ASEAN IN FOCUS

Philippines so far sixth out of 10 countries in Kuala Lumpur SEA Games

  (Eagle News) – The Philippines is ranked sixth out of the 10 ASEAN countries based on the medal tally as of 10 p.m. August 21, with a haul of three gold, six silver and six bronze medals so far. The country got two of their gold medals on Monday, August 21, one each in the men’s and women’s triathlon with by Nico Bryan Huelgas and Kim Mangrobang leading their respective events. Huelgas, who also […]

US destroyer collides with merchant vessel east of Singapore: US navy

SINGAPORE, Singapore (AFP) — A United States destroyer collided with a merchant vessel east of Singapore on Monday and initial reports indicate it has sustained damage, the US Navy said, adding search and rescue efforts were under way. “The guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) was involved in a collision with the merchant vessel Alnic MC while underway east of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore on Aug. 21,” said a statement. “Initial reports […]

Old communist rebels confident “revolution” to continue with new gen recruits

  by Cecil Morella Agence France Presse A kerosene lamp flickers beside a Macbook in a jungle camp as ageing Philippine communist leader Jaime Padilla plots the next step in one of Asia’s oldest insurgencies with a new generation of fighters. Fuelled by one of the world’s starkest rich-poor divides, a Maoist rebellion that began months before the first human landed on the moon plods on even though the country now boasts one of the […]

China still building South China Sea islands: think-tank

  MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — China is expanding artificial islands in disputed South China Sea areas despite saying it stopped two years ago, according to a security think tank that released satellite images it said showed the land reclamation. Beijing claims most of the sea and has been turning reefs in the Spratly and Paracel chains into islands, installing military aircraft and missile systems on them — an activity the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) […]

PHL and Russia to speed up negotiations to boost campaign against terrorism and criminality

  The Philippines and the Russian Federation will be speeding up negotiations on a number of bilateral agreements that are expected to boost Manila’s ongoing campaign against terrorism, drug trafficking and criminality in the country. This was disclosed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano following his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sides of the recent ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting at the Philippine International Convention Center. “Minister Lavrov and I […]

President Duterte declares August of every year as ASEAN Month

  (Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte has declared August of every year as ASEAN Month through the issuance of the Proclamation No. 282 which Malacanang released on Wednesday, August 8, the exact date of the ASEAN’s 50th anniversary. Malacañang said the President signed the proclamation on July 31. “Proclamation No. 282 declared August of every year as ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) Month, in a bid to further promote and heighten public […]

China’s President Xi says it was an honor for China to be a dialogue partner of ASEAN

QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News) — People’s Republic of China’s President Xi Jinping on Tuesday, August 8 sent his greetings to President Rodrigo Duterte during the observance of the 50th anniversary of the Association of South East Nation (ASEAN) Xi said that it is an honor for China to be a dialogue partner of the ASEAN in the economic growth as well as in keeping the peace of the region. “On this occasion of the […]

Know more about the ASEAN

AS ASEAN celebrates its 50th anniversary, let’s look back a history to know more about the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). ASEAN was created on 8 August 1967 when five leaders – the Foreign Ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand – sat down together in the main hall of the Department of Foreign Affairs building in Bangkok, Thailand and signed a document. “By virtue of that document, the Association of Southeast […]

President Duterte tells N. Korea’s Ri: “We would be a good dialogue partner”

(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday told Pyongyang “we would be a good dialogue partner,” a statement Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said meant the Philippine chief executive “welcomed the opportunity for dialogue in the Asean Regional Forum.” Duterte made the comment to North Korea’s Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho himself, as he welcomed the reclusive state’s high-ranking official to the 50th anniversary celebration of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations at the Philippine International […]

ASEAN honors rice farmers and scientists

QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News) — As the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) celebrates its 50th anniversary, the regional bloc honored rice farmers and scientists for their contributions especially to the region’s food security. The awarding took place at the Philippine Department of Agriculture in Quezon City, and was led by the agriculture department, the International Rice Research Institute (IRR) and regional bloc representatives. https://youtu.be/DZA_VhBvzzs

ASEAN at 50: President Duterte says ASEAN to grow even stronger, will prevail over region’s challenges

(Eagle News) – Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte predicted the Association of Southeast Asian Nations regional bloc will grow stronger as an economic power and as a geopolitical group and global player, stressing that it had proven that diversity was a “strength” rather than a weakness. As the ASEAN celebrated its 50th year, Duterte said that it will prevail over existing challenges that face the region today, among which were terrorism, protectionism and threats to peace […]

Philippines’ Duterte leads closing of ASEAN summit

MANILA, Philippines (Reuters) — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte led the closing ceremony of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum (ARF) on Tuesday (August 8), capping off the three-day ministerial meeting with 27 foreign ministers. Duterte, the rotating chair of this year’s ASEAN gathering, gave his closing remarks and said he hoped for a region free of corruption and crime. He later met with the ASEAN foreign ministers for a courtesy call. North Korean missile […]