The Philippines is set to endorse three major outcome documents as President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. leads the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu this week, covering regional security, maritime cooperation, and crisis response among member states.
ASEAN Spokesperson Dominic Xavier Imperial said the documents will be presented for leaders’ consideration under the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) pillar during a briefing at the International Media Center in Lapu-Lapu City on Wednesday.
He said the proposed Cebu Protocol to Amend the ASEAN Charter is among the key measures, marking the first amendment to the bloc’s foundational charter since it was signed in 2007.
The move is also seen as part of ASEAN’s ongoing institutional strengthening, particularly in relation to the eventual full integration of Timor-Leste.
The second document, the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Maritime Cooperation, is expected to reinforce regional collaboration in maritime security and governance.
It includes proposals such as elevating the ASEAN Coast Guard Forum into an official sectoral body and establishing an ASEAN Maritime Centre in the Philippines.
The third document is the ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on the Response to the Middle East Crisis, which draws from special ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meetings convened earlier this year in response to escalating conflict in the region.
The statement outlines a coordinated regional approach and aims to strengthen ASEAN’s capacity for future crisis response.
Imperial said the summit discussions will also center on energy security, food security, and the safety of ASEAN nationals, alongside preparatory work on key regional milestones, including the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
He added that the Philippines, as ASEAN Chair, is also advancing priorities on Timor-Leste’s integration and developments in Myanmar amid broader regional concerns.
“At a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty and evolving regional challenges, the Philippines underscores the importance of bolstering the region’s strategic autonomy guided by ASEAN Centrality, enhancing our coordination as a community of nations, and reaffirming our resolve to the long-standing principles of international law,” Imperial said.
The Philippines is hosting the 2026 ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings under the theme “Navigating Our Future, Together.”
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