President Rodrigo Duterte welcomed on Thursday the conclusion of the negotiations of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

RCEP is set to be officially signed on Sunday, November 15, before the closing ceremony of the 37th Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Related Summits being chaired by Vietnam.

"On the economic front, we must deepen regional integration and strengthen supply chain connectivity. In this regard, we welcome the conclusion of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or the RCEP agreement," Duterte said in his intervention during the first day of the Summit via a video conference.

RCEP whose negotiations were launched in 2012 is an agreement of 10 ASEAN member states, namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and six ASEAN FTA partners, such as Australia, People’s Republic of China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, and New Zealand.

Participants in the RCEP negotiated on trade in goods, trade in services, investment, economic and technical cooperation, intellectual property, competition, dispute settlement, e-commerce, small and medium enterprises and other issues.

Duterte also underscored the need for a "transformative" growth, which must be enjoyed by all.

"We must therefore forge ahead with sub-regional arrangements, such as the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area) to bridge the development gaps within the region," he said.

Duterte also cited the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, particularly on the overseas Filipino workers.

"In mitigating the impact of the pandemic, our actions must be people-centered. The massive displacement of workers, including migrant workers, compels us to upskill and reskill our labor force. We must equip our people for a rapidly evolving labor market under the new normal," he said.

With this, Duterte welcomed the support for the Philippines’ inaugural Chairmanship of the ASEAN Technical and Vocational Education and Training Council.

"Rest assured that we will build partnerships to further implement the Roadmap of the ASEAN Declaration on Human Resources Development for the Changing World of Work," he said.

"As we recover, no sector must be left behind. Our efforts should be targeted and inclusive. We must address the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on women, migrant workers, and other vulnerable sectors. We have to adopt gender-responsive measures and strengthen social protection systems," Duterte said.

He also urged fellow ASEAN countries to intensify cooperation in promoting and protecting the rights of migrant workers, regardless of their status. Celerina Monte/DMS