PH-ASEAN relations
WITH his decision to visit Brunei Darussalam and Singapore next week, President Marcos continues to show the country’s determination to promote partnerships with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The state visit to Brunei Darussalam and the working visit to Singapore “demonstrate the President’s commitment to ensure a peaceful, secure and prosperous Philippines.”
Like the Philippines, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam are members of the ASEAN, a regional bloc founded on Aug. 8, 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration.
The founding fathers of the group were Narciso Ramos (Philippines), Abdul Razak Hussein (Malaysia), Adam Malik (Indonesia), Sinnathamby Rajaratnam (Singapore) and Thanat Khoman (Thailand).
The May 28 to 31 visit to the two countries is also aimed at conveying Manila’s positions regarding current regional developments.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said this would be President Marcos’ second visit to Brunei Darussalam and his fourth time in Singapore.
Actually, the Philippine Chief Executive from Ilocos Norte and Leyte will be undertaking his first state visit to the Sultanate.
He will have a bilateral meeting with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and other officials of the rich Sultanate, according to the DFA.
In Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, President Marcos and other government officials will also meet with overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) here.
Note that thousands of Filipinos, including women, now work in the two countries.
In the view of many, President Marcos is on the right track in resuming his state and working visits to ASEAN and other countries.
