PH to take 2017 ASEAN Chair

The Philippines will take the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Chairmanship in 2017, said ASEAN Affairs Principal Assistant Emmylou Felimer from the Department of Foreign Affairs during the ASEAN Integration Forum held at the DLSU-D Centennial Hall on February 17.

As the 2017 ASEAN Chair, the Philippines will host the annual ASEAN Summit to discuss improvement plans on the present situations of ASEAN member states, which includes Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

A member state assuming Chairmanship shall also lead different meetings for the ASEAN Coordinating Council, the three ASEAN Community Councils, the ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial Bodies and senior officials, and the Committee of Permanent Representatives.

Although the Philippines is yet to set a theme for next year’s ASEAN Summit, Felimer said the country aims to continue a people-oriented, people-centered, and people-driven ASEAN; foster peace and stability, strengthen maritime security and cooperation, promote inclusive growth, pursue regional growth, and raise the ASEAN profile in the international community.

According to Article 31 of the ASEAN Charter, the Chairmanship of ASEAN rotates annually, based on the alphabetical order of the English names of member states.

The ASEAN Integration Forum was organized by the Institutional Events Management Committee as part of DLSU-D’s Lasallian Festival celebration from February 17 to 20.