Locsin to represent Duterte at Asean Summit

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. will represent President Rodrigo Duterte at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in Jakarta on April 24.

Duterte designated Locsin as his special envoy to the meeting due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in the Philippines.

Locsin will convey the President's message on the country's commitment to Asean's collective efforts in addressing threats and challenges to regional peace and stability.

The Asean leaders meeting comes amid China's continuous aggressive activities in the West Philippine Sea, specifically its deployment of over 240 vessels in Julian Felipe Reef.

Locsin is also expected to deliver the Philippines' strong support to Brunei Darussalam and the Asean Secretary-General's initiative to visit Myanmar and lead the bloc's response to the crisis there.

The meeting will also address COVID-19 recovery efforts, Asean community-building efforts, external relations, and regional and international issues.