARF.
“We hope to see all the ASEAN leaders, including President Duterte to attend the ASEAN-Australia commemorative summit to discuss common concerns on regional security and terrorism and continuing cooperation on economic and trade relations,” Gorely said.
The ambassador noted that the large Filipino community in Australia will surely be an important part of the visit of Duterte.
“I look forward to the ASEAN-Australia Leaders’ Summit in Sydney in March for the first time in Australia,” Gorely wrote in her brief message on Australia Day published at The STAR Friday on the occasion of their National Day.
She led the celebration of Australia’s National Day Thursday night at the Makati Shangri-La where Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea represented the President. Medialdea has been designated caretaker of Malacañang while Duterte is in New Delhi to attend the India-ASEAN commemorative summit.
“Australia has been very helpful to the Philippines, that’s why I am here to represent President Duterte to show our deep appreciation to the Australian government and people,” Medialdea said.
In her brief remarks, Gorely expressed gratitude to the well-wishers who attended Australia’s National Day and announced the forthcoming 2nd Philippine-Australia Friendship Day which will be celebrated this year in Davao City, Duterte’s hometown.
“As I approach my third Australia Day in the Philippines, our relationship has gone from strength to strength, culminating in the visit of Prime Minister Turnbull in November,” she wrote in her National Day message.
Gorely recalled that during Turnbull’s visit in Manila, Armed Forces chief of Staff Gen. Leonardo Guerrero told the Prime Minister how the Australian military aircraft relayed daily and real-time intelligence during the Marawi siege last year.
This information helped the Philippines in battling the Islamic State-influenced Maute and Abu Sayyaf terrorists.
“With the outbreak of the devastating Marawi siege, the Australian government immediately offered its support to the Philippine government, recognizing the threat of ISIS gaining foothold in our region,” Gorely said.
The assistance, as told by Guerrero to the Prime Minister, was “game-changing” in the fight against the terrorist groups, she added.
Gorely disclosed she had several meetings with some of the AFP veterans who fought in Marawi and paid tribute to their courage and resilience.
“Australian soldiers are providing intensive training to the AFP to enhance their urban warfare skills and are learning from the AFP experience in Marawi,” she noted.
The ambassador also expressed sadness as she cited the continuing explosive episodes of Mt. Mayon in Albay, where thousands of families have been displaced.
“We have provided as we always do because we are a good friend of the Philippines. Unfortunately, there has been a spike of natural disasters in the last few months in which we provided humanitarian assistance to help the families evacuated and affected by flood and most recently with the Mayon eruption. That is continuous,” Gorely stressed.
Through Sen. Richard Gordon, who also attended the National Day of Australia, Gorely pledged to the Philippine Red Cross her government’s intention to send P31.6 million worth of humanitarian support to Mayon evacuees on top of the 6,000 pieces of non-food items for the affected families.