THE Philippines has reaffirmed its commitment to deepening partnerships with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as it prepares to host the ASEAN Summit next year.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued the statement during the 3rd ASEAN Ambassadors Dialogue on Monday, underscoring the country’s strong resolve to strengthen ties with ASEAN member-nations.
“The DILG stands firm with ASEAN in advancing regional goals through sustained collaboration. We have worked alongside our ASEAN counterparts on local governance, disaster risk reduction, and regional security,” DILG Undersecretary Marlo Iringan said during the event.
Iringan cited the DILG’s contributions to the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime, including sharing of information on decentralization and local governance, as well as its support to the ASEAN Mayors Forum and Smart Cities Network. Vince Lopez
The DILG also underscored that the Philippines’ ongoing efforts are aligned with ASEAN’s aspirations for people-centered and future-ready communities.
“In the Philippines, under the leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., we are moving forward with Bagong Pilipinas—a government that is pro-people, transparent, and results-oriented. These are values we believe are shared across ASEAN,” DILG Atty. Jon Paulo Salvahan said.
