Lapu-Lapu City:Cebu The Philippines is set to enhance regional partnerships and defense cooperation for a peaceful and stable Indo-Pacific Region as it hosts the 20th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) and the 13th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu on October 28 and 29.

According to Philippines News Agency, these meetings will coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, signed in 1976, which emphasizes respect for sovereignty, non-interference, and peaceful dispute resolution.

Defense Assistant Secretary spokesperson Arsenio Andolong stated that Secretary of National Defense Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr., as Chair of the ADMM and ADMM-Plus for 2026, will lead discussions aimed at advancing regional defense dialogue and boosting cooperation among ASEAN Member States and their dialogue partners.

The proposed outcome documents for this year's meeting include joint statements, which will require finalization and consensus among the participating parties. In addition to the ADMM and ADMM-Plus, there will be two ASEAN-Plus One Defence Ministers' Informal Meetings—one with Japan and the other with the United States. There will also be bilateral and minilateral engagements on the sidelines.

On October 29, the Philippines will formally transfer the Chairship of the ADMM and ADMM-Plus to Singapore. Established in 2006, the ADMM serves as ASEAN's highest defense consultative and cooperative mechanism, while the ADMM-Plus, launched in 2010, expands defense dialogue and cooperation between ASEAN Member States and eight Plus Countries. The Philippines' ASEAN Chairship prioritizes regional peace and security, practical defense cooperation, and collective action to address shared challenges.