President Rodrigo Duterte. FILE PHOTO / ROBINSON NIÑAL / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte called for stronger cooperation to ensure universal coronavirus vaccine access and inclusive economic recovery during the first-ever virtual APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting on Friday night.
Citing APEC’s role in promoting economic growth and prosperity in the Pacific Rim region over past the decades, Duterte said that APEC will play an important role in the region’s post-pandemic recovery efforts and in achieving sustained and inclusive growth.
“We aim for a comprehensive recovery with no one left behind. This can only be done through deeper engagement with the international community, especially with close partners in the Pacific Rim region,” said the President.
President Duterte called on APEC economies to strengthen partnerships and ensure the unimpeded flow of medical supplies and technologies and universal access to COVID-19 vaccines.
“We have to defeat the virus everywhere, or no one is safe. To do this, we need to strengthen partnerships to make vaccines a global public good,” Duterte said.
“Several modalities are available. Aside from bilateral and multilateral cooperation, tripartite arrangements can be made between the government, private sector, and multilateral financial institutions.”
He added: “There is no other way. Let us resolve to act decisively on universal vaccine access and maximize these mechanisms.”
The President, together with his APEC counterparts, endorsed the APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040 which commits the 21-member-economies to deepen regional economic integration, address income inequalities within and between countries, and enhance cooperation to face the disruptive impact of a new globalization, driven by digitalization and innovation.
Over 57 million people worldwide have so far contracted the new coronavirus strain which was first detected in Hubei, China.
In the Philippines, the virus has sickened more than 415,000, of whom, 374,939 have recovered while 7,998 have died.