Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN

By: Derick Thomas P. Juan

In this time, when many countries shut down their borders and focus all of their resources on the
current challenges that has risen due to the sudden spread of the COVID-19 Pandemic, which as of today
affected 286,234 citizens of the entire ASEAN Region from all 10 member-states and claimed over 7,600
lives (as of August 3, 2020), it is indeed time for the entire region to work together, in spite of not being
able to gather physically due to the fear of being contaminated with the virus, through means of
technology and mass media.

Many countries were not prepare for the gravity of the spread of this Virus, which was first
reported in mainland China towards the beginning of 2020, and as of today, more than half of the
member-nations have reported less than a hundred to no daily cases, while the rest (Indonesia, Singapore,
and the Philippines) recorded thousands of daily cases altogether. The impact of this pandemic had on the
economy, tourism, and other modes of income, especially millions of workers in different sectors of
society, is so much unbearable that many have resorted to other methods of income-earning just to feed
their families.

The states that have seen fewer to no cases of COVID-19 being reported and those who are seeing
the decrease of daily infections as of now, are able to restore back to normal living and still enforce
precautionary measures, such as faster contact tracing, availability of testing for the Virus, and access to
quality medical healthcare, while others still are holding grasp on what they need to do, in order to stem
the transmission and normalize the situation in all aspects of society.

As this year’s ASEAN Summit chaired by Vietnam focus the theme on unity and responsiveness
of the member-states in the challenges it currently faced, especially due to the impacts this Pandemic has
made on the entire region, it is important that nations help each other, leaders and experts exchange ideas,
listening to advices, and receiving feedback and suggestions, so that they could be able to resolve the
current Pandemic, and be able to revitalize the economy and other aspects of the society and sectors of
employment, and would find so much possible plans and solutions for a brighter future in the region.

In spite of the 10 heads of state not being able to meet in person and only hold virtual conferences
during the opening of the ASEAN Summit, it has proven much of the importance of collaboration, and
not increasing personal gain and desires, in solving the problems and finding better solutions, in order for
the region to be able to build more connections with other highly powerful nations and regional
conferences of different states, to promote not just the ASEAN Values, but also collaborate on improving
many aspects of society for the future generations of ASEAN inhabitants and resolve any conflicts that
may cause harm and damage to the territories.

In the end, may this theme of the cohesiveness and responsiveness of the 10 member-states of the
ASEAN help us to resolve the current problems and challenges that are caused by this Pandemic and
other issues, revitalize the economy, promote the ASEAN values and traditions, and improve the different
aspects of society for a brighter tomorrow and a beautiful connection between the ASEAN region and the
rest of the world.