Duterte leaves for Singapore for ASEAN Summit, meetings with other world leaders

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday left for Singapore to attend the 33rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Summits where world leaders are set to tackle issues including greater economic integration, tensions in the South China Sea and developments in the Korean Peninsula.

The plane carrying Duterte and his party took off from Davao City at 5:13 p.m. and is due to arrive in Singapore on Monday evening, Malacañang said.

Duterte's lean delegation included Secretaries Teodoro Locsin Jr. (Foreign Affairs), Carlos Dominguez III (Finance), Delfin Lorenzana (Defense), Ramon Lopez (Trade), Rolando Bautista (Social Welfare and Development), Hermogenes Esperon (National Security Adviser), Salvador Panelo (presidential spokesperson) and Martin Andanar (Communications).

Also on the delegation list provided by Malacañang were Philippine Permanent Representative to ASEAN Elizabeth Buensuceso and Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Joseph del Mar Yap. 

In a statement, Panelo said the ASEAN Summit will be an opportunity for the Philippine government to join in discussions on the progress of the ASEAN Community blueprints and in bringing ASEAN closer to the realization of a people-centered ASEAN Community.

"Similarly, the related summits in Singapore will give the President the chance to witness the progress of ASEAN’s relations with its dialogue partners, with the goal of fostering deeper cooperation on priority areas including peace, security, economy, and overall well-being of our people," he said.

Last Friday, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Junever Mahilum-West said ASEAN leaders and China, one of the region's dialogue partners, will discuss tensions in the disputed South China Sea.

On August 3, China and the 10-member ASEAN, of which the Philippines and three other South China Sea claimants are members, announced an agreement on a single draft South China Sea Code of Conduct negotiating text.

The draft, which will serve as the basis for negotiations of the code, is expected to propel China and ASEAN to reach agreement on a set of formal guidelines in the resource-rich waters as efforts to finalize the accord has dragged on for 16 years.

The ASEAN-China dialogue is just one of the meetings expected to be attended by Duterte and other Southeast Asian leaders during the 33rd ASEAN Summit from November 13 to 15.

These include meetings with the leaders of other dialogues partners, namely Australia, China, South Korea, Russia, Japan, India and the United States.

Discussions on the planned Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) have also been set.

RCEP, launched in 2012, aims to create a free trade agreement among 10 ASEAN members - a market of 600 million people – with its six dialogue partners (Australia, China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, and New Zealand).

After Singapore, the President will fly to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea for the 19th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Meeting on November 17 to 18.

Duterte has appointed Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea as the officer-in-charge of the government while he is abroad. — RSJ, GMA News