Marcos welcomes World Skills ASEAN delegates, urges unity

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. welcomed delegates of the World Skills ASEAN Competition to Manila on Monday, urging participants to serve their countries and strengthen unity among member states.

Marcos emphasized that skills are more valuable than oil or gold, serving as the foundation for innovation and industry in a heavily interconnected world.

The 14th edition of this regional contest features 259 contestants from nine ASEAN member states competing in 32 skill areas, marking it as the largest such competition to date.

Vietnam has withdrawn from this year's competition due to funding limitations brought about by institutional reorganization.

The Philippines first hosted the WorldSkills ASEAN in 1996 and is now hosting it for the second time; the event aims to promote technical and vocational education and training in Southeast Asia.

The competition will run from August 25 to 28 in Manila, fostering skills development among young people across the region.

Timor-Leste will participate as an observer state, underscoring the value of inclusivity in strengthening ASEAN.