The ten countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) continuous community-building efforts serve as the backdrop of this year’s 30th ASEAN Summit as the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday, April 27, hosted a welcome dinner for the ASEAN Foreign Ministers at the Marriott Hotel Manila in Pasay City.

The ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Blueprint primarily envisages ASEAN to be a rules-based Community of shared values and norms.

“And there’s an increasing confidence that we can come up with the framework for a code of conduct in the South China Sea,” Manalo added.

The Philippines is seeking to complete this year the framework for a code of conduct in the South China Sea between ASEAN and China.

The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint, on the other hand, ensures that the ASEAN Member States are economically, sustainably, and gainfully integrated in the global economy.

Meanwhile, the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Blueprint upholds ASEAN commitment to address the region’s aspiration to lift the quality of life of its peoples.

“We are confident of our collective commitment to continue building ASEAN centrality and solidarity—an ASEAN that is people-centered, people-oriented with communities that are secure and resilient through an organization that is responsive to the needs of the region, and most importantly, the needs of our people,” the acting DFA Secretary underscored.

Manalo also urged the foreign ministers to move the ASEAN agenda “significantly forward” as he proposed a toast for the success of the ASEAN Leaders Summit for the next 50 years. ###PCO-Content