PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to further strengthen the bonds of their regional cooperation to “withstand disruptive events.”
“This is international ‘bayanihan’ for this part of the world,” the president said in his State of the Nation Address on Monday.
The president, as chairman of Asean 2026, encouraged the 11-member Asean to build on their “sense of filiation and a heightened instinct for mutual assistance.”
Marcos said that during the Philippines’ chairmanship of Asean this year, the country advocated for “greater solidarity and cooperation” among the 11-member states.
Asean is composed of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
“Together, we found ways to alleviate the dire consequences of the war in the Middle East,” the president said.
“Through a united Asean and its strong extended network, we have achieved greater security and resilience — as a region and as individual nations — more capable of withstanding disruptive events,” he said.
Marcos said the Asean Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve System “will guarantee emergency rice supply in case of shortage in our domestic production.”
The Asean Digital Economy Framework will harmonize digital rules and enable cross-border digital transactions.
“It will accelerate the growth of our local tech sector, enable fintech and digital banking solutions, and support financial inclusion, especially for small enterprises,” he said.
The president also said the Framework Agreement on Petroleum Security for the joint stockpiling of energy assets in the region has been ratified.
“And now that our Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao grids are fully connected — we are in a better position to connect with our neighbors to help realize the Asean Power Grid,” he said.
