Lesson 13 The Establishment of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the

Philippines in ASEAN

Focus of Discussion

ASEAN plays a significant role in promoting development, stability, and peace in Southeast Asia.

Main Question

How has ASEAN contributed to establishing harmonious relations among Southeast Asian countries?

Values Integration

●​ Cooperation – Participating in projects related to maintaining peace in your community.

●​ Respect – Showing appreciation for the diverse cultures of Southeast Asian countries.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you are expected to:

●​ Identify the objectives of ASEAN.

●​ Trace the history of ASEAN’s establishment.
●​ Describe the structure of ASEAN.
●​ Prove ASEAN’s success in achieving development and peace in the region through the
ZOPFAN Declaration, ASEAN Concord, AFTA, AEC, and SEANWFZ.
●​ Explain the primary goals and functions of ASEAN Vision 2020.
●​ Describe the relationship and role of the Philippines as an active ASEAN member.
●​ Demonstrate how the Philippines utilizes ASEAN as a foundation for its foreign policy and
trade relations.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS ENHANCEMENT

Interaction and cooperation are essential for every country in Southeast Asia. These foster economic
growth, societal development, and cultural enrichment. More importantly, they help maintain peace
and order not just within individual nations but across the entire Southeast Asian region. This need
for collaboration led to the establishment of ASEAN or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The Establishment of ASEAN

The Birth and Development of ASEAN’s Internal and External Regional Relations

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was founded on August 8, 1967, through the
ASEAN Declaration, also known as the Bangkok Declaration. It was established and signed by the
five foreign ministers:

●​ Adam Malik of Indonesia

●​ Narciso R. Ramos of the Philippines
●​ Tun Abdul Razak of Malaysia
●​ Sinnathamby Rajaratnam of Singapore
●​ Thanat Khoman of Thailand

These leaders, recognized as the “Founding Fathers” of ASEAN, united their nations in a shared
effort to promote economic integration in the region for the benefit of their respective citizens.
The formation of ASEAN is regarded as a remarkable achievement. It ended a long period of
isolation, indifference, and lack of cooperation among neighboring Southeast Asian countries.
ASEAN strengthened regional ties and heightened awareness of the importance of unity and
collaboration in the region.

History of the Establishment

After World War II, colonial powers attempted to reclaim their former colonies. However, since they
had failed to provide the expected protection against the Japanese invasion, they could no longer
justify their return. This situation planted the seeds of independence in the minds of Asians in the
region.

This period created the need for measures and structures to foster cooperation among Southeast
Asian countries. Thailand, the only nation in the region that was never colonized, felt a strong
responsibility to prevent future conflicts in the region.

At this time, Pridi Phanomyong, Thailand’s Foreign Minister, took the initiative to promote regional
cooperation. He proposed the creation of an alliance among neighboring countries. He visited nearby
nations, leading to the formation of the Association of Southeast Asia (ASA) on July 31, 1961. This
alliance initially included:

●​ Thailand
●​ The Philippines
●​ The Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia, North Borneo, Sarawak, and Singapore)

Although ASA was the first regional cooperative organization, it laid the groundwork for further
integration among Southeast Asian nations.

The Establishment and Dissolution of the Association of Southeast Asia (ASA)

Not long after ASA was established, conflicts arose between the Philippines and Indonesia, as well
as between Indonesia and Malaysia. These disputes centered around North Borneo (Sabah), which
had been granted to Malaysia by the British. The situation nearly escalated into an international
conflict when Malaysia sought support from Great Britain, which quickly responded by deploying
warships around Sumatra. This unexpected event ultimately led to the dissolution of ASA.

The Establishment and Dissolution of the Asian and Pacific Council (ASPAC)

The failure of ASA to resolve the territorial disputes involving the Philippines led to its paralysis.
However, Thailand continued to encourage regional cooperation, which resulted in the establishment
of the Asian and Pacific Council (ASPAC) in 1966. This larger organization included:

●​ Japan
●​ South Korea
●​ Malaysia
●​ The Philippines
●​ Australia
●​ Taiwan
●​ New Zealand
●​ South Vietnam
●​ Thailand
●​ Laos (as an observer)
However, in 1973, ASPAC failed once again due to the recognition of the People’s Republic of China
and the revocation of Taiwan’s representation. This led Malaysia and Australia to withdraw from
the organization, ultimately causing its dissolution.

Despite these setbacks, Thailand, which had remained neutral in the Sabah dispute, persistently
worked to mediate Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. After multiple attempts, these nations
finally sat down for reconciliation in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. It was during this meeting
that Pridi Phanomyong once again proposed the creation of a regional cooperative organization,
which became known as the Bangkok Declaration, as previously mentioned.

Objectives of ASEAN

To fulfill the aspirations behind its establishment, the founding leaders of ASEAN outlined the
following objectives:

●​ Economic, Social, and Cultural Development​

ASEAN aims to promote economic growth, enhance social progress, and revitalize cultural
heritage in the region, which had been affected by colonization. More importantly, the
organization was established to promote peace and stability while respecting the principles
of international relations as stated in the United Nations Charter. ASEAN also emphasized
its neutral stance, choosing not to engage in or align with any military alliances.​

●​ Active Participation and Cooperation​

The organization seeks active participation and cooperation in various fields, including
economics, social affairs, culture, technology, science, and administration. ASEAN also
provides training and research support in education, professional development, technical
skills, and administrative functions.​

●​ Agriculture, Industry, and Business Development​

ASEAN fosters regional collaboration to promote advancements in agriculture, industry, and
business sectors.​

●​ Promotion of Southeast Asian Studies and Global Collaboration​

The organization encourages the study of Southeast Asian cultures and societies while
maintaining close and beneficial relationships with other international organizations that
share similar goals.​

Guided by these objectives, ASEAN initially consisted of 10 member states, later expanding to 11
nations in November 2022.

Symbolism of the ASEAN Flag

The colors of the ASEAN flag—blue, red, white, and yellow—represent the main colors found in the
national flags of all 10 ASEAN member states:

●​ Blue symbolizes peace and stability.

●​ Red represents courage and dynamism.
●​ White signifies purity.
●​ Yellow stands for prosperity.
The bundled stalks of rice on the ASEAN flag represent the unity of the member nations. The
number of rice stalks (10) symbolizes the 10 founding member states of ASEAN.

Country Date of Membership

Myanmar July 23, 1997

Lao People’s Democratic Republic July 23, 1997

Malaysia August 8, 1967

Philippines August 8, 1967

Singapore August 8, 1967

Indonesia August 8, 1967

Thailand August 8, 1967

Brunei Darussalam January 7, 1984

Vietnam July 28, 1995

Cambodia April 30, 1999

Timor-Leste November 11, 2022

According to the ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on the Application of Timor-Leste for ASEAN
Membership, Timor-Leste has been principally accepted as the 11th member of ASEAN. It has been
granted observer status and given the opportunity to participate in all ASEAN meetings, including
plenary sessions at the summit.

ASEAN has set membership criteria that Timor-Leste must meet before being granted full
membership. The organization hopes that the country will officially join ASEAN as soon as possible.

Timor-Leste’s President Jose Ramos-Horta has long campaigned for ASEAN membership since 2011.
ASEAN aims to ensure that Timor-Leste is capable of fulfilling its responsibilities and obligations
once it becomes a full member, including chairing ASEAN when its turn comes.

Structure of ASEAN

In the 2008 ASEAN meeting, the ASEAN Charter was immediately enforced, establishing ASEAN’s
principles, such as non-interference in internal affairs while also emphasizing democracy, rule of
law, and the protection of fundamental freedoms.

The charter also outlined the roles and responsibilities of various bodies within the ASEAN structure.
The key components of ASEAN’s structure include:

ASEAN Summit

●​ The highest decision-making body in ASEAN.

●​ Responsible for setting policies for the organization.
●​ Held twice a year and attended by the leaders of all member states.
ASEAN Coordinating Council

●​ The second-highest body in ASEAN.

●​ Composed of foreign ministers from ASEAN member states.
●​ Meets twice a year like the ASEAN Summit.
●​ Responsible for defining ASEAN’s standards and guidelines in international relations.

Responsibilities of the ASEAN Coordinating Council:

●​ Prepares ASEAN Summit meetings.

●​ Ensures the implementation of ASEAN Summit agreements and decisions.
●​ Coordinates with ASEAN Community Councils to enhance policy alignment, efficiency, and
cooperation.
●​ Compiles reports from ASEAN Community Councils for submission to the ASEAN Summit.
●​ Reviews the annual report of the ASEAN Secretary-General, including the operations of the
ASEAN Secretariat and other related bodies.
●​ Approves the appointment and termination of Deputy Secretaries-General, based on the
recommendation of the Secretary-General.
●​ Carries out other responsibilities assigned by the ASEAN Charter or the ASEAN Summit.

ASEAN Community Councils (ASEAN Pillars)

The ASEAN Community Councils, also known as the ASEAN Pillars, consist of three main bodies:

1.​ ASEAN Political-Security Community Council

2.​ ASEAN Economic Community Council
3.​ ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Council

ASEAN Community Councils and Secretariat

The ASEAN Community Councils are composed of a ministerial body representing each ASEAN
member country. These councils are responsible for coordinating the work of various sectoral bodies
within their respective communities to achieve the goals of the three ASEAN Pillars.

Each Community Council meets twice a year. Their primary duty is to implement decisions made by
the ASEAN Summit, but they can also submit reports and recommendations for the Summit's
consideration.

ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial Bodies

The ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial Bodies bring together ministers from specific sectors across
ASEAN member states. For example, all labor ministers from ASEAN countries form a sectoral
ministerial body that reports to the Community Council. Their duties include:

●​ Strengthening cooperation within their sector

●​ Implementing decisions made by the ASEAN Summit

Each sectoral body is supported by Senior Officials Meetings (SOMs) and technical bodies to assist
in carrying out its functions.

ASEAN and National Secretariats

The ASEAN Secretariat is located in Jakarta, Indonesia and supports the day-to-day operations of
ASEAN. Under the leadership of the ASEAN Secretary-General, the Secretariat:
 ●​ Develops action plans for cooperation among ASEAN senior officials
●​ Ensures the implementation of decisions made during ASEAN meetings

The Secretary-General is appointed by the ASEAN Summit for a nonrenewable term of five years.
The Secretary-General is supported by four Deputy Secretaries-General (DSGs) from different
member countries.

●​ Two DSGs are nominated by ASEAN member states on a rotational basis, serving a
nonrenewable term of three years.
●​ Two DSGs are recruited based on merit or qualifications, serving a three-year term, which
may be renewed for one additional term.

The four DSGs are responsible for the following:

1.​ DSG for ASEAN Political-Security Community

2.​ DSG for ASEAN Economic Community
3.​ DSG for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community
4.​ DSG for Community and Corporate Affairs

Each ASEAN member country also has an ASEAN National Secretariat, which is responsible for
coordinating the implementation of ASEAN decisions at the national level. These secretariats also
support any ASEAN meetings or activities held within their respective countries.

ASEAN Diplomatic Representation

The ASEAN Charter mandates that each ASEAN member state must have a Permanent
Representative to ASEAN, serving as an ambassador based in Jakarta.

The Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR) is responsible for:

●​ Supporting the work of ASEAN Community Councils and ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial
Bodies
●​ Coordinating with ASEAN National Secretariats and the ASEAN Secretariat
●​ Overseeing ASEAN’s external relations and partnerships

ASEAN Foreign Relations

Dialogue Partners

ASEAN Dialogue Partners are countries or organizations with which ASEAN engages in diplomatic
relations. The following are the current 10 Dialogue Partners of ASEAN: Australia, Canada, China,
the European Union, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia, and the United States.

ASEAN establishes free trade agreements (FTAs) with most of its Dialogue Partners and holds
regular meetings with these countries. One example is the ASEAN Plus Three (APT) annual meeting,
which includes ASEAN along with Japan, South Korea, and China.

This cooperation began in 1997 as an economic partnership between ASEAN member states and these
three Asian nations.