PHILIPPINES TO PUSH FOR PRACTICAL DEFENCE COOPERATION FOR ASEAN

MANILA, Dec 5 (Bernama-PNA) -- The Philippines' Department of National Defence (DND) will push for practical cooperation in the defence sector anchored on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) solidarity and shared principles as the country takes over the chairship of the bloc next year, Philippines News Agency (PNA) reported.

“For more than a decade, the ADMM (ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting) and ADMM-Plus have undoubtedly promoted practical cooperation, and during our chairship, we commit to building on the progress in key areas,” DND Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said in remarks delivered by Defence Senior Undersecretary Irineo Espino on Thursday during the launch of the DND-led ASEAN 2026 engagements in Makati City.

The key areas include artificial intelligence, maritime security, disaster resilience and peacekeeping, among others.

Present during the launch were senior leaders of the DND and its bureaus, foreign armed forces attachés, and Philippine defence and armed forces attachés, who will represent the country during defence-related ASEAN engagements next year.

These include the hosting of the 20th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and 13th ADMM-Plus, as well as the ADMM-Plus Experts’ Working Group on Maritime Security Joint Cooperative Activity, back-to-back with the 2nd ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise.

“In a similar vein, we reaffirm our commitment to monitoring the ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, which was brokered by our outgoing Chair, Malaysia,” Teodoro said.

With the consent of all parties involved and with the continued support of ASEAN, the DND chief said the Philippines intends to sustain the ASEAN-led Observer Team "in line with our advocacy for an intra-ASEAN dispute resolution mechanism.”

Highlighting the significant changes in the geopolitical environment in Southeast Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific region since the Philippines last chaired ASEAN in 2017, Teodoro said the DND views its chairship as an "invaluable opportunity to sustain the work in maintaining the peace, prosperity, and stability of our region."

"(The Philippines) will continue advocating for ASEAN solidarity and principled and purposive action because in our uncertain yet interdependent world, it is our shared principles that will guide our way forward. In that spirit, I look forward to working with all of you in navigating our future together,” Teodoro said.

-- BERNAMA-PNA