(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte arrived in Davao City early morning Friday from his “successful” participation in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Leaders’ Gathering in Bali, Indonesia where he stressed his commitment to peace and stability in the region, and a “stronger ASEAN.”
Duterte also personally conveyed to Indonesian President Joko Widodo his condolences to the people of Indonesia for the successive earthquakes and other calamities that claimed many lives in the country.
The Philippine government had already extended its assistance to Indonesia which was coursed through the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management.
During the ASEAN Leaders’ Gathering, the 73-year old Philippine leader highlighted the importance of ASEAN-centered efforts, noting that ASEAN as a regional bloc should capitalize on its strength as “a highly-competitive growing region”
in order for it to maintain its “steady” growth path.
“At the meeting, I reiterated the Philippines’ national priorities of inclusive growth, stable and secure environment, and economic integration in the region,” said Duterte in his arrival statement at the Davao International Airport.
“I stressed the importance of a stronger ASEAN in order to sustain the efforts toward greater peace, progress, and prosperity for Southeast Asia and its peoples,” he added.
In the sidelines of the ASEAN Leaders’ Gathering, President Duterte met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and they have discussed the delineation of maritime boundaries, “I told him that in due time, that we will take a longer period for we have to establish even our continental shelf limits,” the President narrated. (with a PND release)
