President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo leaves today to attend the 15th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Summits at the seaside resorts of Cha-am and Hua Hin in Thailand on October 23-25, 2009. The President will join her fellow ASEAN leaders in announcing the establishment of an ASEAN Intergovernmental Commssion on Human Rights (AICHR). The 10 ASEAN countries will each appoint a commissioner to serve for three years.

Other issues on the agenda in the Summit are a recommendation to establish a free trade agreement between Southeast Asia and East Asia and the adoption of a declaration on climate change to reaffirm ASEAN position in the negotiation under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Also on the agenda is the Cha-am-Hua Hin Declaration on Strengthening Cooperation on Education to Achieve an ASEAN Caring and Sharing Community. The attending ASEAN Foreign Ministers will also sign an Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of ASEAN.

The ASEAN leaders will meet with those of six dialogue partners namely, China, India, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea. Apart from the 15th ASEAN Summit, the leaders will be attending the 12th ASEAN-China Summit, the 12th ASEAN-Japan Summit, the 12th ASEAN-Republic of Korea Summit, the 7th ASEAN-India Summit, the 12th ASEAN-Plus-Three Summit (with China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea), and the 4th East Asia Summit (with China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, Australia, and New Zealand).

We wish President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her Delegation a successful and productive trip to the 15th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in Bangkok, Thailand. We wish her success in all her endeavors.