Marcos' call for 'unity' reaches the international stage

UNITED NATIONS — President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s call for unity, one of the key messages of his presidential bid, has reached the international stage as he pushed for global cooperation on ensuring food security, improving access to technology and promoting economic development.

In a speech delivered during the 77th United Nations General Assembly, Marcos said the world is "ready for transformation" and it is up to leaders to move and shape it.

"The future beckons and we can embark upon that journey as single nations or as a world in harmony. I say let the challenges of one people be the challenges for all nations.  And in that way the success of one will be a success for us all," the president said.
 
"The peoples of the world look to their leaders,  to us, to make into reality these aspirations for our future.  We must not fail them.  And if we stand together, we will not fail them.  If we stand together, we can only succeed," he added.

Marcos said UN member-states should reaffirm the wisdom of the founders of the multilateral body by transcending differences, committing to ending war, upholding justice, respecting human rights, and maintaining international peace and security.

He called for "concrete steps" towards a modern and resilient agriculture, saying food is not just a trade commodity or a livelihood but "an existential imperative, and a moral one." He noted that the fragility of food security was demonstrated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine conflict.

"It (food) is the very basis of human security," he said, adding that financial support should be given to farmers and fisherfolk.

Marcos also appealed to UN member states to "reinvigorate" the world economy and use public and private resources to encourage the expansion of trade, investment, and technology transfers to accelerate development.  

"Knowledge and intellectual gains must flow freely to allow those lagging behind to catch up," he added.

The Philippine leader likewise pushed for the updating of global structures that facilitate international cooperation on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, biology, chemistry and other related fields and the reduction of the global stockpile of nuclear weapons.

"At the same time, we need new structures to govern rapid advances in other areas.  We need to start by defining the norms of responsible behavior in cyberspace and outer space and forming legal rules that will prevent the weaponization of artificial intelligence," the president said.