Cuenco gets top post in ASEAN assembly

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City south district Rep. Antonio Cuenco was appointed secretary general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) based in Jakarta, Indonesia where he will serve a fixed term of three years.

Following this, he has formally declined his nomination as the country’s ambassador to Italy which was earlier denied by the Commission on Appointments.

Cuenco’s assumption as AIPA secretary general was supported by House Speaker Prospero Nograles, who nominated him as chairman of the house committee on foreign affairs being an expert on AIPA matters, to succeed Mohammad Yusof Zain of Malaysia.

Cuenco already assumed office last February 4 following the death of Zain last December. The Cebuano legislator was supposed to take over in September this year but because Zain’s death, his assumption was made earlier as the assembly needs his immediate assistance.

He will be based in Jakarta, Indonesia and is set to go there on March 1 to meet with the Speaker of the National Assembly of Indonesia.

“Gi-turn over na ang position on February 4, nananghid lang gani ko na dili sa ko muadto sa Jakarta or niadto nako pero di sa ko ka-stay og dugay kay mag-wind up pako sa akong mga affairs sa Sugbo,” Cuenco said.

He said he has started bidding farewell to his constituents but clarified that he is not resigning as their representative.

“Gabii nagsugod nako og panamilit sa akong mga sakop sa south district kay mahuman akong term apan wa ko mi-resign. Padayon gihapon ko nga ilang congressman hangtod karong June 30,” Cuenco said. He said he will come home here every quarter.

As AIPA’s secretary general, he said that he will be less a politician but more of a diplomat.

“Magtuyok-tuyok ko sa napulo ka nasod sa Asia nga miyembro sa AIPA. Daghan kaayo ming kalihukan,” Cuenco said.

Member countries of AIPA are Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Union of Myanmar, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore.

On March 7 to 10, Cuenco disclosed he will be attending the AIPA seminar in Da Ng, Vietnam. He said that among the agenda of the seminar is to formulate resolutions that will provide actions on how to ease the financial crisis faced by member countries in Asia.

“So mag-meeting ang atong mga magbabalaod ug mga ekonomista matag nasod aron ilang i-combine ang ilang knowledge about economics. They will give their suggestions on how to solve financial crisis especially here in Asia or determine unsa’y mahimo sa atong association aron pag-arang-arang sa atong kahimtang,” he said. — Jessica Ann R. Pareja/WAB (THE FREEMAN)