Philippines in ASEAN

The Philippines is one of the five founding Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The Philippines has chaired ASEAN in 1987 and 2006. Human rights-related achievements or statements of intent under the Philippines Chairmanship include:

• Adoption of the ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers and the ASEAN Commitments on HIV and AIDS at the 12^th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, the Philippines;
• Overseeing the work of the Eminent Persons Group responsible for drafting the ASEAN Charter. The Eminent Persons Group recommended that ASEAN’s principles and objectives should include, “Promotion of ASEAN’s peace and stability through the active strengthening of democratic values, good governance, rejection of unconstitutional and undemocratic changes of government, the rule of law including international humanitarian law, and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms”.