Philippines Encourages Heightened Socio-Cultural Cooperation at the 25th ASEAN-ROK Dialogue
Foreign Affairs Acting Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs and Philippines Senior Official Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro joins fellow ASEAN SOM Leaders and the ASEAN Deputy Secretary General for ASEAN Political Security Community Robert Matheus Tene in a meeting with the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, SOM Leader for ASEAN of ROK, H.E. Yeo Seung Bae. (DFA photo)
MANILA 06 July 2021 – Foreign Affairs Acting Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs and Philippine Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) Leader Ma. Theresa Lazaro led discussions on people-to-people and cultural exchanges, education, health, climate change, disaster and environmental management partnership during the 25th ASEAN-ROK Dialogue held via video conference on 06 July 2021. It is her first ASEAN Senior Officials’ level-meeting with the Republic of Korea, representing the Philippines.
The Philippine SOM Leader proposed, that with the flourishing digital content industry and diminishing face-to-face interactions in people-to-people exchanges during the COVID-19 pandemic, ASEAN and ROK can work together to support and promote further cooperation through capacity building and co-production that will best strengthen people-to-people ties, highlight shared values, and bridge socio-cultural gaps created by the pandemic.
She expressed appreciation for the ROK’s generous education initiatives on the promotion of ASEAN studies and languages in the ROK, and of Korean studies and languages in ASEAN Member States, and encouraged the ROK to expand scholarship programs for ASEAN students, children, and youth with disabilities. She also thanked the ROK for funding projects intended to provide its nationals with multi-cultural experience and to deepen partnership between ASEAN and the ROK in the fields of education, sports, and culture.
The newly-appointed Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of ROK and SOM Leader of ROK to ASEAN H.E. Yeo Seung Bae said that the regional and international situation was becoming more challenging, and that more efforts are needed to maintain an inclusive and open multilateralism that reduces tension and increases regional and international cooperation. He noted that the role of ASEAN is greater than ever as it plays a central role in the region’s multilateralism, and affirmed that his government will enhance its cooperation with ASEAN to build a community of peace and prosperity in the region.
On regional security issues, the Meeting’s participants reiterated calls for adherence to the rule of law, including the 1982 United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), exercise of self-restraint, resolution of disputes by peaceful means, and undertaking of cooperative activities to build trust and confidence.
“[The Philippines] remain committed to the full and effective implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the early conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) that is consistent with international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS,” affirmed Acting Undersecretary Lazaro.
She joined her fellow SOM Leaders in seeking the swift implementation of the Five-Point Consensus on the situation in Myanmar reached in Jakarta during the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting held in April, which included calls to end the violence, hold constructive dialogue among all stakeholders, provision of humanitarian assistance, and designate a Special ASEAN Envoy to visit Myanmar.
On the tensions in the Korean Peninsula, Acting Undersecretary Lazaro said that “the Philippines is one with ASEAN in its call for peaceful dialogue among all concerned parties, and the realization of lasting peace and stability in a denuclearized Korean Peninsula.”
Foreign Affairs Acting Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs and SOM Leader Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro attended the 25th ASEAN-ROK Dialogue and lauded the Philippines’ continued commitment in furthering ASEAN-ROK cooperation specifically at the Socio-Cultural pillar addressing the challenges brought by the new normal set-up. Acting Usec. Lazaro was joined by Special Assistant Noel M. Novicio, ASEAN-Philippines Director-General and Assistant Secretary for Office of ASEAN Affairs, Junever M. Mahilum-West and Assistant Director for External Relations Jose Carlo Morales. (DFA photo)
During the dialogue, ROK vowed to continue supporting ASEAN’s efforts to overcome the pandemic, stating that it is trying to find ways to increase its support from its contributions to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund last year. ROK also said that it will explore ways to contribute to the ASEAN Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies and the establishment of a complementary reserve among ASEAN+3 countries.
The Philippines invited ROK to strengthen regional efforts on universal health coverage, including building a dialogue channel between ASEAN and ROK Ministers for Health, to share health technology and capacity building for the health workforce and healthcare system.
Aside from these, the Dialogue also underscored the need for increased cooperation, through ROK’s “New Southern Policy Plus,” across various issues under the ASEAN’s community pillars such as economic recovery, trade and investment, MSMEs, smart cities, science, technology and innovation, connectivity, narrowing development gap, as well as traditional and non-traditional security cooperation. END