ASEAN trust fund now close to USD1-M: Cuy

Department of Interior and Local Government. (Photo: Department of Interior and Local Government/Facebook)

MANILA — The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) trust fund intended to help victims of crimes is now close to USD1 million.

According to Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) officer-in-charge Catalino Cuy, the fund currently amounts to USD900,000, which came from the pledges of ASEAN nations.

“At present, the trust fund has accumulated USD900,000, USD450,000 of which is already deposited in the bank while the rest is composed of pledges from different member-countries. The Philippines itself pledged USD100,000 to the trust fund,” he reported at the closing of 11th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Transnational Crimes at Conrad Manila in Pasay City.

The trust fund was created to support emergency humanitarian and relief effort in the event of irregular movement of persons in the area.

“Yung trust fund is humanitarian for a victim of irregular movement illegal person so the ASEAN Secretariat received contribution to the trust fund amounting to almost USD100,000 on May 4, 2016,” he added.

Aside from the Philippines, Cuy said the other countries that already gave contributions were Singapore, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam while Malaysia pledged to contribute USD250,000.

Cuy, who is head of the 11th AMMTC, reported that the event has resulted in the adoption of terms of reference of the AMMTC to facilitate the regular cooperation and coordination in preventing and combating transnational crime in the region.

Likewise, the related meetings during the four-day event showed manifestation of ASEAN’s common resolve to counter and combat transnational crimes through strength and cooperation.