Photo: H.E. Elizabeth P. Buensuceso delivers her welcome remarks.

To celebrate 50 Years of ASEAN, the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to ASEAN held a lunch Reception at its new chancery in  South Jakarta. In her remarks, Ambassador Buensuceso highlighted ASEAN’s long journey to not just survive but to also  triumph as an important regional organization. She said that despite the dire prediction by many, including the renowned Nobel laureate Gunar Myrdal, that it would not last even ten years after the signing of the Bangkok Declaration.   She hailed ASEAN’s triumph over adversities to become a united community in the midst of diversity. Ambassador Buensuceso also honored all who have contributed to make ASEAN the success that it is now, particularly the five Founding Fathers of ASEAN, Adam Malik of Indonesia, Tun Abdul Razak of Malaysia, Narciso Ramos pof the Philippines, S. Rajaratnam of Singapore and Thanat Koman of Thailand. She exhorted all those present to follow the advice of then Secretary  of Foreign Affairs Narciso Ramos to bring ASEAN to the people so that they embrace the ASEAN vision as  their own  and see to it that ASEAN is making a difference in peoples’ lives. 

Photo: H.E. Jose Tavares, Deputy Secretaries-General of ASEAN (DSGs), Members of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR) and Ambassadors from Dialogue Partner Countries launch two (2) publications at the new chancery. 

Part of the program was the launching of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR) Handbook as well as the Handbook of ASEAN Acronyms and Abbreviations which were produced by the CPR and the ASEAN Secretariat. 

Photo: H.E. Jose Antonio Tavares with the CPR cut the ceremonial cake.  

The occasion was attended by  H.E. Jose Antonio Tavares, Director-General for ASEAN Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, all Deputy Secretaries-General of ASEAN as well as members of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR), Ambassadors from ASEAN Member States and Dialogue and Sectoral Dialogue  Partners Countries, representatives of the media, civil society, think  tanks, ASEAN centers based in Jakarta, a Filipino-Indonesian business group and the ASEAN Women's Circle.

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