Member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have taken a major step toward creating the region's first formal platform dedicated to coast guards and maritime law enforcement agencies, with officials meeting in Manila to push for the establishment of the ASEAN Coast Guard Forum (ACF) as an official ASEAN Sectoral Body.

In a series of posts on its official social media pages, ASEAN Philippines 2026 said coast guard chiefs and maritime law enforcement heads from across Southeast Asia convened in Manila this June 4 and 5 for the 5th ASEAN Coast Guard Forum High-Level Meeting.

The gathering, it said, marks the culmination of years of groundwork and signals a new chapter in regional maritime cooperation.

"For years, ASEAN had forums for diplomats and defense officials. But the coast guards and maritime law enforcement agencies actually out at sea — the first responders, the front line — had no dedicated space to coordinate," ASEAN Philippines 2026 said.

According to the regional bloc, the proposed ACF would become the first ASEAN-wide platform specifically dedicated to coast guards and maritime law enforcement agencies.

The forum would provide a venue for maritime agencies to discuss operational concerns, coordinate responses, and strengthen cooperation on issues affecting Southeast Asia's shared waters.

The initiative recognizes the critical role played by coast guards in protecting sea lanes that support trade, food security, and the livelihoods of millions of people across the region.

"Southeast Asia's waters sustain millions — fisherfolk, coastal families, seafarers, and the trade routes that keep economies moving," the ASEAN chairmanship said.

"The ACF exists to protect all of that," it added.

Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said the proposed forum would allow coast guards to coordinate more directly without having to go through lengthy processes.

"For the first time, we have a more formal platform where coast guards and maritime law enforcers only can talk amongst themselves within the ASEAN region on matters that really pertain to coast guards and maritime law enforcement agencies," he said.

"This will enable us to have a more direct operational level cooperation amongst us so we can respond faster, we can be more efficient, we can do away with the usual tedious process of coordinating with each other," he added.

Gavan said improved coordination would help ensure that maritime agencies can respond more quickly whenever incidents occur at sea.

"So that people can be assured that when incidents happen, there will always be a coast guard who will be there to respond," he said.

Materials released by ASEAN Philippines 2026 showed that the proposed forum would focus on several key areas of cooperation.

Among these are intelligence-sharing on maritime threats and transnational crimes, coordinated responses to disasters at sea, capacity-building initiatives, personnel exchanges, maritime safety, and environmental protection.

The ACF is also expected to establish direct communication channels among member agencies to improve coordination during emergencies and maritime incidents.

ASEAN Philippines 2026 said the platform would allow member states "to talk, to coordinate, and to act as one."

ASEAN emphasized that the benefits of closer coast guard cooperation extend beyond governments and maritime agencies.

It noted that fisherfolk, coastal communities, seafarers, and businesses throughout Southeast Asia stand to benefit from improved maritime security and coordination.

The initiative is expected to strengthen regional efforts to safeguard vital sea lanes, improve disaster response capabilities, combat transnational maritime crimes, and enhance the safety of communities that depend on the sea for their livelihoods.

ASEAN Philippines 2026 described the move as a landmark development that brings together "the region's front-line defenders of the sea" under a dedicated regional platform.