The country’s interests on health emergency cooperation, protection of the rights of migrant workers, South China Sea issue, among others, will be pursued by President Duterte during an online regional summit this week.

(KING RODRIGUEZ/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
The President is scheduled to participate in the 37th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit and related meetings via video conference from Nov. 12-15, according to Presidential Assistant on Foreign Affairs Robert Borje.
This year's summit, chaired by Vietnam, carries the theme “Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN.” The leaders of the 10-member Southeast Asian bloc are expected to hold talks with their dialogue partners from China, South Korea, and Japan.
"The President will exchange views with his counterparts on the region’s COVID- 19 response and recovery efforts, future direction of ASEAN community building, and regional and international developments," Borje said in a statement.
"He will advance Philippine positions on public health emergencies cooperation, regional economic integration, migrant workers’ rights, climate change, disaster risk reduction management, counter-terrorism, and the South China Sea issue," he added.
More than 10 outcome documents on ASEAN cooperation on COVID-19, enhancing preparedness for public health emergencies, and updates on ASEAN community building efforts, among others, will be sealed during the summit.
Borje said the President will be joined by key cabinet members during the regional summit.
The regional summit will be held as the world continues to battle the coronavirus pandemic. Based on the global tracking of Johns Hopkins University, more than 51 million have been infected by the coronavirus with 1.2 million deaths across the globe since the pandemic started.
The United States has the highest number of COVID infections with more than 10.2 million cases. Indonesia and the Philippines are the two countries in Southeast Asia with the highest numbers of coronavirus infections.