“RAISE our flag high sky high, embrace the pride in our hearts. ASEAN we are bonded as one looking out to the world. For peace our goal from the very start and prosperity to last. We dare to dream, we care to share together for ASEAN. We dare to dream, we care to share for it’s the way of ASEAN.” We have been singing the ASEAN anthem of Southeast Asian nations for over a year now and every word of it truly reflects how great it feels to be part of this country hosting.
Although this big event became the subject of the usual and expected controversies such as the lock-down traffic, anti Duterte-Trump rallies and other praises and criticisms by both legit and fake-newsmakers, I believe that the whole caboodle positioned the Philippines as a great ally ready to engage the word.
Summarizing some of the highlights of the country’s hosting, leaders from the ten ASEAN member states led by the 2017 ASEAN Summits Chair, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, with the heads of state and senior officials from the People’s Republic of China, Republic of Korea, Japan, India, Australia, and New Zealand, convened at the Reception Hall of the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Summit.
East Asian countries enjoys prosperous trade and economic partnership within the region through free trade agreements including member countries from the ASEAN also have free trade agreements with six partnering nations in East Asia. The last 50 years of the ASEAN have proven that the association reached greater heights as one in its half century of unprecedented growth and stability in the region with courage as one community with a shared identity.
ASEAN leaders on November 14, 2017 at PICC signed the ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers. Dubbed as the ASEAN Consensus, the document brought regional cooperation to greater heights in making the ASEAN region a people-centered and people-oriented community.
US President Donald Trump was also in the Philippines for the summit as part of his 12-day trip to Asia. Although Trump left earlier than planned, he hailed a "tremendously successful" tour in which he made a lot of friends, saying his trip had seen progress in his goal of narrowing America's yawning trade deficits. "I've made a lot of friends at the highest levels, I think the fruits... are going to be incredible" the US President told reporters shortly before boarding Air Force One in Manila explaining that the United States is open for trade, but reciprocal trade.
The ASEAN Member States (AMS) and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang welcomed the positive developments in ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations in three areas of cooperation, namely, political-security, economic, and socio-cultural or people-to-people exchanges. Following the adoption by the Ministers of AMS and China of the Framework of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) in August, the Leaders formally announced the start of the negotiations on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea.
The Leaders also adopted a Declaration for a Decade of Coastal and Marine Environmental Protection in the South China Sea and Joint Statement on Strengthening Anti-Corruption Cooperation. They also issued Statements on Tourism Cooperation and on Deepening the Cooperation of Infrastructure Connectivity.
Republic of Korea’s President Moon Jae-In shared his vision for our collective futures banking on a community composed of 3 Ps—people-centered, peace-loving, and mutual prosperity. Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev lauded ASEAN for opening up their borders in an age of increasing protectionism during the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit where he also elaborated on the ASEAN Build, Build, Build panel. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about India’s growth at an unprecedented scale which is largely enabled by digitization—and his hopes of deepening ties between ASEAN members.
On the Bohol Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Work Plan for 2017-2020, a cross-pillar action plan was developed to address trafficking in persons in the region. The plan highlights harmonized regional activities to combat Trafficking in Persons in the four areas of prevention of trafficking in persons, protection of victims, law enforcement and prosecution of crimes of trafficking in persons, and regional and international coordination. During the 20th ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) Meeting at the Marriott Hotel Manila, ASEAN Foreign Ministers lauded the Philippines for its chairmanship of the association throughout the year and congratulated the Philippines for its stewardship of ASEAN for 2017 that enabled the Association to move forward various initiatives and action points in line with the Philippines’ thematic priorities and the pursuit of realizing ASEAN Community Vision 2025.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte handed over the gavel of the ASEAN Chairmanship to Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Chair of the 32nd ASEAN Summit. To the hurt and wounded cops who prevented the radicals from reaching the US Embassy at the height of the summit, may your patriotism and nationalism serve as inspiration to those who love peace and detest violence in our country.