11 documents adopted, 1 accord signed under PH chairmanship

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte joins the leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states and dialogue partners during the opening of the 31st ASEAN Summit and Related Summits at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay City on November 13, 2017. The dialogue partners include New Zealand, Timor-Leste, Republic of Korea, USA, Australia, India, China, and Japan. KARL NORMAN ALONZO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA — The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) under the leadership of the Philippines in 2017 has adopted a total of 11 outcome documents and signed an instrument focused on the promotion and protection of migrant workers’ rights in the region.

On Thursday, two days after the conclusion of the 31st ASEAN Summit in Manila, the bloc released the chairman’s statement where the report on a “productive and fruitful deliberations” was noted.

The heads of ASEAN Member States gathered in Manila on November 13 for the summit with the theme “Partnering for Change, Engaging the World” envisioning an “integrated, peaceful, stable and resilient” ASEAN Community.

Under this, the bloc adopted the ASEAN Declaration to Prevent and Combat Cybercrime, the Declaration on Innovation, the Action Agenda on Mainstreaming Women’s Economic Empowerment in ASEAN and the Declaration on ‘Culture of Prevention’ for a Peaceful, Inclusive, Resilient, Healthy and Harmonious Society.

Documents focused on health were also recognized and adopted by the leaders namely the Declaration on Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR), the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Disaster Health Management, and the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Ending All Forms of Malnutrition.

Among others, the heads also adopted the Declaration on the Adoption of the ASEAN Youth Development Index, the Declaration on the Gender-Responsive Implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and Sustainable Development Goals, the Joint Statement on Climate Change to the 23rd Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP-23) and the Joint Statement on Promoting Women, Peace and Security in ASEAN.

Lastly, the ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers hailed as the centerpiece of the Philippines’ chairmanship was signed.

The chairman statement reads that its approval “registered” the leaders’ commitment to the protection and promotion of the rights of ASEAN migrant workers in the region.

Following its finalization, the ASEAN Labor Ministers will now proceed with the development of an action plan to translate the ASEAN Consensus into concrete actions.