CEBU, Wednesday, 28 October 2026 – The 20th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) was convened at the Mactan Expo Centre, Cebu, Republic of the Philippines. The meeting was chaired by The Honourable Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr., Secretary of National Defense, Republic of Philippines in his capacity as Chairman of the ADMM for 2026, and attended by the defence ministers of ASEAN member states and their representatives, as well as the Secretary-General of ASEAN. This year marked a significant milestone as the ADMM commemorated two decades of regional defence cooperation since its inaugural meeting on 09 May 2006.
Brunei Darussalam’s delegation was led by Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Retired) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Coordinating Minister for National Security, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, and Minister of Defence II. Also part of the delegation were Yang Mulia Brigadier General (Retired) Dato Seri Pahlawan Mohammad Sharif bin Dato Paduka Haji Ibrahim, Permanent Secretary (Policy and Administration), Ministry of Defence and officers from the Ministry of Defence. Also attending the meeting was Her Excellency Megawati binti Dato Paduka Haji Manan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Brunei Darussalam to the Republic of the Philippines.
On the sidelines of the meeting, two defence ministers’ informal meetings were held. The ASEAN-United States Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting was co-chaired by The Honourable Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. as the ADMM Chairman and The Honourable Pete Hegseth, Secretary of War, United States of America. Further convened was the ASEAN-Japan Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting co-chaired by The Honourable Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. and His Excellency Shinjiro Koizumi, Minister of Defense, Japan.
In conjunction with the 20th ADMM, Yang Berhormat Coordinating Minister for National Security, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, and Minister of Defence II had the opportunity to convene a bilateral engagement with the Honourable Secretary of National Defense of the Republic of the Philippines, during which both sides reaffirmed the strong defence ties between the two countries.
The Republic of the Philippines will host the 13th ADMM-Plus on the following day, 29 October 2026.
The 20th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) was held at the Mactan Expo Center, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, Republic of the Philippines on 28 October 2026.
Coordinating Minister for National Security, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Defence II led the Brunei Darussalam delegation to the 20th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting held in Cebu, Republic of the Philippines.
ASEAN-United States Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting, co-chaired by The Honourable Secretary of National Defense of Republic of the Philippines and and The Honourable Pete Hegseth, Secretary of War of the United States, on the sidelines of the 20th ADMM.
ASEAN-United States Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting, co-chaired by The Honourable Secretary of National Defense of Republic of the Philippines and and The Honourable Pete Hegseth, Secretary of War of the United States, on the sidelines of the 20th ADMM.
Bilateral engagement between Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (R) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Coordinating Minister for National Security, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Defence II and The Honourable Gilberto C Teodoro, Secretary for National Defense of the Republic of the Philippines, Chairman of 20th ADMM in Cebu, Republic of the Philippines.
MESYUARAT MENTERI-MENTERI PERTAHANAN ASEAN KE-20 BERSIDANG DI CEBU, REPUBLIK FILIPINA
CEBU, Rabu, 28 Oktober 2026 – Mesyuarat Menteri-Menteri Pertahanan ASEAN (ADMM) ke-20 telah berlangsung di Pusat Ekspo Mactan, Cebu, Republik Filipina. Mesyuarat tersebut telah dipengerusikan oleh Yang Berhormat Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr., Setiausaha Pertahanan Nasional, Republik Filipina selaku Pengerusi ADMM bagi tahun 2026, dan dihadiri oleh para menteri pertahanan negara-negara ASEAN dan wakil, serta Setiausaha Agung ASEAN. Tahun ini menandakan detik penting apabila ADMM memperingati dua dekad kerjasama pertahanan serantau sejak mesyuarat sulungnya pada 09 Mei 2006.
Delegasi Negara Brunei Darussalam diketuai oleh Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Mejar Jeneral (Bersara) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Menteri Penyelaras bagi Keselamatan Negara, Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, dan Menteri Pertahanan II. Turut serta dalam rombongan ialah Yang Mulia Brigedier Jeneral (Bersara) Dato Seri Pahlawan Mohammad Sharif bin Dato Paduka Haji Ibrahim, Setiausaha Tetap (Dasar dan Pentadbiran) Kementerian Pertahanan dan pegawai-pegawai dari Kementerian Pertahanan. Juga menghadiri mesyuarat tersebut ialah Puan Yang Terutama Megawati binti Dato Paduka Haji Manan, Duta Besar Istimewa dan Mutlak Negara Brunei Darussalam ke Republik Filipina.
Mesyuarat tahun ini telah mencapai kesepakatan dalam meluluskan lima inisiatif ADMM baharu, termasuk Kertas Konsep mengenai Program Pertukaran Pemimpin Muda ADMM, dan Kerta Konsep mengenai Pengukuhan Hubungan antara ADMM-Plus dan Dialog Pertahanan ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). Mesyuarat juga berjaya dalam menerima-pakai kenyataan Joint Statement by the ASEAN Defence Ministers Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Signing of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, dan deklarasi Manila Joint Declaration on the 20th Anniversary of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting: Navigating Our Future, Together.
Di samping mesyuarat tersebut, dua mesyuarat menteri-menteri pertahanan tidak rasmi turut diadakan. Mesyuarat Tidak Rasmi Menteri-Menteri Pertahanan ASEAN-Amerika Syarikat telah dipengerusikan bersama oleh Yang Berhormat Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. selaku Pengerui ADMM, dan Yang Berhormat Pete Hegseth, Setiausaha Perang, Amerika Syarikat. Ia diikuti dengan pelaksanaan Mesyuarat Tidak Rasmi Menteri-Menteri Pertahanan ASEAN-Jepun yang dipengerusikan bersama oleh The Honourable Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. dan Tuan Yang Terutama Shinjiro Koizumi, Menteri Pertahanan, Jepun.
Bersempena ADMM ke-20, Yang Berhormat Menteri Penyelaras bagi Keselamatan Negara, Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, dan Menteri Pertahanan II turut berkesempatan mengadakan pertemuan dua hala dengan Setiausaha Pertahanan Nasional Republik Filipina, dimana kedua-dua pihak menegaskan semula hubungan pertahanan yang kukuh antara kedua-dua negara.
Republik Filipina akan menjadi tuan rumah kepada ADMM-Plus Ke-13 pada keesokan harinya, 29 Oktober 2026.