Camille Naredo

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. joins leaders of the Catholic Church and members of the diplomatic community at the reception commemorating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the Holy See at the Ayuntamiento de Manila in Intramuros on April 8, 2026. Handout/Presidential Communications Office

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. joins leaders of the Catholic Church and members of the diplomatic community at the reception commemorating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the Holy See at the Ayuntamiento de Manila in Intramuros on April 8, 2026. 
The milestone celebration highlighted more than seven decades of engagement since the formal establishment of ties on April 8, 1951, and underscored continued collaboration in promoting peace and social development.  Presidential Communications Office

Article (news)

MARCOS

Jervis Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177830314179720260409-marcos-holy-see-75th-diplomatic-relations-PCO9.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. joins leaders of the Catholic Church and members of the diplomatic community at the reception commemorating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the Holy See at the Ayuntamiento de Manila in Intramuros on April 8, 2026. Handout/Presidential Communications Office" width="960"/>President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. joins leaders of the Catholic Church and members of the diplomatic community at the reception commemorating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the Holy See at the Ayuntamiento de Manila in Intramuros on April 8, 2026. Handout/Presidential Communications Office</div>MACTAN, Cebu – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in his capacity as ASEAN Chair this year, is still &quot;aspiring&quot; that the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea will be finalized before the year ends.In a press conference after the Leaders&#x27; Summit, Marcos was asked about China and ASEAN relations in an interconnected world, including potential areas for economic cooperation.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/8/political-crises-border-tensions-maritime-disputes-challenge-asean-unity-as-leaders-convene-1706">READ: Political crises, border tensions, maritime disputes challenge ASEAN unity as leaders convene</a></div>&quot;Well the basic, fundamental foundation of any of those – to get the answer to any of those questions will come from the finalization of a COC, a code of conduct,&quot; Marcos told reporters at the International Media Center in Cebu. &quot;We cannot institutionalize any of those things until the code of conduct is finalized. The code of conduct between ASEAN and the People&#x27;s Republic,&quot; he said.Talks about the Code of Conduct have resurfaced at every summit, but the regional bloc and China cannot seem to finalize any legally binding document.Marcos earlier rallied fellow Southeast Asian states to push for the passage and adoption of the COC during the Philippines&#x27; chairship this 2026. &quot;So, again, that is one of our aspirations as Chair of ASEAN for 2026, that we find at the end of the year, that we actually have a code of conduct,&quot; Marcos said.&quot;Now how optimistic or pessimistic I am? I don&#x27;t want to say. It&#x27;s a very difficult question,&quot; he added.The Department of Foreign Affairs earlier said that discussions on the COC have been encouraging, as countries have committed to talk about it more frequently. <div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/7/establishment-of-asean-maritime-center-in-ph-proposed-in-asean-summit-1228">READ: Establishment of ASEAN Maritime Center in PH proposed in ASEAN Summit</a></div>&quot;You know, well, for one thing, the ASEAN Member States are all different, have a different approach when it comes to the People&#x27;s Republic, when it comes to Beijing,&quot; Marcos said.&quot;So, we have to incorporate all of that into one single document, which is the code of conduct. So once we have that, then all those questions will be answered,&quot; the President ended.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in his capacity as ASEAN Chair this year, is still "aspiring" that the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea will be finalized before the year ends.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in his capacity as ASEAN Chair this year, is still "aspiring" that the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea will be finalized before the year ends.

Marcos still 'aspiring' for South China Sea Code of Conduct before year ends

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Marcos still 'aspiring' for South China Sea Code of Conduct before year ends

Jervis Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 09, 2026 01:08 PM PHT

Read More:

ASEAN Summit 2026

Leaders' Summit

Philippines

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

South China Sea

West Philippine Sea

maritime dispute

China

Southeast Asia

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