BACOLOD CITY — Senior information officials of ten Asean states gathered in Bacolod City to find ways to effectively communicate and promote Asean’ s meaning and identity, and to make it a more cohesive region.
The aim is to build an Asean that is truly people-centered, Presidential Communications Operations Office Undersecretary Noel Puyat said in his keynote address at the opening of the 15th Meeting of the Asean Senior Officials Responsible for Information at the SMX Convention Center in Bacolod City.
“We will prove to the world… that in Asean, there is much unity to be found in diversity,” Puyat said.
In the Asean political security community, he said the communication support can be directed towards the campaign for peace and stability, which includes suppression of transnational crimes, cyber crimes and cyber terrorism.
He also stressed the need to act on maritime security.
“Under the economic pillar, there are many avenues for knowledge sharing in terms of technology and innovation, and the promotion of micro, small and medium enterprises,” he said.
“For the socio-cultural community, our campaign is geared towards inspiring our citizens to be stewards of the environment and to live sustainably,” he added.
“We can create a community that is nurturing and enriching, so there will be no room for illegal drugs to proliferate,” Puyat said.
“As we move towards the vision of 2025, our communication support should be intensified towards and more integrated Asean,” he added.
Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno said the Asean Community 2025 “hopes to see our nations in an integrated, peaceful and stable regional community with shared prosperity.”
Information must be part of the backbone that helps our societies move as one body, Sueno said.
Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said said Bacolod City is ready to take on the challenge of integration.
“This meeting among our Southeast Asian brothers is a step in the right direction. We realize that the way to the future is in partnership with other nations,” he said, stressing that Bacolod has plenty to share. JE