THE Philippines, as Asean Chair, continued to advance regional cooperation through the back-to-back Asean Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) and Asean Plus Three Preparatory Senior Officials’ Meeting (APT Prep-SOM).
The meetings build on the momentum of the 59th Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and Related Meetings, as well as the commemorative activity for the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) in July.
Chaired by Undersecretary for Policy and Philippine SOM Leader Leo M. Herrera-Lim, the meetings brought together the region’s member states, as well as Japan, China, and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). They discussed key regional developments, bolstered cooperation, and prepared for the upcoming 49th Asean Summit and Related Summits in November 2026.
During the SOM, Asean Senior Officials discussed pressing regional developments and key initiatives to advance regional community-building, including the implementation of the Asean Community Vision 2025, which entered its first year of implementation this year. The meeting also addressed applications to accede to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and the implementation of the Five Point Consensus, or 5PC, on Myanmar.
Herrera-Lim underscored the importance of complementing capacities and harnessing the region’s collective potential to respond to common challenges and strengthen resilience. He said, ‘Several issues have called for us to innovate, be more agile, yet all the more grounded in our shared values and principles.’
Bolstering regional cooperation
FOLLOWING the SOM, the undersecretary chaired the APT Prep-SOM with Japanese Deputy Director-General Hokugo Kyoko. The meeting reviewed recent developments within the APT Cooperation and discussed preparations for the upcoming 29th Asean Plus Three Summit this coming November.
In his opening statement, Herrera-Lim underscored the value of APT Cooperation as a key action-oriented platform for strengthening the region’s shared resilience and advancing collective prosperity. He mentioned that, ‘Across our…Chairship, the Philippines has consistently called on Asean to be strategic, pragmatic, and resolute, especially in the face of external shocks.’
Created in 1997, the APT aims to bolster regional cooperation in East Asia in areas such as food and energy security, supply chains, and people-centered linkages.
Preparing for summits
THE back-to-back meetings formed part of the Philippines’ ongoing preparations as chair for the 49th Asean Summit and Related Summits in November 2026.
Discussions among the Asean and APT Senior Officials advanced preparations for key documents and outcomes to be considered by Asean Foreign Ministers and Leaders in November, building on the progress and momentum of the Philippines’ Asean Chairship.