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BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Tuesday, March 7, 2017
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ILOILO City – The two-day meeting of the Senior Officials Committee for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (SOCA) Socio-Cultural Community (ASSC) in this southern city centers on six thematic priorities of ASEAN this year.
With the theme, “Partnering for Change, Engaging the World,” the regional grouping’s priorities are a people-oriented, people-centered ASEAN; peace and stability in the region; maritime security; inclusive, innovative-led growth; a resilient ASEAN; and ASEAN as model of regionalism and global player.
Philippine SOCA leader Undersecretary Florita Villar welcomed the delegates during the opening of the 22nd SOCA meeting at the Iloilo Convention Center yesterday.
She said they also wished “to be updated on the implementation and review of the ASCC Blueprint 2025.”
The delegates are also expected to share updates on the following:
* ASEAN Leader’s Declaration on the Role of Civil Service as Catalyst for Achieving ASEAN Community Vision 2025 for consideration of the 30th ASEAN Leaders’ Summit; and
* ASEAN Leader’s Declaration on the Establishment of an ASEAN Instrument to Implement the ASEAN Declaration for the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers target to be endorsed for adoption of the Leaders this 30th ASEAN Summit.
“We anticipate sustained active participation from our SOCA Leaders, the ASEAN Secretariat, and the delegations to actualize these objectives,” said Villar.
Also on hand to welcome the delegates yesterday were this city’s Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog and Iloilo province’s Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr.
Villar said the Philippines is honored to assume the chairpersonship of the ASEAN this year, on the occasion of its 50th or golden founding anniversary.
She thanked the Lao People’s Democratic Republic for the chairmanship of the ASEAN in 2016 and likewise acknowledged Singapore as the vice chair this year.
“We have chosen ‘Partnering for Change, Engaging the World’ as our theme and have laid out six thematic priorities to achieve holistic growth, and development,” said Villar.
“Out of the six thematic priorities, I would like to underscore two priorities which concern the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community pillar namely: a people-oriented and people-centered ASEAN and ASEAN’s resiliency,” said Villar.
Meanwhile, Villar related numerous commemorative activities that will be conducted in line with ASEAN’s 50th founding anniversary in Manila this year. Among these were:
* ASEAN High Level Conference on Social Protection on Aug.18 to 20
* Cross Regional Meeting for Advancing the Protection of Children from Violence on June 6 to 8 2017
* ASEAN Conference on Nutrition and Breastfeeding + “Hakab Na” 2017 on Aug. 5, and
* Traditional Medicine Conference – Milestone Achievements on T&CM of AMS on Sept. 26 to 27./PN
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