JEJU, 31 MAY 2023 – Philippine Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Affairs Jesus Ricardo S. Domingo reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) at the High-Level Political Meeting in commemoration of its 20th anniversary.

In a statement delivered before 68-PSI member states including chairs the Republic of Korea, the United States and Australia, Undersecretary Domingo reaffirmed Philippine commitment to work with partners to curb proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery.  

He further highlighted that it is also important to note the risks being posed by new and emerging technologies, including cyber and in outer space, as well as artificial intelligence, as they have the potential to become new weapons of mass destruction.

“President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called for the development of international norms and rules to ensure their responsible and ethical use. Effective governance structures must be developed to temper the power of AI and its potential abuse, and also to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. These emerging technologies must be used for the common good, and in a manner that protects our common humanity. The Philippines continues to support the goals of the PSI to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their delivery systems,” the Undersecretary said.

The Undersecretary also informed the meeting that the Philippines launched its candidature for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the term 2027-2028. Through the candidature, the Philippines hopes to contribute significantly to the work of the Security Council by sharing our experiences in peace-building and peace processes, and in combating the proliferation of WMD through initiatives such as the PSI. The Philippines also endorsed the Joint Statement of the High-Level Political Meeting. END