ASEAN adopts Cebu Protocol, amends Charter for the first time since 2007

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced that leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have adopted the Cebu Protocol, which amends the ASEAN Charter for the first time since it was signed nearly two decades ago.

“Another significant outcome was the adoption of the Cebu Protocol to Amend the Charter of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations,” he said at a press conference in Cebu.

“This marks the first amendment to the ASEAN Charter since 2007,” he added.

The ASEAN Charter, adopted in 2007, serves as the legal and institutional foundation of the regional bloc.

Marcos said the amendment is closely linked to ASEAN’s expansion, particularly the integration of Timor-Leste into the organization as part of efforts to make the group more inclusive.

“It’s an important milestone not only for Timor-Leste’s full integration into ASEAN, but also for ASEAN’s continuing evolution as a stronger and more inclusive regional community,” he said.

Timor-Leste officially became ASEAN’s 11th member on October 26, 2025, during the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, completing a 14-year accession process since its application in 2011.

During the Cebu summit, Timor-Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão participated in high-level discussions with ASEAN leaders.

The 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu centered on regional priorities such as energy security, food resilience, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, maritime security, and crisis response.