The National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP) participated in the Track II Network of ASEAN Defense and Security Institutions (NADI) workshop with the theme, “Strengthening Border Management Cooperation in ASEAN,” on 23-24 November 2022, hosted by the Center for Strategic Studies, Research and Development Tentara Nasional Indonesia (CSSRD-TNI), via Zoom. The virtual NADI workshop covered the security challenges of national and regional borders in ASEAN and potential cooperative initiatives among ASEAN member states.

NADI delegates shared their respective countries’ experiences dealing with border security challenges at both the national and regional levels. During the workshop, there was a recognition for more intense cooperation, with references to the ASEAN Border Management Cooperation Roadmap, adopted in Thailand in 2019, as well as the Concept Paper on the Role of ASEAN Defense Establishments in Supporting Border Management. Collaborative efforts were also realized to optimize existing regional mechanisms such as ASEAN Our Eyes (AOE), the ASEANAPOL database system, and the ASEAN Immigration Intelligence Forum (AIIF).

NDCP’s Defense Research Officer I, Mr. Vince Andre Sabellon, presented a paper entitled, “The Future of Cooperation on Border Security in Maritime Areas of Concern” written alongside Ms Najwa Unga, Defense Research Officer I, and Ms Julia Gatdula, an NDCP intern. The paper emphasized the importance of border management and its challenges for ASEAN member states, citing transnational issues such as terrorism, piracy, and crime as common concerns that necessitate international security cooperation.

NADI is an informal, Track II grouping of defense and security organizations in Southeast Asia where participants freely discuss relevant issues in their own personal capacity. Participants in NADI activities are encouraged to talk about ideas and proposals that may be deemed too sensitive to be discussed in official, Track I meetings (among governments).