PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) is a “safe harbor” for the Philippines, which shares “not only... proximity, but affinity” with the other 10 members of the regional bloc.
As Asean chair for 2026, the country has advocated for greater solidarity and cooperation among the member states of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Timor-Leste, the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam.
The Philippines leads Asean in 2026 with the theme “Navigating Our Future, Together.”
“Together, we found ways to alleviate the dire consequences of the war in the Middle East,” the president said.
“Through a united Asean and its strong extended network, we have achieved greater security and resilience — as a region and as individual nations — more capable of withstanding disruptive events,” he added.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said that under the Philippines’ chairmanship of Asean this year, the foreign ministers of the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) adopted the Manila Plan of Action 2026–2036 on July 23, which was “envisioned to serve as the primary policy document to guide ARF cooperation over the next decade.”
At the 59th Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and Related Meetings, Lazaro joined fellow Asean foreign ministers and dialogue partners in reaffirming the region’s commitment to peace, stability, resilience, and sustainable growth.
Through meaningful dialogue and strengthened partnerships, the Philippines continued to champion an Asean that is united, forward-looking, and people-centered, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
The 33rd ARF was the “most inclusive security dialogue in the Indo-Pacific,” the DFA said.
It brought 27 participating states to one table: Asean, the United States, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, India, and members of the European Union.
The DFA said the ARF is the only forum where all the major powers sit together in a security conversation, and Asean is the one convening it.
Meanwhile, the 27th Asean Plus Three (APT) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting put Southeast Asia, China, Japan, and South Korea at the table together, the DFA said.
The APT is one of the region’s most consequential frameworks, linking 10 Southeast Asian nations with their three northeast Asian partners.
The APT meeting shaped the agenda for the APT Summit in November and covers the trade, financial, and connectivity issues that affect the entire East Asian economic community.
