POST-PANDEMIC economic recovery and the ongoing crisis in Myanmar will be the main issues to be raised by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. during his participation in the 40th and 41st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summits in Phnom Penh, Cambodia next week.
In a press conference in Malacañang on Friday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Marcos will discuss the need to address international issues, which hamper economic growth, including the pandemic, and how to address it.
“That would cover food security, energy security, digital transformation and the digital economy, and also climate change in as much as this is very much related to our disaster management efforts in the Philippines,” DFA Assistant Secretary Daniel Espiritu said.
However, the DFA official said the pending Asean free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU), which has been pending since 2007, is unlikely to be discussed in the summits from November 8 to 13.
“We will have a separate commemorative summit in Brussels for Asean-EU in December, and I think that could be a good venue for a discussion on that. Although, there is nothing yet on the table, as far as we are concerned today,” Espiritu said.
DFA Spokesperson Teresita Daza confirmed there are attempts to revive the negotiations for the FTA this year.
She said the Asean is currently waiting for the response of the EU on its proposed FTA, which it submitted in August.
Myanmar issue
Espiritu said Marcos will also push for the implementation of the Asean “5-point consensus” to address the crisis in Myanmar,
The consensus, which was issued by Asean in April 2021, calls for the immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar as well as the deployment of a special Aseanz envoy in the said country.
Last month, the President already committed to bring the representatives of the Myanmar Junta to the negotiating table.
“Definitely the President will carry that issue in all the meetings of the Asean,” Espiritu said.
Last week, he said Asean held a special foreign ministers meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia to discuss the 11 recommendations for the implementation of the 5-point consensus.
The recommendations, he said, may be discussed during the Asean summit next week.
Bilateral talks
At the sidelines of the Asean Summit, DFA Assistant Secretary Nathaniel Imperial said Marcos is also expected to hold bilateral talks with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.
“It will be their first meeting and the first meeting as the new President of the Philippines,” Imperial said.
He said Marcos will also meet with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol.
“Foremost among the topics that they will probably discuss would be the conclusion of the free trade agreement between our two countries. Korea is only the second country with which we will be concluding a free trade agreement after Japan. Aside from that, we have a very robust defense and security cooperation as you well know,” Imperial said.
Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) Officer-in-Charge Cheloy E. Velicaria-Garafil said the President will also meet with the Filipino community in Cambodia.
“He will update them on the programs and policies of his administration, especially on the protection and promotion of the rights and welfare of OFWs (overseas Filipino workers),” Garafil said.