Camille Naredo

The United Nations logo is seen in the corridors of the United Nations headquarters in New York City on September 25, 2018 during the annual general assembly.

The United Nations logo is seen in the corridors of the United Nations headquarters in New York City on September 25, 2018 during the annual general assembly. Ludovic Marin, AFP

Article (news)

United Nations

Katrina Domingo

Bea Cuadra

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178050846612220260311-marcos-un-meeting-status-of-women-PBBM.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers a speech at the 70th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women at the UN Headquarters, New York , USA on March 9, 2026. Bongbong Marcos Facebook Page/File"/>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers a speech at the 70th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women at the UN Headquarters, New York , USA on March 9, 2026. Bongbong Marcos Facebook Page/File</div>MANILA (UPDATED) — The Philippines lost its bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday after Manila failed to get two-thirds of the 190 votes available from the chamber.The Philippines lost the post to Kyrgyzstan after the Central Asian country mustered over the 120 needed votes to gain a seat in the UNSC, where China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States sit as permanent members with 10 other non-permanent members with 2-year terms.Kyrgyzstan secured 142 votes in the fourth round of voting, with the Philippines managing 49.A place in the UNSC would have given Manila the authority to vote on the UN&#x27;s policies &quot;for the establishment of a system to regulate armaments,&quot; as well as to either &quot;call on Members to apply economic sanctions and other measures not involving the use of force to prevent or stop aggression&quot; or &quot;take military action against an aggressor.&quot;<div><a class="fr-strong fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/11/marcos-jr-appeals-to-un-member-states-to-support-ph-bid-in-un-security-council-0840">READ: Marcos Jr. appeals to UN member-states to support PH bid in UN Security Council</a></div>The Council is also authorized &quot;to investigate any dispute or situation which might lead to international friction, to recommend methods of adjusting such disputes or the terms of settlement, and to determine the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression and to recommend what action should be taken.&quot;&quot;The Philippines respects the decision of the member states of the United Nations and extends its congratulations to the Kyrgyz Republic following today’s election for the non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council,&quot; Foreign Affairs Secretary Tess Lazaro said in response to the development.&quot;We thank the international community for the support and goodwill extended to the Philippines throughout our candidacy. Our campaign was anchored on our longstanding commitment to peace, dialogue, international law, and cooperation among nations. These remain principles that the Philippines will continue to uphold and advance in the global community,&quot; she added.&quot;The Philippines remains committed to working with all nations in pursuing peace, stability, sustainable development, and a rules-based international order.&quot;<div> </div><div>FOUR ROUNDS OF VOTING</div>The election, held during the 86th Plenary meeting of the General Assembly&#x27;s 80th session, saw four countries secure their seats in the opening rounds of voting, while a final fifth seat triggered a round deadlock between two Asian nations -- the Philippines and Kyrgyzstan.In the initial rounds of balloting, four candidate nations crossed the necessary threshold to secure their places on the council. According to official proceedings, Austria, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, and Zimbabwe were declared &quot;elected members of the security council for a 2 year term beginning on January 1st 2027&quot; after &quot;having obtained the two thirds majority and the largest number of votes.&quot;In the first round for Group A (African and Asia-Pacific states), Zimbabwe secured its seat with 182 votes. In Group B, representing Latin American and Caribbean states, Trinidad and Tobago cleared the hurdle with 181 votes. Meanwhile, the Western European and Other States category (Group C) saw Portugal lead with 134 votes, followed by Austria with 131 votes, while Germany missed the cutoff with 104 votes.However, the proceedings slowed significantly when the Assembly announced that &quot;there still remains one seat to be filled from among the African and Asia Pacific state.&quot;The vacancy set off a runoff between Kyrgyzstan and the Philippines, the two remaining Asia-Pacific nations with the highest initial vote counts. The first runoff saw Kyrgyzstan lead with 110 votes to the Philippines&#x27; 81, falling just short of the target. A subsequent third round of balloting yielded a similar deadlock, with Kyrgyzstan climbing to 123 votes and the Philippines receiving 68—just five votes shy of the required majority for Kyrgyzstan.The stalemate was finally broken during the fourth round of voting.Kyrgyzstan surged past the threshold, securing 142 votes to the Philippines&#x27; 49. The five newly elected nations will replace the outgoing non-permanent members—Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia—whose terms expire on December 31, 2026. They will join Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Latvia, and Liberia, the five non-permanent members who are scheduled to remain in office through 2027, alongside the council&#x27;s five permanent members.Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel &quot;Babe&quot; Romualdez earlier said that a seat in the UN Security Council is &quot;very important&quot; for the Philippines &quot;because of the challenges that we are facing in the West Philippine Sea.&quot;&quot;Even if it&#x27;s a temporary seat, meaning it&#x27;s not a permanent seat, it still makes an impact for us precisely because of the conflicts, or rather the challenges that we face,&quot; Romualdez said on the sidelines of the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women in March.The Philippines has been fending off Chinese incursions in its waters since Marcos Jr. ascended to power in 2022 or about 6 years since an international arbitration court invalidated Beijing&#x27;s sweeping claim in the South China Sea.But while the UN Security Council&#x27;s resolutions are legally binding, the panel&#x27;s permanent members — including China — may veto any resolution that the Council has approved.

The Philippines lost its bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday after Manila failed to get two-thirds of the 190 votes available from the chamber.

The Philippines lost its bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday after Manila failed to get two-thirds of the 190 votes available from the chamber.

Philippines loses bid for UN Security Council seat

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Philippines loses bid for UN Security Council seat

Katrina Domingo,

Bea Cuadra,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 04, 2026 01:05 AM PHT

|

Updated June 04, 2026 01:43 AM PHT

Read More:

United Nations

UN Security Council

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Philippines

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