Duterte Going To Laos For ASEAN Summit
ASEAN Summit – President Rodrigo Duterte will be going to Vientiane, Laos to attend the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Leaders Summit, today, September 5.
According to a report by PhilStar, President Duterte will become the chairman of the regional grouping for the coming 2017.
Duterte, according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr., will be leaving Davao City at 4:40 pm and will directly proceed to Laos flying from a chartered Philippine Airlines flight from Davao.
This will be the first time the President will be leaving the country after assuming office last June 30.
In Laos, President Duterte will be holding bilateral talks with other ASEAN leaders together with United States President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Being the chairman of ASEAN, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said that the Philippines will then be hosting more than 40 meetings regarding different components like cooperation, tourism, trade, health, and others.
“All these ASEAN meetings will be held here in the country next year. That is why the Office of the President has been allocated a huge budget for hosting the summit next year,” said Dominguez as quoted by PhilStar.
Duterte had cancelled his planned two-day visit to Brunei before going to Laos because of the incident that happened in Davao City, his hometown, wherein a bl@st happened.
The incident caused the lives of 15 people including 71 others injured.
The President’s next stop is Jakarta, Indonesia on September 8 wherein he will be meeting Indonesian President Joko Widodo and the Filipino community in the country before going home on September 9.
Will President Duterte’s visit to the ASEAN Summit greatly impact the Philippines as he becomes the chairman for 2017?
Can the Philippines secure the country having ASEAN leaders expected to visit the country in 2017?
What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.