Philippines Chairs ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting in Preparation for Ministerial Meetings, 30th ASEAN Summit

MANILA, 27 April 2017 – Assistant Secretary Ma.Hellen Barber-De La Vega, the Acting SOM Leader of the Philippinesfor ASEAN, chaired the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) on 27 April 2017 (Thursday) at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila.

The Meeting discussed the preparations for the upcoming ASEAN Ministerial Meetings, as well as the 30^th ASEAN Summit that President Rodrigo RoaDutertewill be chairing on 29 April 2017.

The SOM Leadersendorsedfor elevation to the ASEAN Foreign Ministers theoutcome documents and relevant ASEAN reports on matters   related to the implementation of the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Blueprint 2025. They exchanged views onrecent regional and internationaldevelopments affecting regional peace and stability,including developments in the Korean Peninsula, transnational crimes, and the situation in the South China Sea,ASEAN’s relations with its external partners, and strengthening of ASEAN’s existing institutions and mechanisms. END