MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday night returned to the Philippines after participating in the 44th and 45th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summits and Related Summits in Vientiane, Laos.

The President and his delegation arrived at Villamor Airbase in Pasay City aboard the Presidential plane at around 10:23 p.m.

In his arrival statement, Marcos said the discussions among our partners and friends "were not just about the challenges we face individually, but equally important also about our shared commitment to finding enduring solutions that would safeguard our collective future."

Marcos said he and the other Asean leaders agreed to work closer together in promoting sustainable agriculture to achieve long-term food security.

"We are collaborating with our partners to support our MSMEs through addressing financing gaps and enhancing their capacities to integrate into global supply chains," he said.

To prepare the country and the region for the future, Marcos said the Asean leaders were together galvanizing efforts to support the digital transformation of their economies.

"We are shepherding efforts in Asean to promote inclusive and sustainable tourism across the region. These will complement the Philippines' initiatives in positioning itself as a prime destination for sustainable tourism," he said.

Marcos also said the Philippines was leading critical initiatives that are significant to the future of this region.

"As host of the Loss and Damage Fund Board, the Philippines is privileged to play a strategic role in supporting the flow of climate finance to countries which are most vulnerable to climate change, as well as advocating for needed support and action on climate resilience," Marcos said.

"As part of our actions to contribute to help mitigate the devastating effects of climate change, we will be hosting the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction next week to cooperate with other countries on disaster preparedness and response," he added.

The President said he also engaged with the business sector of Asean as well as with representatives of the youth in Asean "in order to exchange ideas on how we can best promote the prosperity and welfare of our people and the entire region."

Marcos said the Asean leaders also discussed significant international issues and emerging challenges that not only impact our nation, but also the entire region, including the West Philippine Sea.

"I reaffirmed that the Philippines will continue to defend our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea. All Philippine actions are in accordance with international law," Marcos said.

"The Philippines is continuing to strengthen its partnerships with all countries who share our values and our commitment to peace and the rule of law," he added.

On the sidelines of the Summit, Marcos said he took the opportunity to engage leaders to discuss bilateral cooperation and strategic areas of mutual interest.He said they discussed agriculture cooperation with Vietnam, building on recently signed agreements on rice trade, smart agriculture, research and technology, farm management, and sustainability.

The President said he had the opportunity to thank Canada for its consistent support for the Philippines, especially on defense and maritime interests.

"We congratulated Canada on its G7 Presidency and looked forward to the successful conduct of the Team Canada Trade Mission in the Philippines this coming December," he said.

In a bilateral meeting with New Zealand, Marcos said they explored ways to elevate bilateral cooperation in time for the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2026.

Making full use of our schedule while abroad, he said he also briefly met with the Leaders of Lao PDR, the European Union, and Japan, and expressed the Philippines' commitment to further strengthen bilateral relations.

"The Philippine delegation and I are grateful to Lao PDR, the Chair of Asean this year and our generous host, for their successful chairmanship. look forward to Malaysia's able leadership as they host Asean in 2025," he said.

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