The leaders also adopted the Declaration on Maritime Cooperation, which includes a proposal to establish a Maritime Center in the Philippines aimed at safeguarding freedom of navigation and ensuring peaceful passage in the South China Sea — a vital waterway through which a significant portion of global trade passes.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., chair of the 48th ASEAN Leaders’ Summit held on May 8, stressed that the priorities adopted by ASEAN leaders remained “people-centered.”
“So in the days ahead, we will continue with our incessant pursuit of improving the lives
of ASEAN families and chart a future that is peaceful, prosperous, and people-centered,” he told a news briefing at the International Media Center shortly after the ASEAN Summit Retreat past 5 p.m. on May 8.
He later hosted the Gala Dinner at the Mactan Expo Curbside in Mactan Newtown for leaders from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
Many of the leaders were expected to depart shortly after the dinner, which concluded at 8 p.m. Most ASEAN leaders arrived in Cebu ahead of the summit aboard their respective state or private aircraft, while four traveled on commercial flights to attend the meeting.
Priorities
During the press briefing, President Marcos said ASEAN leaders held a candid exchange of views during the Summit Retreat on regional and international issues, particularly ASEAN’s ability to manage and mitigate the effects of oil supply disruptions and price volatility, as well as the lessons learned from the recent crisis.
“Our discussions made clear that ASEAN should not just react to crises. We must anticipate, prepare, coordinate, and act together,” he added.
As chair, the Philippines advanced three interrelated priorities: regional energy security and resilience, food security, and safety of ASEAN nationals abroad.
On energy cooperation, the leaders agreed to ratify the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Petroleum Security (APSA), which seeks to strengthen mutual support among member states in times of oil supply disruptions and shortages.
Through APSA, ASEAN member states would effectively share access to fuel reserves during times of crisis. The details and operational mechanisms, however, have yet to be worked out.
Power grid
The Philippines also pushed for the operationalization of the ASEAN Power Grid, an initiative aimed at interconnecting the electricity networks of all 11 member states to enable cross-border power trading, support the integration of renewable energy, and provide more affordable electricity to nearly 700 million people.
On food security, the leaders agreed to ensure the unhampered flow of essential goods, maintain open and predictable markets, strengthen intra-ASEAN trade, and reinforce regional food security mechanisms.
“This means building more resilient supply chains, supporting agri-MSMEs and smallholder farmers, promoting climate-smart agriculture, and reinforcing ASEAN-led food reserve systems,” he said.
The President said the Philippines also called for the swift ratification of the upgraded ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA), which seeks to modernize regional trade, reduce non-tariff barriers, and build on the agreement’s landmark achievement of making ASEAN virtually tariff-free, with about 99 percent of products already enjoying duty-free status.
He added that the agreement’s crisis provisions are designed to ensure the continued flow of essential goods during emergencies.
Safety
On the safety of ASEAN nationals abroad, Marcos said ASEAN leaders agreed to strengthen regional cooperation through faster coordination, enhanced information-sharing, closer engagement with host governments, and timely assistance for nationals requiring urgent aid, evacuation, or repatriation.
He shared that, during the plenary session, the leaders welcomed the support of Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda for ASEAN initiatives, particularly in the areas of regional connectivity, capital markets, artificial intelligence readiness, energy and food security, the blue economy, social protection, and health.
“We look forward to enhancing our cooperation with ADB through its planned support for major ASEAN initiatives such as the ASEAN Power Grid, ASEAN Capital Markets Initiative, AI readiness, blue economy, and resilient rivers,” he added.
Cebu protocol
Another significant outcome was the adoption of the Cebu Protocol amending the Charter of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, marking the first amendment to the ASEAN Charter since its adoption in 2007.
Marcos described the development as an “important milestone” not only for Timor-Leste’s full integration into ASEAN, but also for the organization’s continued evolution into a “stronger and more inclusive regional community.”
As ASEAN begins the first year of implementing the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 — which sets the bloc’s direction for the next two decades as an epicenter of growth in the Indo-Pacific — leaders also adopted several key documents aimed at strengthening cooperation in critical areas.
Maritime declaration
Among the key documents adopted was the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Maritime Cooperation, which reaffirms the ASEAN’s collective commitment to strengthening maritime cooperation and recognizes the multi-dimensional nature of maritime issues.
The declaration also includes a proposal to establish an ASEAN Maritime Centre in the Philippines.
Marcos clarified that the proposed Maritime Centre is not intended to counter or push back against any particular country or force.
“What we are working for is the continued freedom of navigation and the peaceful passage of vessels in the South China Sea. As we all know, a large percentage of global trade passes through the South China Sea,” he pointed out.
He cited the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which affected global fuel prices and, eventually, commodity prices, as around 20 percent of the world’s oil supply passes through the waterway.
“If such a thing were to happen in the South China Sea, the consequences would be alarming to even think about. And that is the point of the maritime center,” he said.
Youth empowerment
Another key document adopted was the ASEAN Declaration on the Empowerment of Youth in Climate Action and Disaster Resilience, which recognizes the vital role of young people in shaping ASEAN’s response to climate risks and disasters, particularly as they will inherit the region’s future.
Leaders also adopted the ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on ASEAN Convergence on Disaster Response under the ASEAN Strategic Protocol for Emergency and Comprehensive Transformation (ASPECT) Framework, aimed at strengthening regional coordination and response during emergencies.
“We must maximize existing ASEAN-led mechanisms, we must strengthen our institutions, we must deepen cooperation with our partners in accordance with the ASEAN Charter, the United Nations Charter, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, and the principles of international law,” he said. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
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