Philippines President to promote country 'as it is' when Asean chair in 2026
Marcos said there was no need to prove the Philippines' worth to its South-East Asian neighbours, stressing that the focus should be on showing what the country is capable of.
"I want them to see the Philippines as it is. I'm so proud of the Philippines. It doesn't need - the expression in English is 'gilding the lily.' You're making it even more beautiful, it's already beautiful,' he said in part four of the BBM Podcast's third episode.
He expressed confidence that Asean member states already recognised the "beauty of the Philippines,' particularly the hard work and kindness of its people.
Marcos said his administration was working to strengthen foreign relations with other countries.
"What I really want to show is that the Philippines has now come together. A kind of social pact with each other that we will help each other because we are going in the right direction. And that's the most important thing,' he said.
In his message marking the 58th founding anniversary of Asean, Marcos pledged to build on the bloc's legacy in addressing evolving priorities and emerging challenges, as the Philippines prepares to assume the chairmanship next year. - Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
17 minutes ago
- The Sun
US VP Vance's Cotswolds visit sparks local protests in England
CHARLBURY (England): U.S. Vice President JD Vance's working holiday in Britain was met with dismay by some locals on Tuesday, who gathered to register their disapproval of both his politics and the turmoil he has brought to their quiet corner of the English countryside. Vance has mixed work with leisure while in Britain, staying first with foreign minister David Lammy at the Chevening estate in Kent - where the two held a formal bilateral meeting after a spot of fishing - before moving on to the hamlet of Dean in Oxfordshire, in the picturesque Cotswolds. On Tuesday, several dozen people, including activists from the Stop Trump Coalition, gathered in the nearby town of Charlbury to stage what they called a 'Not Welcome Party'. They posed with cake and signs including pro-Palestinian slogans and messages saying 'Go Home.' A van showing an unflattering manipulated image of a bald Vance drove around Charlbury. 'We want to show our feelings, hopefully some of it will get through to Vance and the American press and to Ukraine, so people know what we stand for,' said Brian Murray, 65, a retired tour guide. 'The fact he is in our backyard gives us a great opportunity to have our voices heard.' Vance will meet on Tuesday evening with Robert Jenrick, a source in the opposition Conservative Party said. Jenrick was runner-up in the Conservative leadership contest last year, and is widely considered next in line for the job if it becomes available. The Telegraph newspaper said Vance would also meet Nigel Farage, the leader of the right-wing Reform UK party. Vance has developed a warm friendship with Labour's Lammy, officials said, with the two bonding over their difficult childhoods and shared Christian faith. Long a destination of the British elite - former British Prime Minister David Cameron lives in Dean - the Cotswolds is also becoming increasingly popular with wealthy Americans, some of whom moved to the region following the election win of President Donald Trump last year. TV personality Ellen DeGeneres has cited the election result as the reason behind her full-time relocation to the area. Around Charlbury, motorcades roared along the narrow country lanes and cordons blocked off roads to Dean, rendering it inaccessible. While Tuesday's protest was unlikely to disrupt the vice president's trip, for some locals, Vance's politics and the disruption were too much to swallow. 'It's a massive intrusion and it's not just the fact our lives are disrupted but it's who he is,' said Jonathan Mazower, the head of communications for NGO Survival International, who owns one of Dean's 15 homes. 'I feel and many others feel we can't allow someone like that to come into our village and not say something publicly against it.' - Reuters
Sinar Daily
17 minutes ago
- Sinar Daily
The Jalur Gemilang unites us, not divide
The national flag represents unity, pride and identity; and must be respected by all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or political affiliation. By MUKHRIZ MAT HUSIN 13 Aug 2025 09:41am Bernama photo for illustration purpose only. SHAH ALAM - With less than three weeks to go before Malaysia's 68th Independence Day celebrations, calls have been made for Malaysians to focus on unity rather than allowing political controversy over upside-down Jalur Gemilang incidents to divide society. Former National Unity Advisory Council member Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye emphasised that the national flag represents unity, pride and identity; and must be respected by all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or political affiliation. 'We hoist the Jalur Gemilang to show that we are proud of our country and as a mark of respect for the symbol of a sovereign nation. What is important now is that all parties, especially the public, should not politicise this issue. 'If an incident of the Jalur Gemilang being flown upside down was unintentional, then the party involved should apologise, admit it was a mistake and correct it. That is all,' he said. Bernama photo for illustration purpose only. Lee added that if such incidents occurred due to negligence and without intent, the government should focus on educating and raising awareness among those involved. He argued that no one would deliberately want to fly the flag upside down and turn it into an issue. 'Perhaps there are those who do not know or are ignorant about this matter. That is why I suggest that the government should publicise and run an awareness campaign showing the correct way to hoist the Jalur Gemilang,' he suggested. Universiti Malaya Media Coordinator at the International Institute of Public Policy and Management (Inpuma) Dr G Manimaran, echoed this sentiment as well. He urged a return to the fundamentals of civic education to prevent such incidents in the future. 'Lately, we have been politicising this issue more than seeking solutions to correct the mistake. We have not looked at the root cause of the problem. We need to go back to the basics, which is civic and citizenship education and this should be from all levels,' he said. Senator Professor Emeritus Datuk Seri Dr Awang Sariyan took a firmer stance, stressing that the government must ensure acts of disrespect towards the Jalur Gemilang are treated seriously and dealt with through legal action. 'The government must take firm action through enforcement agencies. Anyone committing the offence of insulting the national flag must be prosecuted in court. The punishment that can be imposed is a maximum fine of RM20,000 or a maximum prison term of three years, or both. 'The government's firmness is important so that insulting the national flag, which is equivalent to insulting the nation, is not taken lightly and does not recur,' he said.
Malay Mail
42 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Asean set to adopt AI safety network at 47th summit in 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 — A declaration on the establishment of the ASEAN AI Safety Network (ASEAN AI Safe) is targeted for adoption by leaders at the 47th ASEAN Summit, said ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn. He said this represents a crucial step toward institutionalising AI safety, ethics, and governance principles as endorsed by ASEAN Digital Ministers while supporting the implementation of the ASEAN Responsible AI Roadmap. 'The establishment of ASEAN AI Safe aligns with global calls for an international network to tackle AI safety risks through collaboration among governments, academia and industry. 'ASEAN AI Safe underscores the commitment to responsible AI development and looks forward to the network's formal establishment by early 2026,' he said during the special address at the ASEAN Artificial Intelligence (AI) Malaysia Summit 2025 yesterday. At the event, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim launched a Malaysian home-grown AI known as 'ILMU', built by YTL AI Labs, in partnership with Universiti Malaya. Kao emphasised that despite ongoing volatility and uncertainty in global trade, the world is witnessing a transformative growth of AI in reshaping every aspect of economies, societies and daily lives. Hence, he said, the first ever ASEAN AI Summit has provided a timely opportunity to deepen regional cooperation and build strategic trust around a shared vision with innovation and inclusive development to guide the collective journey into a new era of digital transformation. Kao said AI is expected to contribute a gross domestic product of 10 to 18 per cent, equivalent to nearly US$1 trillion by 2030. Besides, he said this year, ASEAN is prioritising on the ASEAN Digital Economic Framework Agreement (DEFA) to build on the regional digital ecosystem, which could potentially double its projection to US$2 trillion by 2030. — Bernama
