US urged to increase support for ASEAN COVID-19 response fund

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has urged the United States government to help the Philippines, and the rest of the countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, in ramping up funds for the ASEAN Response Fund for the COVID-19 pandemic.

“He further invited the US to contribute to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund, the ASEAN Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies and the ASEAN Center for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said yesterday in a statement.
Duterte, who was busy supervising rescue efforts in the devastated Cagayan region yesterday morning, had designated Foreign Affairs Sec. Teodoro Locsin Jr. to represent him during the virtual meeting.

In the President’s speech read by Locsin, Duterte also expressed his gratitude to the US for its generous assistance of state-of-the-art ventilators and other medical supplies to help in efforts to contain COVID-19 in the Philippines.

“On the recovery front, the President asked ASEAN member-states and the US to sustain the initiatives of the ASEAN-US Strategic Partnership for regional growth, where both parties could benefit from increased trade and investments as well as cooperation in the digital economy and innovation,” Roque said.

At the same time, Duterte also underscored that the Philippines is for the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law in addressing the issue of the South China Sea. The President has stressed there is no other viable path but honest negotiations and sincere diplomacy.

Last Thursday, President Duterte called on China to give priority to the 10-member bloc in getting equal access to and distribution of the vaccines being developed against COVID-19.

Duterte gave his remarks during the ASEAN-China Summit where he, as the country coordinator for the ASEAN China Dialogue Relations, delivered the ASEAN Common Statement yesterday.

On COVID-19, the President said ASEAN encourages close cooperation and collaboration with China in the development and equitable distribution of safe, effective, affordable vaccines, diagnostics and medicines.

Addressing poverty

Yesterday, Duterte underscored the need for ASEAN members and Australia to work together in addressing extreme poverty, which has been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking via video conference at the ASEAN-Australia Biennial Summit, Duterte pushed for the reinvigoration of trade and economic ties between Australia and ASEAN.

He cited the need to strengthen the ASEAN-Australian, New Zealand Free Trade Agreement and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.

While he acknowledged that the pandemic has changed the way countries do business, the President pointed out that “innovation and technology can provide direction for economies to recover; thus, there is a need to intensify cooperation in this area.”

“(The) President asked his counterparts to prepare the region for future pandemics by building the capacity of the health system through the ASEAN-Australia Health Security Partnership,” Roque said yesterday.

Duterte also discussed the need for ASEAN members-states and Australia to work together to accelerate each nation’s and the region’s socio-economic recovery.