To ensure humanitarian help for the most vulnerable when disaster strikes in any of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has proposed to forge a partnership with the ASEAN and seeks to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions.
Senator Dick Gordon, currently the chairman and chief executive officer of the Philippine Red Cross, said this was the highlight of the 14th Annual South East Asia Red Cross and Red Crescent Leaders’ Meeting held on September 21 and 22, 2017 in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Gordon said the IFRC is proposing to enter into a partnership with the ASEAN, adding that they are now in close coordination with the ASEAN Secretariat to get the approval of the ASEAN Heads of State.
The Philippines is this year’s host of the ASEAN Summit, which coincides with the 50th founding anniversary of the regional organization.
“With the intensity of disasters that hit our region, it would be to the benefit of the member-countries of the ASEAN to institutionalize the partnership with Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. We would like the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to be the ‘Partner of Choice’ of ASEAN member countries during disasters,” Gordon said.
“We are hoping that the ASEAN will include in its Statement the approval or endorsement of the said Memorandum of Understanding during the 50th summit, which will be held here,” he added.
During the Vietnam trip, Gordon joined the ASEAN Red Cross Red Crescent leaders who paid a courtesy call on Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang during which the two leaders discussed the Philippine Red Cross and how it developed into the Partner of Choice in the Philippines.
“It was a pleasure meeting Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang and discussing the stories of PRC and how it became the partner of choice,” he said.
ASEAN is a political and economic union of countries. It was established in August 1967 with just five members: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Today there are 10 member states: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam. ASEAN has since matured into a community focused on economic integration and growth, and consensus-building.
