ASEAN trip Rody’s next

The information that we have and the guidance that we have is the President will be joining the meetings.

It is still a working vacation for President Rodrigo Duterte in Davao City as he rests upon his doctor’s order to recuperate from muscle spasms.

And it is still likely the Chief Executive may join other regional leaders in the 35th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Summits in Thailand this weekend.

Not changing anything in the President’s schedules, Chief of Presidential Protocol and Presidential Assistant on Foreign Affairs Robert Borje on Monday said his office is working under the assumption that Mr. Duterte will be attending all his scheduled meetings during the meet.

Borje made the remark as concerns on the President’s health have been raised by some quarters. They want to determine if Mr. Duterte is fit or healthy enough to attend the ASEAN meetings in Nonthaburi, Thailand from 2 to 4 November 2019.

President Duterte skipped some of his scheduled meetings in the previous meets, although he was in perfect health then.

But Malacañang earlier said that despite the President dealing with myasthenia gravis and Buerger’s disease — and just recently from muscle spasms and lower back pain — these have not affected his functions as President.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the President is in good health and had enough rest in Davao City over the weekend.

Panelo said President Duterte is expected to leave for Thailand on 1 November.

Malacañang had announced Mr. Duterte’s plan to visit the tomb of his parents ahead of All Saints’ Day.

“As of this point, we are prepared for all of the meetings. And we are under the assumption — working under the assumption — that the President will be attending,” Borje said.

“And if he’s going to miss any of the meetings, then appropriate guidance will be given to us and then a representative will be tasked. Normally, if the President is unable to attend a meeting, it’s the Secretary of Foreign Affairs who attends,” he added.

“But as of this time, the information that we have and the guidance that we have is the President will be joining the meetings,” he further said.

For the ASEAN Meetings, Borje said the President is expected to bring with him Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez and Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rolando Bautista, being their departments are the three pillars of ASEAN.

Aside from them, he said the President’s partner Cielito Avanceña will also be joining the Chief Executive in his travel to Thailand.

“There will be a Spouses Program, and she (Avanceña) will be joining it,” Borje said.

“As for other members of the Cabinet, we’re still firming up again, based on the agenda items and the talking points of the President,” he added.

Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for the Office of ASEAN Affairs Junever M. Mahilum-West, meanwhile, said the 35th ASEAN Summit will be attended by the heads of governments and states of the ASEAN, as well as their counterparts from dialogue partners.

She said that apart from the ASEAN Plenary Summit, there are several other summits where Philippine participation is expected. These include the ASEAN Plus Three Summit and the East Asia Summit, where leaders are expected to share their views on regional and international issues affecting the region and beyond.

Mahilum-West said the ASEAN will also have one-on-one summits with China, India, the United Nations, the United States and Japan. Expected to be discussed during the gabs are the current direction of partnerships and cooperation on mutual concerns.

“There are about 40 anticipated outcome documents at the end of the 35th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, which represent the culmination of the ASEAN Community’s work in pursuit of a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable ASEAN community, particularly given this year’s theme of “Partnership for Sustainability,” Mahilum-West said.

“There will be a handover ceremony for the chairmanship of ASEAN from Thailand to Vietnam at the closing session,” she added.

The DFA official said the President’s calendar will start with the 35th ASEAN Summit plenary on Saturday, 2 November.

On Sunday, the President will attend the opening ceremony followed by the ASEAN-China Summit, and then the ASEAN-India Summit. In the afternoon, there will be the ASEAN-United Nations Summit to be followed by the gala dinner.