(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte will not attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit slated in Jakarta, Indonesia in person.
According to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs, however, will attend the event slated on April 24.
“Marami rin pong hindi makakarating na heads of state ng ASEAN (Many heads of state won’t be able to make it to the event),” he said.
The Philippines is dealing with a surge in COVID-19 cases so far, prompting several countries to advise their foreign nationals against travel to the Southeast Asian country.
In an April 20 advisory, the US State Department issued the advice, noting the high number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines.
Other countries in Asia are also dealing with the COVID-19 surge.
Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga was supposed to visit the Philippines and India during Japan’s Golden Week holiday starting late April, but he cancelled the trip, citing the need to focus on the resurgence of COVID-19 infections in his country.
Presidential Protocol and Presidential Assistant on Foreign Affairs Robert Borje had said President Duterte and the Prime Minister may instead hold a telesummit or speak over the phone.