MANILA -- Ambassadors, foreign dignitaries and other key officials from all 10 ASEAN member-states attended the first night of the ASEAN Maritime Security Dialogue at a hotel in Pasay City, on Wednesday, May 21. 

The 3-day event is being held just a few days before the start of this year's ASEAN Summit in Malaysia. Regional experts, scientists and coast guards from member-states were also present this evening. 

Non-government group We Protect our Seas (WPS) organized the event in partnership with the Philippine Coast Guard and the National Maritime Council. 

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WPS President Dr. Jeffrey Ordaniel said in his opening speech that the dialogue would involve academics, policy elites, and maritime practitioners. 

He also said that the 3-day event is a good opportunity for a high-level dialogue between member-states to discuss steps for rules-based maritime order in the South China Sea. 

There will be sessions discussing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Maritime Security Agenda, Regional Fish Stocks Management, Promotion Energy Security and other maritime issues and topics. 

National Security Adviser Director-General Eduardo Año, who was invited as a keynote speaker, highlighted in his speech the need for ASEAN to uphold a rules-based maritime order grounded in international law. 

"There was clear consensus on resolving maritime disputes through international law and respecting existing mechanisms like the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties. The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea remains the foundation of global maritime governance, with ASEAN member states continuing to benefit from its equitable rules and cooperative frameworks," said Año. 

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"Consensus is an important element of the so-called ASEAN way, through which we foster cooperation, resolve disputes, and engage with the broader international community as a bloc," he added. 

He also said that it is essential for ASEAN members to reaffirm their commitment to the  United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). 

"In the face of the ongoing illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive actions occurring almost daily in the South China Sea, it is essential for regional states and the international community to reaffirm their commitment to the letter and spirit of UNCLOS," Año said. 

Año also underscored the importance of discussing not just maritime security concerns during the dialogue, but to also address other environmental concerns. He stressed that protecting marine ecosystems and ensuring the livelihoods of millions dependent on fishing must be a collective priority. 

"While discussions often focus on South China Sea geopolitics, it is important to remember that Southeast Asia is a vast maritime region, from the Malacca Strait to the Andaman Sea. Maritime issues impact the region's political, economic, environmental, and security affairs," he said. 

"Environmental concerns, particularly the health of our marine ecosystems, are inseparable from security and economic issues. I'm encouraged that this year's dialogue on ASEAN maritime security includes sessions on the marine environment, and I look forward to your data-driven insights and practical recommendations," he added. 

He also reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to UNCLOS and the 2016 arbitral ruling, urging ASEAN to finalize a Code of Conduct (COC) that aligns with international law. Año concluded by rejecting any geopolitical framing that undermines ASEAN’s agency, asserting that what’s at stake is the kind of maritime order the region chooses—one based on law and cooperation, not might and coercion.