President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos, Jr., highlighted the Philippines' role in hosting the inaugural High-Level Conference of the High Contracting Parties (HCPs) for the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), as Sweden, Poland, Romania, and Lithuania joined the treaty.

The event commemorated the 50th anniversary of the TAC, first signed in 1976, and emphasized its role as ASEAN's 'guiding code' for regional stability.Marcos linked the gathering to his father's historic participation in the treaty's signing, calling it a 'full circle moment.' The conference aimed to address conflict prevention, maritime security, and emerging regional threats.

Marcos also underscored the treaty's principles, drawing parallels to Filipino values like bayanihan, and unveiled a commemorative postage stamp and emblem symbolizing 50 years of peace.The expansion of HCPs to 62 nations underscores the treaty's growing global influence beyond Southeast Asia.