Speaker Martin Romualdez on Sunday praised President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as among the “more magnetic” personalities in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit, with other heads of state seemingly eager to rub elbows with the Filipino leader, whom he described as “a rockstar.”
“It makes me feel proud to see our President being warmly received by his fellow leaders in the region. He has been welcomed and embraced.
Other leaders in Asia are looking forward to meeting him and talking business with him. Dare I say, the President has been like a rockstar here,” he said.
“Leaders from around the world are drawn to the Chief Executive and this bodes well for the Philippines, for practical reasons,” he added.
“We in government intend to build on our 7.6 percent economic growth in the third quarter based on our gross domestic product. The President will strive to turn these interactions on the international stage into tangible benefits that can trickle down into every Filipino home,” Romualdez said.
Romualdez is in Phnom Penh, Cambodia as part of the official delegation of the President at the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summit and related summits.
He said the President has made significant inroads in promoting the country’s national interest and broadening relations with the Philippines’ regional and international partners during the summit.
“President Marcos has skillfully managed to promote our country’s national interest not only through his participation during the summit sessions but also in his interactions and exchanges with fellow leaders in ASEAN and dialogue partners,” he said on the last day of the ASEAN Summits.
He cited the President’s call during the ASEAN-China summit for the immediate conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea based on international law.
In a brief exchange with Marcos, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said he looked forward to working with the Philippines and other ASEAN countries for peace and stability in the South China Sea based on mutual respect and international laws, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
“The agreement between President Marcos and Premier Li to further enhance Philippine-China relations bode well for the easing of tensions in the South China Sea and for our country’s energy and food security,” Romualdez said.
Li underscored that what the two countries have in common far outweighs their differences.
Marcos is set to make a state visit to China in January 2023.
The Speaker noted that in his request during the ASEAN-US Summit, Marcos appealed to US President Joe Biden to leverage the influence of the United States in taming rising oil prices, which has hurt businesses and livelihoods of many countries around the globe, including the Philippines.
In the bilateral meetings with Cambodia, Vietnam, Brunei, and South Korea, Marcos called for increased cooperation and collaboration with these countries on various areas of concern, including security, trade, and business relations.
“President Marcos pushed forward the agenda for our country’s post-pandemic recovery and economic restoration and displayed a keen understanding of the dynamics of international relations,” Romualdez said.
The firm resolve Marcos has shown on matters of ASEAN regional concerns, like his stance for the quick resolution of the Myanmar situation toward democracy and respect for human rights, as well as his call for the enhancement of ASEAN solidarity and centrality to address conflicts and challenges in the region.