Addressing the opening of the 37th ASEAN Summit in a virtual plenary session, Duterte said: “We must work together to ensure that all nations – rich or poor – will have access to safe vaccines. He urged his counterparts in the 10-member bloc to fast-track the implementation of the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework; the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund; the ASEAN Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies; and the ASEAN Center for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases. His remarks carried the ASEAN Common Statement since the Philippines is the country coordinator for the ASEAN China Dialogue Relations. He said the ASEAN also welcomes China’s pledge to make the COVID-19 vaccine a global public good which China has promised ASEAN to be among the first to benefit. The ASEAN-China Summit was one of the meetings at the sidelines of the 37th ASEAN Summit hosted by Vietnam via video conferencing.

Source: Philippine Star November 12, 2020 15:56 UTC