ASEAN set June 30 info caravan in Albay

By Connie B. Destura LEGAZPI CITY --- The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)-Bicol, in partnership with the Presidential Communication Operations Office (PCOO) and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), will be hosting the Bicol regional leg of the information dissemination caravan on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN. An activity aimed to increase the people’s awareness on the concept of the “ASEAN integration,” the information caravan will also focus on the theme of the ASEAN conferences being hosted by the Philippines this year, which is “Partnering for Change, Engaging the World.” Ma. Grace Joy Tango, DILG-Bicol information officer, in an interview Tuesday, said the caravan aims to orient the participants on what is ASEAN and the benefits that could be derived by the Philippines and its citizens by being a part of the regional group of nations. She said around 300 participants are expected to come to the whole-day event on June 30 at the Legazpi City Convention Center with a forum and press conference to follow after the talk by various speakers. Tango said the series of activities for the day will be attended by local government executives, national and local government representatives, heads of state universities and colleges, various other stakeholders, and media practitioners. PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar is expected to deliver a short message while DILG Regional Director Eloisa Pastor will welcome the participants. DFA-ASEAN Executive Director Zaldy Patron will discuss the hosting of the ASEAN by the Philippines, an original member of the 50-year-old regional organization. Tango added that other topics to be discussed are updates on the declaration of martial rule in Mindanao in the aftermath of the Marawi crisis, ways to counter violent extremism, and federalism. Aside from the Philippines, the other members of the ASEAN Community are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao, PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.