President Marcos is back in the Philippines after what he described as a "successful" 44th and 45th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Laos where he pushed for the country’s interests before the regional gathering.

In his arrival message, delivered upon his arrival to the Philippines late Friday, Oct. 11, the President highlighted the Philippines' strong commitment to strengthening its partnerships with like-minded friends.

"I reaffirmed that the Philippines will continue to defend our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea, in accordance with international law," he said.

"The Philippines is continuing to strengthen its partnerships with all countries who share our values and our commitment to peace and the rule of law," he added.

According to the President, ASEAN leaders agreed to promote sustainable agriculture to achieve long-term food security, collaborate to support the region’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and galvanize efforts to support the digital transformation of different economies.

He added that there are efforts in ASEAN to promote inclusive and sustainable tourism across the region, which would complement the Philippines’ initiatives in positioning itself as a prime destination for sustainable tourism.

While at the regional event, the President said he also engaged with the ASEAN Business Advisory Council and with ASEAN Youth representatives to exchange ideas on how to promote prosperity and welfare of the people and the entire region.

Alliance for a sustainable world

In his intervention at the 14th ASEAN-United Nations Summit on Friday, President Marcos called on all concerned parties to reaffirm their commitment to universal multilateralism. Multilateralism refers to an alliance of multiple countries pursuing a common goal based on the principles of inclusivity, equality, and cooperation. It aims to foster a more peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world.

The President pointed out that multilateral institutions provide global stability amid many unseen threats, noting that institutions are borne of the lessons of history and the continuing hope that humanity will prevail against emerging challenges and future shocks.

However, for universal multilateralism to succeed, Marcos said a multilateral organization should not merely exist; it should proactively uphold and protect the international rule of law against contemporary challenges.

"Our rules-based international order, established to avoid the conflicts in the past—conflicts which set humanity back several decades—is now under attack.  Across the globe, states have acted against the principles of international law and, at times, against plain human decency," he said.

"It is thus timely that we all meet today to reaffirm our commitment to universal multilateralism. The commitment and success of every collective endeavor renew the central role of our institutions and strengthen the international order that we have long established and try to live by," he added.

Climate change

Regarding fighting climate change, Marcos said the Philippines is leading critical initiatives that are significant to the region’s future.

He mentioned that the Philippines' hosting of the Loss and Damage Fund Board is a "privilege" to play a strategic role in supporting the flow of climate finance to countries most vulnerable to climate change and advocating for needed support and action on climate resilience.

President Marcos reported the Philippines passed the “Loss and Damage Fund Board Act” which gives the Board legal personality and privileges. He said he looks forward to projects seeking nature-based solutions to climate change and promoting biodiversity in ASEAN.

To contribute to regional efforts to mitigate the devastating effects of natural disasters intensified by climate change, Marcos said the Philippines is hosting the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction next week to cooperate with other countries on disaster preparedness and response.

"We look forward to our officials’ discussion of policies and actions to accelerate risk reduction in the face of climate change and other uncertainties," he said.