Brazil’s President Lula to attend Asean summit

MANILA, Philippines — Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will visit the Philippines to participate in the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit this month, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) yesterday.

The presidential delegation is scheduled to travel to the Philippines on Nov. 13. Lula was invited to attend the ASEAN Summit for the second consecutive year.

The Brazilian president will attend the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Turkey on Nov. 11 to 12 before his travel to the Philippines.

In August, Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro and Lula met in Brazil to further advance bilateral relations and cooperation between the two nations.

Lula and Lazaro discussed key avenues for expanding bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors, including trade and investment, agriculture, defense cooperation, science and technology and education.

Lazaro underscored the Philippines’ shared commitment with Brazil to strengthen South-South cooperation and amplify mutual interests in regional and international fora, particularly ASEAN-Brazil relations.

The Philippines and Brazil are marking 80 years of formal diplomatic relations this year, having established relations on July 4, 1946.

Asean Summit

The Philippine National Police is ready to secure the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, with preparations covering foreign leaders, delegates, event venues and surrounding areas, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said.

Nartatez said the police would fully deploy personnel and logistical resources, in coordination with other government agencies and local government units hosting the events.

He said the PNP would also declare the appropriate alert status as they currently assess the security threat level as low.

The National Capital Region Police Office is also stepping up security around hotels and other accommodations for foreign delegates attending the summit, warning that police preparations must cover more than summit venues and motorcade routes.

Meanwhile, flights that will be affected by the ASEAN Summit will be announced next week, transportation chief Vince Dizon said yesterday.

He said the list would be expected by the middle of next week to give passengers prior notice and ample time to plan ahead.

Possible flight disruptions are expected due to the arrival of heads of state and other activities during the diplomatic event in Metro Manila from Nov. 16 to 18.

The Light Rail Management Corp. has also announced that it will be offering free LRT-1 rides on Nov. 9, 11 and 13 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. to promote the ASEAN Summit.

This comes after the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced free modern jeepney rides until Nov. 14 on north and south routes for the occasion.

DOT has also installed more than 60 masterpieces by celebrated Filipino artists at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).

“We don’t just want to concentrate on the architecture of the building (only), but we (also) concentrate on the treasures that are in the custody of the PICC and the Bangko Sentral,” Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay said.

Among the masterpieces on display are Pagdiriwang by Jose Joya, The Grid by Arturo Luz, Dambana ng Pasko by Napoleon Abueva and Balaghay by Toym Imao. — Mark Ernest Villeza, Josiah Antonio, Andrew Ronquillo