Representatives of Health Research and Development Consortium Region IV-A recently joined the ASEAN Consultative Meeting on Climate Change and Infectious Diseases R & D last October 20, 2011 at Dusit Thani Hotel, Makati City, Philippines.

The aim of the consultative meeting is for the ASEAN member states to come together to: (a) report initiatives, programs/ projects on climate change; (b) brainstorm and develop a collaborative research proposal that will address the ASEAN region's need to study the impact of climate change on vector-borne disease outbreaks through the use of technology; (c) exchange views, identify specific needs, discuss possible methodologies on how the project will be carried out, determine and divide tasks and agree on timelines; (d) make recommendations and offer expert advices on how partnerships can be strengthened to promote technological development relative to mitigating and adopting to climate change; (e) seek support from ASEAN dialogue partners for future activities.

The event was participated by the delegates from the ASEAN Member States, namely: Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

This initiative is spearheaded by Dr. Jaime C. Montoya, National Focal Person for the Philippines of the ASEAN Sub Committee on Biotechnology, and the Executive Director of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (PCHRD-DOST).