Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte gives a speech during the closing ceremony of the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Manila, the Philippines, Nov. 14, 2017. (Xinhua/Wang Xi)
MANILA, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday that his country remained committed to building a strong and resilient Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Duterte, whose country is the chair of ASEAN this year, handed over the chairmanship of ASEAN for 2018 to Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
"We remain committed to building a strong and resilient ASEAN Community. Our next 50 years will require deeper efforts on the next 3Cs: Community, Centrality, and Connectivity if we are to realize our ASEAN Vision by 2025," Duterte said at the end of a two-day ASEAN summit.
Duterte said the Philippine chairmanship was an auspicious one for ASEAN, as the regional grouping also marked the 50th anniversary of its founding.
"We thank the ASEAN member states, our dialogue partners, various stakeholders in our societies, and the international community, in general, in celebrating with us what has become one of the most successful regional organizations in the world," he said.
The president said the ASEAN leaders adopted and noted a number of declarations, statements, and action plans across the three pillars of the ASEAN Community, and on ASEAN's relations with dialogue partners, "which reflect our desire for greater cooperation in addressing a multitude of concerns facing the region and our people."
"We have finally completed and signed moments ago the ASEAN Consensus on the (Promotion and Protection) of the Rights of Migrant Workers," he said.
"This historic governmental document is our promise to our people to strengthen social protection, access to justice, humane and fair treatment, and access to health services, among others," he added.
As the Philippines' chairmanship of ASEAN draws to a close, Duterte said, "I reiterate my commitment that my country, as ASEAN chair, will remain steadfast in upholding the ideals and values we hold dear and in working for the realization of our shared aspirations."
