Philippines cites ASEAN’s role in addressing, managing COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines joined member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in celebrating the bloc’s 54th founding anniversary yesterday, citing the role of ASEAN in addressing and managing the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our forefathers’ collective vision of a shared socio-economic development, cultural and community cohesion, and regional peace and stability has never wavered, even with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic that we have all had to endure,” Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement.

“Now more than ever, being united as an intergovernmental organization has never been more important,” he said.

Andanar also called on the 10-member ASEAN to intensify its fight against misinformation and fake news.

He said the bloc serves “as a vital mechanism in media, communications, and information exchanges on best practices in addressing and managing the impacts of COVID-19.”

“As we continue in realizing the ASEAN Communication Master Plan 2018-2025, may this cooperation lead to a greater intergovernmental and intermedia understanding and engagements within the region, to promote the dissemination of truthful information while ending the proliferation of fake news,” he said.

ASEAN was established on Aug. 8, 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the bloc’s founding fathers – the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Brunei Darussalam joined the bloc on Jan. 7, 1984, Vietnam on July 28, 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on July 23, 1997, and Cambodia on April 30, 1999.