Vice President Sara Duterte urged Southeast Asian nations to bring the Filipino spirit of “bayanihan” to the global stage while urging the region’s youth to actively shape the future as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) celebrated its 59th anniversary on Saturday, August 8.
In her official ASEAN Day message released by the Office of the Vice President (OVP), Duterte stressed that unity, collaborative action, and a unified vision remain crucial to developing a resilient regional bloc.
She praised the region’s diversity, framing ASEAN as a community bound by shared objectives.
”Home to nearly 700 million people, our region is a vibrant tapestry of different cultures, languages, and dreams,” Duterte said.
Reflecting on her previous role leading the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Council, the Vice President highlighted how essential regional partnerships are to building a future where every young person can thrive.
She likened Southeast Asian cooperation to “bayanihan”—the traditional Filipino custom of neighbors uniting to physically move a home to safety.
”This is exactly how we must build our shared future. No country carries the weight alone. We lift each other up,” she said.
Duterte called on member states to project this communal spirit worldwide through deeper cooperation, while directly calling on the youth to drive the region’s progress forward.
”I challenge our ASEAN youth to conquer challenges in shaping our shared future, united by our shared vision, and driven by our shared purpose,” Duterte said.