Reaching out to students in his audience recently inTanauan, Batangas, ASEAN Secretary General Ong Keng Yong stated that the promotion of ASEAN regional cooperation is similar to the motto of the First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities (FAITH), the host Philippine school for the ASEAN Schools Tour.
FAITH’s motto of “Competence, Commitment and Compassion” rings well with ASEAN, the ASEAN secretary general said last Oct.12 in his opening address during the Philippine leg of the ASEAN Schools Tour.
As part of the 40th anniversary of ASEAN, the ASEAN Secretariat and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the 10 ASEAN Member Countries are embarking on an ASEAN Schools Tours to acquaint over 4,000 students across the region with the objectives, areas of cooperation, and youth programs of the ASEAN. The program intends to prepare the ASEAN youths for better cooperative relations within the member countries and with other countries.
Secretary General Ong Keng Yong explained to the Filipino students that in ASEAN, compassion is valued most especially in relating to issues involving freedoms in member countries; competence is upheld to ensure that ASEAN exports are in step with global markets; and commitment is required to promote the interests of the ASEAN region in the world.
The Philippines was the ninth stop of The ASEAN Schools Tour since was launched in mid-June and ends in December, 2007. In the Philippines, FAITH was the only school visited by the ASEAN Secretary General.
He and his party were welcomed by FATH chairman and president Mr. Saturnino Belen. In his response, Mr. Belen said that FAITH takes the initiative to increase ASEAN awareness among its students as part of the school objective of widening the world view of its students.
Joining the ASEAN Secretary General were officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs headed by Assistant Secretary Luis T. Cruz of the Office of ASEAN Affairs and officials of the ASEAN member countries. Also present were Tanauan City Mayor Sonia Torres – Aquino, Education Undersecretary Mona Valisno, Former Deputy Secretary General of ASEAN Dr. Wilfrido Villacorta, Executive Director of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts Cecile Guidote– Alvarez.
The October 12 celebration at FAITH kicked off with a question-and-answer portion emceed by the ASEAN Secretariat. The students answered questions about the ASEAN. There was a cultural presentation of Filipino folk dances and the awarding of the winners of the Group Art Contest, Poetry Writing Contest, Editorial Cartooning Contest, ASEAN e-Quiz Show, College Editorial Cartooning, ASEAN Exhibit, ASEAN Debate Finalists, and the Search for the Young ASEAN Diplomat Winners.
At the banquet, the proposed ASEAN Museum to be hosted by FAITH was presented. TAO Management Inc. head and curator Marian Pastor Roces presented her “spatial history” concept for the museum.
The ASEAN Secretariat is based in Jakarta, Indonesia and is headed by the ASEAN Secretary General, who serves a five-year term.
The ASEAN was established on August 8, 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand. The five original member countries were Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined on January 8, 1984, Vietnam on July 28, 1995, Lao PDR (Laos) and Myanmar (formerly Burma) on July 23, 1997, and Cambodia on April 30, 1999.
