ASEAN to amend 19-year-old Charter —Marcos

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. announced Friday that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has adopted the Cebu Protocol, which will amend the bloc’s Charter for the first time in nearly two decades.

The Philippine President said this in a press conference following the 48th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Meetings.

“Another significant outcome was the adoption of the Cebu Protocol to amend the Charter of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. This marks the first amendment to the [ASEAN] Charter since 2007,” Marcos said.

“It’s an important milestone not only for Timor-Leste’s full integration into ASEAN, but also for ASEAN’s continuing evolution as a stronger and more inclusive regional community,” he added.

Timor-Leste, which is Asia’s youngest nation, officially became the 11th member of ASEAN in October 2025.

Marcos previously said that Timor-Leste’s first appearance at the ASEAN Summit reflected "the continued relevance of regional cooperation and our shared commitment to the ideals of multilateralism.”

The ASEAN member states, aside from Timor Leste, are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. —LDF, GMA News