PH vows commitment to regional security as ASEAN defense chiefs meet 

Department of National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has reaffirmed the Philippines’ support for security and prosperity in Southeast Asia during the 19th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Friday. 

“We reiterate our fullest support to the leadership of our distinguished chair, Malaysia, and the theme of this year's ADMM, which is 'ASEAN Unity for Security and Prosperity',” said Teodoro. 

Meanwhile, Malaysian Minister of Defence Dato Seri Mohamed Khaled bin Nordin pointed out that the region’s strength rests on shared values and commitment to peace. 

“We formed ASEAN, not as an alliance of power, but as a partnership for peace,” Minister Khaled said. “ASEAN’s strength lies in its values: respect for sovereignty and independence, non-interference in one’s affairs, peaceful settlement of disputes, the renunciation of force, and effective cooperation,” he said. 

He added that solidarity plays an important role in times of challenges in the ASEAN region. 

“When one of us is challenged, all of us are being tested too. Solidarity must never be selective. We must extend our solidarity in every situation, especially when regional peace is at stake,” Minister Khaled said. “For only by standing together, can ASEAN remain united, strong, and resilient, despite our limitations.” 

For his part, Teodoro also thanked the ASEAN neighbors for solidarity and humanitarian support following the recent earthquakes and typhoons that hit the country.

“It is indeed a comfort that we can turn to our ASEAN neighbors for help in times of need,” he said. 

The ASEAN defense ministers adopted ten key initiatives aimed at strengthening ASEAN’s collective defense cooperation and resilience. Among them are promoting defense industry collaboration, enhancing regional disaster response, preserving defense heritage, protecting maritime and undersea infrastructure, advancing cybersecurity cooperation, fostering defense education exchanges, improving pandemic response coordination, expanding women’s participation in peacekeeping, and others. 

“We are fully committed in all our initiatives to working with our member states to implement all the initiatives that we adopt today for the security of our people and our region,” said Teodoro. 

The Philippines will take on the chairmanship of the ADMM in 2026. —LDF, GMA Integrated News