Marcos deems ASEAN 2022 visit ‘successful’

The Philippine government's participation at the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and Related Summits was "successful," President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said upon his return from the event, noting that he had pushed for the national interest during his meetings there.

The plane carrying the President from Cambodia landed in Manila at 12:14 a.m. of November 14, Monday.

At the sidelines of the Summits, held in Phnom Penh from November 10 to 13, Marcos held bilateral talks with other heads of states to strengthen relations and cooperation with other countries.

“I’m pleased to report that my visit to Cambodia for the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summit was successful,” Marcos said in his arrival speech.

“In all these meetings, I articulated our national interest and our commitment to work with ASEAN, our dialogue partners, to find common ground, address the issues affecting our region and strengthened cooperation,” he added.

Marcos said the ASEAN Summit has been an opportunity for member states and dialogue partners to know the stand of each nation in every issue as well as their concerns.

There were also possible new areas of cooperation among countries, Marcos added.

"I think it was quite gratifying to see that there was a very large area of consensus amongst the ASEAN Member States. At ganoon pare-pareho kasi sa atin, ‘yung food supply, presyo ng fertilizer, presyo ng langis, iyon ang inaalala supply-side problems. Parehong-pareho sa atin," Marcos said.

(Just as with us, the supply-side problems they are worried about are food supply, fertilizer prices, oil prices.)

"Kaya’t sa—at saka bukod pa doon ay mayroong—nagkakaunawaan lahat ng Member States na hindi kaya ng mag-isa. Kailangan magsama-sama, kailangan magtulungan. And so...that is I think the most important takeaway from this trip for the ASEAN Summit," he added.

(So all the member states understand that we cannot go it alone. We have to work together and help each other.)

Further, Marcos said he was honored to meet the Filipino community in Cambodia before returning home.

"I thanked them for their efforts and contribution to our nation’s progress and development, as well as that of Cambodia’s because they have been lauded by even the Prime Minister Hun Sen as part of the reconstruction of Cambodia. The Filipinos played a very large part," Marcos said.

"Of course, I updated them on what is happening in the country right now, the programs, the policies of our administration," he added.

According to the President, ASEAN solidarity and centrality must be strengthened to address conflicts and challenges in the region, including natural disasters, health emergencies, armed conflicts, and economic recessions.

In one of his interventions, the President said the ASEAN and the US need to have a stronger collaboration to address maritime security issues and transnational crime.

Marcos emphasized this as the Philippines is fully committed to attain regional peace and security.

Meanwhile, Marcos also had a brief conversation with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang wherein they agreed to deepen the partnership between Manila and Beijing.

The Chinese official said he looks forward to working with the Philippines and other countries in ASEAN for peace and stability in South China Sea on the basis of mutual respect and respect for the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and international laws, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Marcos, who sits as the country's Agriculture chief, also urged world leaders to boost food security in the region as he cited risks such as climate change, which jeopardize the global supply chain. — BM, GMA Integrated News