The Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) must take decisive and responsive action on geo-political issues concerning the regional bloc, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Wednesday.
During his intervention at the ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with the High-Level Task Force on the ASEAN Community’s post-2025 vision (HLTF-ACV), President Marcos pointed out the regional bloc must continue improving its efforts to advance its welfare.
“The ASEAN of today must be better than the ASEAN of yesterday. For ASEAN to succeed, ASEAN must be the master of its future,” the Philippine leader told the regional forum held at the Meruorah Convention Center in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia.
“The work of the High-Level Task Force requires sober deliberation of the potentials and the possibilities of the evolving regional and global architecture. It is imperative that we be decisive, it is imperative that we be responsive,” Marcos stressed.
The President added ASEAN must show the world that “we are able to respond effectively to geopolitical and geo economic challenges as a cohesive (force).”
“ASEAN Community by strengthening our Centrality, and actively reinforcing a global order anchored in international law,” Marcos said.
“Today, ASEAN faces a complex geopolitical environment which includes rivalries amongst great powers, climate change, and technological disruptions, amongst others. ASEAN itself is not immune to its own challenges, as we continue to navigate our differences in the region towards a general consensus of action.”
ASEAN has to be agile as the regional bloc has to adapt to the diverse meaningful interventions needed for the complex challenges of the times, the chief executive stressed.
“Regionalism should mirror our collective interests, for our strength relies on our united voice,” President Marcos remarked on the need to balance agility with stability and inclusivity.
As for the Philippines, the President said the country continues to underscore the need “to strengthen our institutions, enhance existing ASEAN mechanisms such as the East Asia Summit, and streamline processes for ASEAN to better translate our Community-building efforts towards achieving concrete results.” (PND)
