Duterte to attend ASEAN leaders' gathering in Bali this week
Despite having some issues with his health, President Rodrigo Duterte will join other leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN) in a gathering in Bali, Indonesia this week.
In a press briefing on Monday, Assistant Foreign Secretary for ASEAN Affairs Juniver West said Duterte will attend the ASEAN Leaders Gathering in Bali on October 11 on the invitation of Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
"The ASEAN Leaders gathering will be a two-hour informal roundtable to exchange views under the theme ‘Achieving SDGs, Sustainable Development Goals, and overcoming development gap through regional and global collaborative actions," she said.
The gathering will be co-chaired by Widodo and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, 2018 ASEAN chair.
Heads of the multilateral agencies like the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and the United Nations and the ASEAN secretary-general, are expected to be present.
During the gathering, Duterte would highlight the government's efforts to improve its performance in achieving SDG ( sustainable development goals); urge all parties to strengthen support from micro, small and medium enterprises development; call for economic resilience amidst prevailing global economic uncertainties; encouraged deeper cooperation between ASEAN, UN, IMF and the World Bank to implement ASEAN Community Vision 2o25 and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; as well as the roles of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and the ASEAN plus 3 Macroeconomic Research Office in building the capacity of countries to reach their sustainable development targets, West said.
She said Duterte may hold up to three bilateral meetings, including one with Widodo.
The official said during the bilateral meeting with Widodo, Duterte would inform of the Philippines' assistance to tsunami-hit Southeast Asian country under the One-ASEAN, One-Response Program in Disaster Assistance.
While there are Filipinos in Indonesia, West said there would be no time for Duterte to meet them.
Duterte will fly to Indonesia amid his earlier admission his illness could have worsened as he underwent endoscopy again last week.
Malacanang has yet to issue the health bulletin of the President. Celerina Monte/DMS
