Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore
April 28, 2018

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, together with the leaders from Southeast Asia, graced the opening ceremony of the 32nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Summits in Singapore.

This year’s ASEAN Chairmanship focuses on the theme, ‘Resilience and Innovation’. It prioritizes the use of technology to improve the lives of people in the region. These include initiatives to promote city development, sustainable urbanization, and connectivity among the ASEAN cities.

In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore said that the ASEAN region must adjust to a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape, where strategic balance is shifting both regionally and globally. He reiterated that the region should expand its cooperation with other world powers, but should always maintain statesmanship and diplomacy.

He encouraged his fellow leaders to continue pressing integration and deepened cooperation with major partners so that the ASEAN remains cohesive, relevant, and effective.

Last year, during the Philippines’ hosting of the ASEAN Summit, the leaders were able to tackle different matters concerning the welfare of its citizens. These include the ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers, and the ASEAN Declaration on the Role of Civil Service as a catalyst to realize the ASEAN Vision 2025.

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