ASEAN up close
President Duterte hosts world leaders during the ASEAN gala. Photo courtesy of Presidential Communications
The 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was very successful, with all the elaborate preparations paying off. The visiting leaders were accorded a warm welcome, which is in keeping with the legendary hospitality that the Philippines is famous for.
Many Filipinos were very happy to see the country being on the global spotlight, proud that our culture and heritage as a people were showcased — from the parols (Christmas lanterns) that adorned the stage during the gala dinner down to the performances of world-class Filipino talents and the outfits designed by our top-notch designers, among others.
It was very good to see that MIASCOR — a fully-Filipino owned company run by Ricky Delgado Sr. and Jr. — was the one that took care of all the ground handling requirements of Air Force One from the moment the aircraft touched down on Philippine soil. MIASCOR provided the passenger stairway from which US President Donald Trump descended, and also handled the maintenance requirements of the Boeing 747 aircraft not only of the US but that of the other delegations.
The recently concluded ASEAN Summit virtually put relations between the Philippines and the United States on “reset mode” as evidenced by the rapport between President Rodrigo Duterte and US President Donald Trump.
I met President Trump at the airport, and upon knowing that I was the incoming Philippine ambassador to the United States, he told me, “See you in Washington.”
The schedule was punishing, but we were able to have some downtime with President Duterte during the summit break. It was also good to see my La Salle classmate Chito Sta. Romana, who is our Ambassador to China.
The 31st ASEAN Summit and the 50th founding anniversary of the regional association was indeed a milestone, and as chairman and host, the Philippines indeed was given an opportunity to take its place in history.
