President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. hosted a gala dinner at Malacañang Palace on Friday to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), underscoring the enduring value of dialogue, mutual trust, and peaceful cooperation across the region.
As ASEAN Chair for 2026, the Philippines spearheaded the commemoration of the landmark 1976 treaty signed in Bali, Indonesia. The golden anniversary was marked by significant expansion earlier in the day as Sweden, Poland, Romania, and Lithuania officially acceded to the treaty, bringing the total number of high contracting parties to 62.
Welcoming diplomats, foreign ministers, and ASEAN officials, President Marcos drew a parallel between international diplomacy and the deeply rooted Filipino tradition of the hapag-kainan (dining table).
“In every Filipino home, there is a place where people come together,” President Marcos said. “In our language, we call it hapag-kainan… Tonight, the Philippines extends its hapag-kainan to all of you.”
The President noted that just as families nurture bonds and resolve conflicts around the dinner table, global leaders cultivate lasting peace through open dialogue and shared meals.
Reflecting on the treaty’s heritage, President Marcos recalled that his father, former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, was among the founding leaders who signed the instrument half a century ago.
“Only in time did I come to realize that the document signed that day was far more than a treaty,” President Marcos shared. “It was a statement of confidence in our region’s future, a conviction that despite our differences, Southeast Asia could build its security through mutual respect and cooperation.”
Connecting the principles of TAC to bayanihan—the traditional Filipino spirit of communal unity and effort—President Marcos emphasized the culture of working together toward a common goal and celebrating the shared outcome.
To mark the historic milestone, the Philippine government unveiled a commemorative 50th-anniversary postage stamp alongside a Sampaguita-inspired emblem, symbolizing five decades of peace spanning five continents.
Closing the ceremony, President Marcos urged participating nations to remain steadfast in upholding the treaty’s guiding values.
“May this evening remind us that every enduring partnership begins with a conversation, every lasting friendship with mutual trust, and every meaningful cooperation with the simple willingness to sit together, listen to one another, and seek common ground,” President Marcos said.
