President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. urged member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to call on developing countries to strengthen their commitment to climate action.

In his intervention during the plenary of the ongoing 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, President Marcos said that climate change is the most urgent threat to a country’s progress.

“The most urgent threat to our progress is the impact of climate change. It is a looming reminder of the injustice of disproportionate impact on our people,” President Marcos said before ASEAN country members.

“At the upcoming COP28, ASEAN must call on developed countries to heighten the implementation of their commitments. Their commitments that include climate finance, technology development and transfer, and capacity building in order to drive ASEAN’s capabilities to prevent, mitigate, manage and adapt to the impacts of climate change,” he added.

With the Philippines among the most disaster-prone countries in the world, President Marcos said the government will continue prioritizing international cooperation that will make ASEAN climate-smart and disaster-ready, including through the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity.

“In achieving food security, we must build on cooperation that will harness the transformative potential of our agricultural sector to ensure that food production is responsible and will be of benefit for future generations,” President Marcos said.

“The continued effectiveness of our community-building efforts rests on a clear assessment of our strengths. The Philippines will continue to champion for change that will strengthen our institutions, improve our decision-making, and uphold ASEAN Centrality,” he added.

President Marcos is in Jakarta, Indonesia for the 43rd ASEAN Summit and Related Summits at the invitation of ASEAN Chair this year, Indonesian President Joko Widodo. PND