JAKARTA, Indonesia — President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said it was important for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its East Asian partners to strengthen regional food security mechanisms along with other measures to address regional challenges.

Marcos said this during the ASEAN-Plus Three (APT) Summit here on Wednesday, Sept. 6.

In his intervention during the Summit, the President said the APT, which consists of the 10 ASEAN member states and China, Japan, and South Korea, must stay united to move forward in both strategic and economic arenas.

"We must stay united, take adversity in stride, and work together to focus on strengthening food security, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and developing the digital domain to encompass all levels of society in our countries to ensure connectivity and other cross-cutting issues,” he said.

“With the future in mind, we will tighten collaboration with each other and focus on the sustainable development of our region,” he added.

To ensure food security, President Marcos stressed the importance of strengthening regional mechanisms, particularly APT's emergency rice supply through the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR).

He reiterated the proposal for APT Cooperation to consider diversifying APTERR by adding other commodities and staple foods to address the issues of food security, poverty, hunger, and malnutrition in Southeast Asia.

The President likewise suggested the continued development and implementation of policies that will enable the shift to sustainable agriculture and fishery practices.

“We need to mainstream sustainable agricultural and food production systems that enable us to meet the demand for food without compromising the well-being of our natural environment,” Marcos said.

“Let us forge strong partnerships with key stakeholders in the private sector, strengthen food security and self-sufficiency by upgrading and expanding the agricultural sector through investments in infrastructures, and support farmers and fisherfolk," he added.

Meanwhile, Marcos said other measures to meet regional challenges include closing the digital divide, unleashing the potential of the digital economy, and encouraging the transition to a circular economy.

He said the increasing importance of the digital domain in all economies will fast-track the growth of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and nanobusinesses.

In transitioning to a circular economy, the President noted that APT collaboration must give rise to game-changing innovation toward a more sustainable economic model where progress and prosperity do not come at the cost of the health of the planet.