Locsin to represent Duterte in Asean Summit

MANILA – Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. is representing President Rodrigo Duterte at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in Jakarta this week, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday.

In a statement, the DFA said Duterte designated Locsin as his special envoy to the Asean Leaders’ Meeting, which is expected to discuss in a face-to-face meeting the ongoing crisis in Myanmar, on April 24.

“The Philippines strongly supported the convening of the Meeting even without the full attendance of all ASEAN Leaders. This special Leaders’ meeting will address urgent matters in the region, including recovery efforts, the situation in Myanmar, ASEAN community-building efforts, external relations, and regional and international issues,” the statement read.

The DFA said Locsin would convey Manila’s commitment to Asean’s efforts in addressing threats and challenges to peace and stability in the region.

Locsin will also express the Philippines’ support to the initiative of Brunei Darussalam and the Secretary-General of Asean to use their offices to visit Myanmar and spearhead the bloc’s response to the crisis in Myanmar.

Duterte “decided to remain in the country to attend to pressing domestic concerns” in light of the surge of coronavirus disease 2019 cases, the DFA said.