PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. yesterday urged member-countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to support the Philippines’ bid for a seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
“We take this opportunity to reaffirm the Philippines’ candidature to the United Nations Security Council for the term 2027-2008. We hope to count on your valuable support as we seek to bring our region’s perspectives to the United Nations Security Council,” he said at the 2nd Asean-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
He said the Philippine experience in bringing peace and development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) can “enrich” UNSC’s work. He described the BARMM success as the “centerpiece of our country’s experience in building peace and forging new paths of cooperation.”
The UNSC is a key body within the United Nations that is responsible for maintaining international peace and security, it said in its website. Its four main purposes are to “maintain international peace and security; develop friendly relations among nations; cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights; and to be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations.”
It has 15 members, with five of them permanent — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Ten are non-permanent members who are elected for two-year terms.
Elections for the UNSC 2027-2028 term will be held in June 2026 next year in New York.
The GCC Summit was held after the 46th Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur. The GCC is a regional organization composed of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. It aims to strengthen ties and connections among the Arab nations, and promote a unified regulation in the areas of economic and financial affairs, trade, customs, and transportation, among others.
CONFLICTS
Marcos reiterated the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation to guarantee the flow of commerce in the South China Sea as well as the Arabian Sea.
He also reiterated the importance of complying with international laws such as the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
“The South China Sea and the Arabian Sea cover vital seabeds that serve as lifelines for regional and international commerce in both our regions. As such, it is necessary to provide the freedom of navigation to guarantee unimpeded commerce and to protect the marine environment through compliance to established international law, specifically UNCLOS,” he said.
He acknowledged the contributions of the two regional blocs to peacemaking and peacebuilding especially amid the challenges that confront peace and security in various parts of the world.
On the Gaza Strip conflict, Marcos said the Philippines is “gravely concerned” and urged all concerned parties to adhere to international law.
Marcos noted that Israel’s military operations across the Gaza Strip have resulted in the continued rise of deaths of civilians, and exacerbated the “dire humanitarian situation on the ground.”
“The Philippines calls upon all parties to adhere to their obligations under international law, with particular emphasis on the protection of civilians, especially women and children, and the facilitation of humanitarian assistance to all those who are in need,” he said.
Israel has vowed to continue military actions Hamas returns the remaining 58 hostages it took in an attack in October 2023
MEETINGS
On the sidelines of the summit, Marcos yesterday held a meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, during which they discussed the enduring friendship between the Philippines and Cambodia, and reaffirmed each countries’ commitment to further enhancing trade and other cooperation across areas of mutual interest.
The President said that aside from the Philippines’ automobile export to Cambodia, there is also a need to expand collaboration in defense, strengthen the strategic partnership between the two nations, and ensure regional peace and stability
“I hope that we can move forward with those discussions in terms of trade, defense, and potential defense cooperation,” Marcos said.
On Monday, the President held separate meetings with the leaders of Vietnam, Laos and Thailand, during which they discussed strengthening ties and expanding cooperation in trade and investment, defense and security, education, tourism, and agriculture, among others
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said the president, in his meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, discussed the elevation of the strategic partnership between the Philippines and Vietnam into a “comprehensive strategic partnership,” as well as the expanding economic and trade cooperation and strengthening of collaboration in agriculture and food security.
The two leaders also talked about enhancing people-to-people exchanges in education, tourism, and cultural engagement.
Marcos, in his meeting with Lao People’s Democratic Republic Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, tackled defense, economic, and education cooperation between Manila and Vientiane.
The prime minister also acknowledged the contribution of Filipino workers in their country, particularly in the field of architecture and language training.
Marcos, in his first meeting with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, talked about strengthening trade, with particular emphasis on strategic sectors such as agriculture, electronics, artificial intelligence, and precious metals; expanding agricultural cooperation; and working more closely to combat transnational crimes.
