MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday told the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Plus Three (APT) member-states to make sure that no one is left behind in the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) response and recovery efforts.
Duterte made the call, as he acknowledged that APT has become an "effective platform" for concerted efforts to address the Covid-19 pandemic and other pressing issues.
"But growth for growth's sake is not enough. We must ensure that no one is left behind as we recover," Duterte said during the 24th APT Summit. "We face a future permanently altered by the pandemic. If we are to move forward, we must do so together and live up to the promise of an Asian Century."
Duterte also reminded APT that the region "remains in the grip of Covid-19," citing the "added challenge" of new coronavirus variants that is "pushing back whatever gains" it has achieved so far.
Despite this, Duterte expressed confidence that the APT would be able to defeat Covid-19.
"As we continue to confront daunting challenges, I am confident that the APT will continue to serve as a fulcrum for purposive collective actions," he said.
Duterte said APT should aim to achieve "full" socio-economic recovery "at the soonest time possible."
"We have to ramp up our capabilities against Covid-19 and future public health emergencies."
Duterte said the establishment of the APT Reserve of Medical Supplies for Public Health Emergencies would help ensure that they are ready for future outbreaks.
He added that he also welcomes the development of a new APT Work Plan.
"It must reflect lessons learned from the pandemic, build on past gains, and identify new areas of cooperation," Duterte said.
APT consists of 10-Asean member-states Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, and their partners China, Japan, and South Korea.
Duterte thanked China, Japan, and Korea for promoting financial stability in Asean through the region's Covid-19 Response Fund and the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization Agreement. (PNA)
