PRRD hails resumption of training for Asean epidemiologists

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has hailed the resumption of the training program for epidemiologists from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in Russia’s eastern city of Vladivostok.

Speaking at the 4th Asean-Russia Summit via video conference on Oct.28, he said the program is expected to “boost Asean countries capacity to address and prevent future outbreaks.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier eyed November and December as months to hold a new series of field-specific advanced training courses for representatives of the region’s countries.

Duterte also thanked Russia for its donation of Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccines to the Philippines.

Sputnik V, which was launched in August 2020 and named after the world’s first satellite, has been approved in some 70 countries.

He conveyed the Philippines’ full support for the Asean-Russia Plan of Action 2021-2025 aimed at strengthening cooperation in disaster management, cybersecurity, research and development, and innovation.

“We must ensure its effective implementation to bolster post-pandemic recovery and enhance our resilience against pandemics,” he said.

Meanwhile, he also lauded 30 years of dialogue relationship between Asean and Russia which was elevated to a strategic partnership in 2018.

“I am very much encouraged by our growing cooperation across the three pillars of Asean,” he said.

He, likewise, welcomed Russia’s renewed commitment to work with Asean in countering the illegal drug problem, promoting peace and prosperity for the peoples of the Asia-Pacific, Indian Ocean region and Greater Eurasia, and its efforts to deepen defense engagement through the Asean Defense Ministers Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus).

The Philippines supports Russia’s co-chairmanship of the ADMM-Plus Experts’ Working Group on Counter-Terrorism for the cycle 2021-2024.

“All these important initiatives add greater value to our strategic partnership,” Duterte said.