Philippines deploys 3,670 personnel and a no-fly zone for ASEAN defence ministers in Cebu

The Philippines has put 3,670 security and medical personnel on duty in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, for the 20th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting and the 13th ADMM-Plus, which the Daily Tribune said run from 26 to 30 October. The main ministerial sessions are set for 28 and 29 October at the Mactan Expo Center, where defence chiefs are due to discuss regional security. The Philippines holds the ASEAN chair in 2026.

The deployment, sent off at the Liberty Shrine in Mactan, is led by 2,312 police officers. It also includes 478 fire protection personnel, 60 from the Philippine Coast Guard, 341 from the Philippine Navy and 214 from the Philippine Army, along with 30 jail management officers, 155 health department medical staff and 80 people from the Office of Civil Defense. Cebu Daily News reported that the armed forces, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency and several national departments are also part of the security preparations.

National police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. told the Central Visayas regional police office to keep up heightened readiness and step up intelligence monitoring for the whole gathering, according to The Manila Times. The regional office raised its status from normal to heightened alert even though no threats had been monitored, and police coverage of the venue, hotels, convoy routes and sites that delegates may visit will stay in place until 1 November. The Manila Times gave the dates of the ministers' meeting itself as 28 to 31 October.

Lapu-Lapu City has also declared its entire territory a no-fly zone from 26 to 30 October under a 2022 city ordinance. The ban covers drones and other unmanned aircraft, kites, balloons and remotely controlled flying objects, as well as laser lights and searchlights. The city said its police have equipment to disable unauthorised flying objects, which can be confiscated, and operators face a fine of 5,000 pesos.

Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said at an online briefing on 23 October that the South China Sea would naturally come up at the meetings. He listed working group papers on critical underwater infrastructure and on maritime law and security, West Philippine Sea issues, and the observer teams deployed in Cambodia and Thailand as other items for discussion.

Asked whether China would send a representative, Teodoro said a notice had been sent to Chinese authorities only the day before and that he did not know whether they would attend. He said that, as far as he knew, almost all of the Plus countries would take part. The ADMM-Plus joins the 11 ASEAN members with eight partners: the United States, China, Japan, Australia, India, South Korea, New Zealand and Russia.

The ADMM is ASEAN's highest defence consultative and cooperative body, while the Plus format extends those talks to the eight dialogue partners. The Daily Tribune said this year's meetings are meant to address regional stability, maritime security, respect for international law and cooperation during natural disasters.

For Manila, the meetings put its maritime disputes with Beijing before a forum whose members include both China and the United States. Teodoro has already named the South China Sea and West Philippine Sea issues as agenda items, so whether China sends a delegation, and at what level, will shape how far that discussion in Cebu can go.