Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro during the 38th ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) Meeting. Official Handout.
Manuel Mogato | November 14, 2026
MANILA — Regional leaders have agreed to setup an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) maritime hub in the Philippines as they agreed to cooperate on maritime issues, like safety, search and rescue, and fighting transnational crime and pollution.
ASEAN ministers on Saturday adopted the concept note and terms of reference for the ASEAN Maritime Center, which will serve as a knowledge hub and support network on maritime-related initiatives and issues in accordance with the priorities identified by the ASEAN member states.
The hub was discussed earlier in Cebu.
Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro told reporters at the International Media Center in Pasay City that while the ministers have not decided yet on other details for the Center, the adoption of the concept note and terms of reference “is a very important result of our Chairship.”
“If you notice, it’s all about maritime cooperation because this is exactly the theme of our chairship. So a lot of maritime cooperative activities,” Lazaro said.
During the meeting, ASEAN Ministers also welcomed the inclusion of the ASEAN Coast Guard Forum as an ASEAN Sectoral Body.
The ACF’s concept note and terms of reference were approved in the last ASEAN Ministers Meeting in July.
The ACF will provide the platform to advance regional maritime cooperation and coordination among ASEAN coastal and maritime law enforcement agencies.
“We have the ADMM, but that’s for the defense and military. However, Coast Guard plays a very important role in our waters, the South China Sea. And therefore, it is appropriate that the institution of the coastguard would also have its own forum,” Lazaro said.
“Not all ASEAN states have a coast guard, like Laos as a landlocked country. But they have their own maritime center which takes care of law enforcement issues. Any sectoral grouping is always very important — particularly under law enforcement.”