PH Wants Stronger Cooperation On Disaster Management In ASEAN

ASEAN MEETING. Foreign Affairs Secretary Cayetano and ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi during their meeting at the ASEAN Headquarters in Jakarta on Tuesday. (Photos by the Philippine Mission to ASEAN)

22 August 2018 – The Philippines fully supports efforts by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to strengthen its disaster management capabilities in the wake of the recent series of calamities that have struck the region.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano reaffirmed Manila’s commitment during his meeting with ASEAN Secretary General Dato Lim Jock Hoi at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta on Monday.

During the meeting, Secretary Cayetano highlighted the need to strengthen the capacity of the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Center).

“The AHA Centre is an important part of the ASEAN Community as it is a manifestation of our solidarity in times of disasters, especially with natural and man-made disasters happening in our region almost one after the other,” the Secretary said as he cited the recent earthquakes in Lombok and the flooding in Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and the Philippines.

“Because of this, the Philippines is supportive of proposals to strengthen the AHA Center in terms of manpower, training and reach,” the Secretary said.

Secretary Cayetano, at the same time, expressed the gratitude of the Philippine Government for the assistance extended by the AHA Center during last year’s siege of Marawi.

“Given its limited resources and manpower, the AHA Center has extended humanitarian assistance more than it has capacity for, such as in Marawi, in the Northern Rakhine in Myanmar, in Lombok and in Laos,” Secretary Cayetano said.

During the meeting, the Secretary also reaffirmed Manila’s full support to the ASEAN Secretariat, especially in terms of ensuring that it has the necessary resources to cope with its expanding portfolio, according to Ambassador Elizabeth P. Buensuceso, Philippine Permanent Representative to ASEAN,

“The vision of our leaders for ASEAN is there, but we need the resources to implement it. We should show our support to the ASEAN Secretariat,” Ambassador Buensuceso said.

During his visit to the ASEAN Headquarters, Secretary Cayetano also met with and warmly acknowledged the important contributions of the over 20 Filipinos working in the ASEAN Secretariat in various capacities.

Aside from Ambassador Buensuceso, Secretary Cayetano was accompanied in the meeting by Ambassador to Indonesia Lee Hiong Wee, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Asia and Pacific Affairs Meynardo Montealegre, and Consul General Oscar Orcine of the Philippine Consulate General in Manado.

The Secretary also later met the officers and staff of the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to ASEAN and lauded them for being this year’s DFA Best Organization awardee. END