MAKATI CITY, Philippines - The results are in, and the outlook is good. After three days of presentations, in-depth discussions and regional planning exercises, the participants of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Bio-Preparedness Table-Top Exercise (TTX) Workshop are coming away with stronger relationships, and a better understanding of interoperability in regard to bio-preparedness.

Hosted by the Philippines and the United States, this TTX is Pacific Command's largest multilateral event of the year, co-hosting delegates from 26 nations and the European Union.

Ambassador Daniel Espiritu, the Philippines ambassador to Pakistan and ARF chief Philippine delegate, points out the importance of getting all these nations together.

"In Asia, you don't only have transactional interaction, you also have a cultural interaction of different people,” said Espiritu. “It's equally important to pay attention to the personal relationships and emotional content of the relationships on the cultural level."

Relationships were a major focus for Philippine and U.S. facilitators of the TTX. On day three, the participating nations further refined their national bio-preparedness response templates, and now they can focus on discussions for a regional framework in the future.

"The national template will be presented to the ARF Senior Officials Meeting, so it can be tested prior to the regional template, and then from there, it will be endorsed," said Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hahn, from the Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Political-Security Division, ASEAN Department.

During closings ceremonies, the lead delegates from the ARF presented their concerns for the regional template, citing a future focus on information-sharing and communication between the ARF nations when a biological event happens.

"This forum is a good opportunity for open minds, and we should establish an international network and framework for information-sharing,” said Dr. Takashi Nagata, lead Japanese delegate, from Kyushu University. “The reality is that its not easy to share the information because it can come down to a diplomatic issue."

Many other delegates echoed Nagata's remarks, saying the lack of purposeful communication networks between countries was a barrier for effective collaboration. Many representatives from each nation had solid plans for their own nations, but were very new to regional information-sharing on bio-preparedness.

"After feedback from the groups, the goal would be to study how we share that information and what agreements should be attained to achieve that effect. The technology is there, but we have to make sure the agreements are appropriately codified in the legal framework and the legal discussion we need to have moving forward," said Brig. Gen. Patrick Sargent, commanding general, Regional Health Command, U.S. Army Pacific.

In addition to information-sharing improvements, recommendations to ASEAN Ministers will include a proposal to establish legal, security and travel agreements between countries in specific regions to speed up biological disaster response.

"Stability in the Asia-Pacific Region is in the entire world's interest. Many of the most recent outbreaks like MERS, Ebola, Bird Flu, Swine Flu, remind us that we need to work together to prepare, prevent and respond to any potential disease outbreaks. The United States and many countries in the region stand ready to assist our neighbors with a regional disaster response when we're asked, to assist our neighbors as a team with other governments through bilateral responses," Maj. Gen. Michael Compton, head of the U.S. Delegation and Air National Guard assistant to the commander of Pacific Air Forces, said.

The ASEAN senior officials are scheduled to meet and hear recommendations for the region bio-preparedness template in January.