MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has urged his fellow Southeast Asian leaders to expedite the acquisition of more vaccines and cater to the needs of vulnerable groups in the midst of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
Duterte made the announcement during his speech at the 38th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit on Tuesday.
Recognizing that the fight against Covid-19 is far from done, Duterte called on the 10-member Asean bloc to cooperate in order to combat the dreaded disease.
“Today’s circumstances tell us one thing: The road to comprehensive and inclusive recovery will be long and difficult. While we welcome and appreciate the support of our external partners, we as Asean Community must be able to stand on our own,” he said in his speech, based on a video uploaded Wednesday on the government-run Facebook pages.
Duterte also asked the Asean Secretariat hasten vaccine purchase through the Covid-19 Response Fund.
“If there are still available funds, then we should purchase more,” he said, adding that the regional bloc must ensure the “phased and comprehensive” implementation of strategies under the Asean Comprehensive Recovery Framework.
According to Duterte, Asean must establish its own regional vaccine research and production facilities to ensure that the region is “prepared for future public health emergencies”.
He also urged his fellow Southeast Asian leaders to implement the Asean Travel Corridor Arrangement Framework in order to reinvigorate their economy as quickly as feasible.
“As we have said before, an open multilateral trading system and a clear roadmap are vital to economic recovery,” Duterte said.
Duterte also reminded the Asean member-states to prioritize vulnerable groups, such as women and children, amid Covid-19 outbreak.
“This pandemic has exacerbated inequalities within our societies. We must therefore address the unique needs of vulnerable groups, particularly women, children, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and migrant workers, among others,” he said.
