PHL envoy chairs ASEAN Riyadh meeting  

Philippine Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ezzedin Tago chaired the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Riyadh Committee (ARC) meeting in Saudi Arabia last November 27. According to a statement of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Monday, it was the second meeting chaired by Tago after he was named ARC chairman last July.

"The Philippines started its chairmanship of ARC in July 2011, preceded by Myanmar. Singapore is set to take over the chairmanship in January 2012. The ARC recently decided to extend the term of the Chair to one year instead of the current six-month term," the DFA said in a news release.

As the committee of ASEAN Ambassadors in Riyadh, the ARC includes ambassadors from the Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The ARC seeks to strengthen relations between ASEAN countries, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) particularly in the areas of political, economic and cultural diplomacy. It also aims to reinforce inter-ASEAN relations, with the 10 ASEAN members seeking increased political, economic, and cultural integration. In a statement posted on its website, the DFA said the ARC is planning various activities to enhance relations with the GCC and Saudi Arabia, and among ASEAN missions in Riyadh. Until recently, the ARC chairmanship circulated among ASEAN ambassadors following the alphabetical order of the names of the members.  Each chairmanship lasted for a term of six months. The ARC's two sub-committees include the ASEAN Riyadh Sports and Socials Committee (ARSSC), which aims to promote camaraderie among ASEAN embassy personnel through sports and cultural activites, and the ASEAN Women's Circle (AWC), which includes women personnel, wives, and dependents who are in charge of the yearly ASEAN bazaar that showcases ASEAN food and culture. - with Amanda Victoria Lago, VVP, GMA News