Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1769660620572Screen Shot 2026-01-08 at 3.23.37 PM_cropped_processed_by_imagy.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">📷༘ ASEAN/File</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>CEBU CITY — Security challenges facing the member-states of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have not only grown, but have also evolved and became more complex, the Philippines said Thursday.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/27/all-parties-bent-on-concluding-negotiations-for-south-china-sea-code-of-conduct-this-2026-1947?fbclid=IwY2xjawPnv1JleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE4S1pRRTkyUlJvZkpVSmVVc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHr8V3aFYxif2pZcBszfOIygP56C-84x_Yb2V4Xp2EzMoj8fIG037GUorMVo9_aem_YqhXIe3l6OceWGlDJrVLzg">All parties ‘bent on concluding negotiations’ for South China Sea code of conduct this 2026 – official</a></div><p>Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro made the statement this morning at the opening of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting Retreat in Cebu City, describing this as a “core reality.”</p><p>“The global geopolitical security environment has not only become more challenging, but it&#x27;s also become more complex and interconnected. Across our region, we continue to see tensions at sea, protracted internal conflicts, and unresolved border and humanitarian concerns,” Lazaro told foreign ministers.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/29/asean-ministers-to-tackle-ways-to-move-forward-amid-myanmar-issues-1204">ASEAN foreign ministers to tackle ways to move forward amid issues in Myanmar–official</a></div><p>But there are other developments outside Southeast Asia, including “unilateral actions that carry across regional implications,” which affect regional stability.</p><p>This, she said, has also eroded institutions and rules-based international order.</p><p>“Our meeting today allows us to collectively take stock of ASEAN&#x27;s priorities and exchange views on regional and global developments that directly affect us,” she said.</p><p>“The Philippines stands ready to work closely with all ASEAN member states, the ASEAN Secretariat, and our external partners to ensure that our [chairship year] delivers meaningful and practical benefits for the ASEAN community,” she added.</p><p>The Philippines is one of four ASEAN member states, along with Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam, that have contesting claims in the South China Sea linking the Indian and Pacific Oceans.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/28/negotiations-on-s-china-sea-code-of-conduct-unlikely-to-finish-this-2026-analyst-1523">Negotiations on South China Sea code of conduct unlikely to finish this 2026—analyst</a></div><p>ASEAN spokesperson Dax Imperial told reporters on Tuesday night that “all parties are bent” on concluding the negotiations for the South China Sea code of conduct under the Philippines chairship of ASEAN, as the country supports more meetings regarding this.</p><p>But an analyst told ABS-CBN News there were “a lot of obstacles” to the proposed COC, noting that the growing Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea shows an element of bad faith.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div> <span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5HVqGXEimg0?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div>

<p>Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro said other developments outside Southeast Asia, including “unilateral actions that carry across regional implications,” also affect regional stability.</p>

Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro said other developments outside Southeast Asia, including “unilateral actions that carry across regional implications,” also affect regional stability.

Security challenges facing ASEAN have evolved, now more complex—PH official

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Security challenges facing ASEAN have evolved, now more complex—PH official

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 29, 2026 12:26 PM PHT

Read More:

ASEAN Philippines 2026

ASEAN

ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting Retreat

Cebu

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