ASEAN not losing its centrality, DFA chief Lazaro assures

Manila Bulletin

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro denied that there is an erosion of the centrality of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), whose summits and meetings the Philippines will chair in 2026, amid regional and global threats due to great power rivalry, internal divisions, and institutional limitations. (via Raymund Antonio | MB)  READ: https://mb.com.ph/2025/11/17/asean-not-losing-its-centrality-dfa-chief-lazaro-assures  Subscribe to the Manila Bulletin Online channel! - https://www.youtube.com/TheManilaBulletin  Visit our website at http://mb.com.ph Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manilabulletin Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/manila_bulletin Instagram: https://instagram.com/manilabulletin Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com @manilabulletin  #ManilaBulletinOnline #ManilaBulletin #LatestNews

Transcript

00:00The summit in KL, I never felt that there was a loss, or even an erosion of ASEAN centrality.

00:12I didn't feel it. I'm always talking to the Thai diplomats.

00:15I never get that notion of any other delegate in ASEAN.

00:20I think Malaysia did its very best.

00:23If, again, you go back to that summit meeting, I think President Trump had his own work cut out for him.

00:37Of course, the agreement between Cambodia and Thailand.

00:43During the ASEAN-China summit, everything was, the issues and functional cooperation were there.

00:51In other words, what I'm trying to say is, I do not think that there was a erosion of ASEAN centrality in the last summit.

00:59And we will continue to have that, continue to strengthen ASEAN centrality.

01:05That's why the solidarity.

01:07So I never had that feeling, I never had that notion, I never had any discussion that there was such a erosion of ASEAN centrality.

01:17There.

01:18Okay.

01:19Okay.

01:20First of all, a special envoy of Myanmar, to Myanmar, by the Philippines, and of course representing ASEAN.

01:29The objective right now is to build on what has been done with the previous chairs, particularly Malaysia.

01:38Malaysia had about 170 engagements.

01:41And we are of the view that we cannot do everything that was done by Malaysia, or even the past chairs, starting from Thailand.

01:50So it is the view, it is our view, it is the Philippine position that we will just be working on what has been established.

01:57And to continue, it's really the issue of continuity.

02:00So that no, what they have done before is something that we can just continue to do.

02:08Now, you mentioned the words to go there, to go there.

02:13We are still trying to discuss, we are still discussing these things.

02:19In fact, it will be first discussed during the retreat, that will be in January, of the foreign ministers.

02:25The strategy is still being developed, as I was just designated by the president.

02:34And your other question was?

02:37So there will be no discussion before the election.

02:40Because before, the post-aparticle before.

02:43There will be some, I cannot be very sure, because you see that the chairship of Malaysia ends until December 31st.

02:50So there will be, there's some worthy group meetings going on.

02:54And there will be discussions.

02:56There are two elements basically, is one, what will be the situation, and what is the,

03:01will ASEAN sit, observer, missions to the election, for coming elections in December.

03:09This is still being discussed.

03:11There are also elements, there are also questions on, should ASEAN have a longer term,

03:19special envoy.

03:20Perhaps all this will be discussed, particularly the possibility of having a longer term,

03:26special envoy during the chairship of the Philippines.

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