Duterte to participate in virtual summit with ASEAN leaders on June 26 — Palace

President Rodrigo Duterte will participate in the virtual meeting of leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on June 26, Malacañang said Thursday.

Duterte’s spokesperson Harry Roque said he has no information yet on the issues the President will tackle during the summit.

“Marami po actually ‘yung mga programa, hindi lang sa mga namumuno. Anyway, in due course po, dahil medyo next week pa naman po ‘yan, siguro po pupuwede natin isapubliko ‘yung agenda ng mga iba’t ibang ASEAN meetings,” he said in a televised briefing.

In April, Duterte joined fellow ASEAN leaders and its dialogue partners China, Japan and South Korea in a special virtual summit on COVID-19.

Duterte told world leaders at the time that ASEAN must keep markets open and ensure food security as well as supply chain connectivity.

He also expressed support for the creation of regional reserves of medical supplies “to better equip us in this fight” and urged nations to strengthen the capacity of their healthcare systems.

The President also said that all countries should be given “fair and easy” access to vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 once they become available.

Vietnam holds the chairmanship of ASEAN this year. — Virgil Lopez/RSJ, GMA News