FORMER Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado, now Philippines’ Permanent Representative to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has presented his credentials to the regional block’s Secretary General, the Asean Secretariat reported Friday.
Asean Secretary General Dr. Surin Pitsuwan received Mercado’s credentials on Friday, following that of Permanent Representatives from Singapore, Viet Nam, Lao PDR and Cambodia.
As prescribed in the Asean Charter, all ten Asean member-states (the Philippines, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, Singapore and Vietnam) will appoint Permanent Representatives to Asean, which shall form the Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR).
The CPR’s mandate is to support the work of the Asean Community Councils and Asean Sectoral Ministerial Bodies as well as facilitate Asean cooperation with external partners, among others.
“We are now at a halfway mark towards establishing the CPR. I am confident that Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand will formally appoint their respective Permanent Representative shortly,” Surin said, adding that he will be seeing the Permanent Representative from Myanmar next Monday
Surin also noted that there is still much work to be done following the entry into force of the Asean Charter, which provisions include establishment of a dispute settlement mechanism, stronger information dissemination and an Asean human rights body.
As such, Surin said the CPR would hold an informal meeting on March 25 at the Asean Secretariat.
“I look forward to a productive consultation with them,” he said.
In a separate interview with The Manila Times, Mercado said that stirring economic development remains the primary concern of Southeast Asia, as well as issues on counter terrorism, piracy, and Protecting the regions’ security, environment and its people’s human rights.
The new envoy did not cite specific initiatives that the Philippines would push in the regional block, but stressed that constant dialogue would be necessary to achieve progress.
–Llanesca T. Panti
June 2025
Philippine Environment Month!
“Action for Nature, for the Future!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideosturesVideos
Monthly Observances:
1 Jun – World Day of Parents
5 Jun – World Environment Day
7 Jun – World Food Safety Day
8 Jun – World Oceans Day
12 Jun – World Day Against Child Labour
15 Jun – World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
16 Jun – International Day of Family Remittances
17 Jun – World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
20 Jun – World Refugee Day
25 Jun – Day of the Seafarer
27 Jun – Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day
Daily Observances:
June 6: Migrant Workers Day
June 19: Filipino Youth Day
June 25: Day of the Filipino Seafarer
