MAKATI CITY — The Philippines is making strong progress on its political and security priorities under its ASEAN chairship this year, a senior Department of Foreign Affairs official said Monday.

“I think if you're looking at the scorecard for the political security community, we're doing very good for this year,” Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Policy Leo Herrera-Lim said during the ASEAN Business Media Exchange.

Herrera-Lim said the Philippines is delivering on its ASEAN leadership commitments, highlighting the Manila Plan of Action as one of its key achievements.

The Manila Plan of Action is a 10-year framework under the ASEAN Regional Forum aimed at guiding regional political and security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

“It has prestige because we received approval to use Manila as part of the name of the agreement. It will cover all the cooperation among the 28 ARF countries,” Herrera-Lim said.

He said the framework will cover cybersecurity, counterterrorism, the peaceful settlement of disputes and other security concerns of ASEAN and its partners.

Herrera-Lim also cited the planned ASEAN Maritime Center in the Philippines, agreed upon in May, as another key initiative under the country's chairship.

ASEAN is also working with China to conclude negotiations on a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea by the end of the year, he said.

ASEAN was founded in 1967 by five countries: the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. The bloc now has 11 members following Timor-Leste's accession in October 2025.

Herrera-Lim described ASEAN as a regional organization in which “ASEAN people own and ASEAN people lead mechanisms and policies.”

Singapore will assume the ASEAN chairship next year.