00:00 Again, the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN,
00:06 are encouraging the importance of coordination among the neighboring countries
00:10 to ensure the economic prosperity in the region.
00:14 Naomi Tiburcio has more.
00:16 The ASEAN members have come together to celebrate the 56th anniversary
00:27 of the establishment of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN.
00:31 The second face-to-face celebration of ASEAN Day was held in Makati City
00:36 after the pandemic.
00:38 The National Folk Dance Company of the Philippines also attended the celebration.
00:43 The importance of regional collaboration to support the regional
00:52 and economic prosperity is far from the celebration of Isulong.
00:56 After 56 years, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has been successful and peaceful
01:02 with 670 million members.
01:07 It has a total GDP of 3.7 trillion US dollars,
01:12 the fifth largest economy in Asia and the fifth largest economy in the world,
01:19 followed by the United States, China, Japan, and Germany.
01:23 ASEAN has become arguably the most successful regional organization in the region.
01:28 ASEAN has blossomed into a beacon of unity, cooperation, and progress
01:35 in Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific.
01:38 According to the Director General of ASEAN National Secretariat, Assistant Secretary Daniel Espiritu,
01:44 the economy of ASEAN will benefit from the trade agreements entered by the countries.
01:50 He is hoping that this will continue in the future.
01:53 We're expecting that through the various economic initiatives of ASEAN,
01:57 we will be able to see the economic growth of ASEAN,
02:02 because even right now, most of the ASEAN countries are already enjoying
02:06 among the highest growth rates in the world.
02:09 Vietnamese Ambassador Hoi Chung assured that Vietnam will help
02:15 as a strategic partner of the Philippines.
02:18 House Speaker Martin Rualdes will also confirm the commitment of the
02:22 Vietnam National Assembly President to supply rice to the Philippines in front of the El Nino River.
02:29 ASEAN also has a mechanism to help member states that are experiencing a shortage of rice.
02:36 ASEAN has a mechanism. We call it the ASEAN Plus 3 Emergency Rice Reserve.
02:42 So we can get rice to fill up and cope up with the urgent emergencies.
02:50 Naomi DeMurcio, Pagasa Bayan.
02:53 (upbeat music)
