ASEAN summit ‘productive’, biz meetings net $22M investment pledges: Marcos

JAKARTA, Indonesia – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that the 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit demonstrated the commitment of countries in the region to regional cooperation and multilateralism.

In his latest YouTube vlog on Thursday, Marcos said that the summit was a productive one, and that he was able to promote and highlight key interests of ASEAN.

He said these interests include food and energy security, security, migrant workers protection, climate change, and digital transformation.

"I was able to participate in 12-leaders level meetings, including with Australia, Canada, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United States and the United Nations," Marcos said.

"In these meetings, I promoted and highlighted key interests of ASEAN, such as food and energy, security, migrant workers protection, climate change and digital transformation — issues that are of strategic importance to the Philippines," he added.

Marcos also said that he had a productive meeting with the President of the World Bank Group, where they discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in areas such as climate change adaptation and mitigation, and sustainable development.

On the sidelines of the summit, Marcos met with top executives of select Indonesian companies who are looking at the Philippines to expand their presence further.

He said that these meetings resulted in $22 million in investment commitments in areas crucial for the Philippines' economic recovery efforts, such as agriculture and the digital economy.

Marcos also witnessed the signing of the Philippine-Republic of Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which he said would strengthen the Philippines' bilateral trade and investment relations with South Korea.

"The FTA will generate jobs and contribute to the Philippine value proposition as an ideal regional hub for smart, sustainable investment," Marcos said.

Marcos reiterated that the Philippines will chair the ASEAN in 2026 instead of 2027. He said that the Philippines stepped up to this role to ensure the continuity of its progress towards a people-oriented, people-centered, inclusive, and resilient ASEAN community.

He also thanked and congratulated Indonesian President Joko Widodo for "his very able stewardship" as chair of ASEAN this year and for making ASEAN as important as it ever has been.

"I also thank them for the very warm hospitality of the Philippine delegation, And I look forward to able leadership of Lao PDR when they host the ASEAN in 2025," he said.