Launching of ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Pillar

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) with Secretary Judy Taguiwalo led the launching of the Association of South East Asian Nation (ASEAN) Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Pillar on Tuesday, January 24 at Marquee Mall in Angeles City, Pampanga.

The ASEAN envisions a community that encompasses all facets of life, as reflected by the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC), ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) pillars. The socio-cultural pillar seeks to build a caring and sharing society that is inclusive.

The DSWD is ASEAN 2017 chair of the ASCC Pillar. “Ang socio-cultural, tayo ang nagbibigay ng kulay, ng musika, ng himig, at ng malasakit sa buong ASEAN. We basically represent the social services of the government, the cultural arm of the government, and the vulnerable sectors of our communities,” the DSWD chief clarified.

The event theme is “Malasakit at Paglingap”. DSWD Secretary said “Pinili natin ang Pampanga upang idaos ang paglulunsad ng ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Pillar sapagkat gusto natin ilapit ang ASEAN sa tao. Sabi nga ni Presidente Duterte ang kanyang pamamahala ay gikan sa masa, para sa masa.”

“Napakahalaga ng ASEAN lalo na tayo ang host ngayon sa kaniyang ginintuang anibersaryo para maintindihan ito at mayakap ito ng mamamayan,” Taguiwalo added.

This was also the message of Ambassador Marciano Paynor, Director General for Operations of ASEAN-National Organizing Committee (NOC) and Executive Director Zaldy Patron of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). The DFA is the co-chair of the ASCC Pillar. “Here in the Philippines, the people do not really know what ASEAN means and what it stands for. In other ASEAN countries, like Malaysia and Indonesia, even ordinary citizens are aware of what ASEAN is,” Ambassador Paynor said. Dir. Patron explained, “Kung successful ang chairmanship ng Philippines sa ASEAN, karangalan ito ng bawa’t Pilipino (“If the chairmanship of the Philippines in ASEAN is successful, this wil be an honor for every Filipino”).

“The 31st ASEAN Summit in November will also be held in Clark, Pampanga, and we expect many local government units (LGUs) to participate in it,” Secretary Taguiwalo said.

Aside from the DSWD, the ASCC is also composed of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) as co-chair, National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA), National Youth Commission (NYC), Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), Department of Health (DOH), National Nutrition Council (NNC), National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Education (DepEd), Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), ASEAN Center for Biodiversity (ACB), National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), Civil Service Commission (CSC), Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) and attached agencies.

Towards a people-oriented and peace-centered ASEAN

To achieve a people-oriented and people-centered ASEAN, which is the first thematic priority of the Philippines’ ASEAN 2017 Chairmanship, the country intends the following:

1. Ensure promotion and protection of the rights of migrant workers by pushing for policies that will protect them across ASEAN nations.
2. Ensure protection and promotion of the rights of vulnerable sectors, the women, children, persons with disability, older persons, internally displaced persons, indigenous peoples, among others.
3. Further promote appreciation of cultural heritage and strengthening of the ASEAN cultural identity.
4. Intensify access to healthcare and improve nutrition.
5. Promote the role of the civil service as catalyst in achieving the vision ASEAN 2025.
6. Strengthen ASEAN’s resilience against natural calamities and human-induced disasters.

She also underscored the significance brought about by the ASEAN, like visa-free travel to ASEAN countries, regional disaster coordination, among others. “The ASEAN is significant, the ASEAN is important. It will bring about changes to our lives. It will advance the interest of the people especially the marginalized and the vulnerable,” Taguiwalo concluded.

Meetings

As chair of the ASCC, the DSWD will host the following meetings:

1. 22nd Senior Officials Committee for the ASCC (SOCA) and 17th ASCC Council Meeting, 6-9 March, Iloilo
2. High Level Meeting on ASEAN Active Ageing: Presentation of Results of the Study, 21 May, Metro Manila
3. Cross-Regional Meeting on Violence against Children, June, Metro Manila
4. ASEAN High Level Conference on Social Protection, 15-17 August, Metro Manila
5. ASEAN Policy Dialogue on Children’s Rights, 30-31 August, Metro Manila
6. 23rd SOCA and 18th ASCC Council Meeting, 11-14 September, Metro Manila

Sec. Taguiwalo will chair the 17th and 18th ASCC Council Meetings. It will be attended by the ministers/secretaries responsible for ASCC in the ASEAN Member States.

“Our interactions with our neighboring countries during this international event will give us opportunities to look into their best practices. We can use some of these practices to guide us as we craft new policies, programs, and services or improve our existing ones. We will do our best to ensure that the results of the ASEAN 2017 conference will result to tangible benefits for the Filipino people, particularly the poor and working sectors,” Secretary Taguiwalo said in the event. ●