DFA Kicks off Celebration of ASEAN's 50th Founding Anniversary
CIvil Service Commission Chairperson Alicia dela Rosa-Bala (center) with the Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries at the 50th ASEAN Day Flag-Raising Ceremony held at DFA, Pasay City on 31 July 2017
04 Aug 2017 MANILA - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) kicked off the month-long celebration of the 50th founding anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on 31 July with an ASEAN flag-raising ceremony followed by a program commemorating the milestone event.
Undersecretary Jose Luis G. Montales led the activity on behalf of Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alan Peter S. Cayetano. It was held at the Bulwagang Apolinario Mabini of the Department of Foreign Affairs in Pasay City and attended by the officials and personnel of the Department and members of the press.
In his remarks which was read by Undersecretary Montales, Secretary Cayetano emphasized the importance of cooperation and teamwork, which binded the ASEAN founding fathers 50 years ago, in attaining ASEAN's regional aspirations. He challenged the Department to translate the "seemingly abstract ideas of ASEAN centrality, unity, and solidarity into concrete and relatable terms, so that the public can fully appreciate ASEAN." Secretary Cayetano also encouraged the men and women of the DFA to be instrumental in helping the Philippines "build stronger relationships with its ASEAN brothers and sisters, be the bridge, and build a more secure and stable region."
Hon. Alicia dela Rosa-Bala, Chairperson of the Civil Service Commission (CSC), was the DFA's special guest at the event. She delivered a special message and talked about the ASEAN Declaration on the Role of the Civil Service as a Catalyst for Achieving the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, which was signed by the ASEAN Leaders during the 30th ASEAN Summit on 29 April 2017 in Manila.
Chair Bala acknowledged the important role of civil servants and the civil service in ASEAN community-building. She stressed that the strength of ASEAN is rooted in the capacity of its institutions and the people who make things possible to meet the challenges of the ever-changing world. She said that, as the backbone of governance, the civil service is instrumental in the delivery of vital services to the peoples of ASEAN, adding that the role of the institution becomes even more crucial as the establishment of the ASEAN Community is expected to see greater mobility across the region.
Chair Bala cited the CSC’s initial effort to enhance collaboration with other sectors and to create greater awareness of ASEAN among the Filipino public.
She ended her message on a note challenging every Filipino civil servant to play a role in building a more stable, united, and prosperous ASEAN by giving full support to the Philippines, the Chair of ASEAN on its 50th year.
The commemorative activity also featured a parade of flags of the ten (10) ASEAN Member States, singing of the ASEAN Anthem and the Philippine ASEAN Chairmanship Theme Song, and cultural performances from singing duo “The Nightingales.” END