ASEAN must take decisive, responsive steps on geopolitical issues — Bongbong Marcos

Philippines President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone talk during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit held in Labuan Bajo on May 10, 2023. ( AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) should take decisive and responsive action on geo-political issues concerning the region to be a “master of its future.

During his intervention at the ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with the High-Level Task Force on the ASEAN Community’s post-2025 vision (HLTF-ACV), Marcos said the regional bloc must continue improving its efforts to advance its welfare.

“The ASEAN of today must be better than the ASEAN of yesterday. For ASEAN to succeed, ASEAN must be the master of its future,” he said in the forum held in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia.

“The work of the High-Level Task Force requires sober deliberation of the potentials and the possibilities of the evolving regional and global architecture. It is imperative that we be decisive, it is imperative that we be responsive,” Marcos added.

The President added that ASEAN must show the world that it is “able to respond effectively to geopolitical and geo-economic challenges as a cohesive force.”

“Today, ASEAN faces a complex geopolitical environment which includes rivalries amongst great powers, climate change, and technological disruptions, amongst others. ASEAN itself is not immune to its own challenges as we continue to navigate our differences in the region towards a general consensus of action,” he said.

ASEAN also has to be agile, Marcos said, as the regional bloc has to adapt to the diverse, meaningful interventions needed for the complex challenges of the times.

“Regionalism should mirror our collective interests, for our strength relies on our united voice,” Marcos said.

As for the Philippines, the President said the country continues to underscore the need “to strengthen our institutions, enhance existing ASEAN mechanisms such as the East Asia Summit, and streamline processes for ASEAN to better translate our Community-building efforts towards achieving concrete results.”

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