Philippines and Indonesia Expand Cooperation on Citizenship Documentation

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Philippines and Indonesia are deepening their bilateral cooperation with a focus on documenting Filipino descendants living in North Sulawesi, a move aimed at strengthening social inclusion and access to public services.

Philippine Foreign Affairs Minister Theresa Lazaro highlighted the initiative during a joint press conference with Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Sugiono in Jakarta on Thursday, April 23, 2026.

“The Philippines hopes this program will allow Filipino descendants to be documented and to access social services comprehensively and quickly,” Minister Lazaro said, as quoted by Antara.

She noted that the Philippines had already completed a first wave of registrations for Indonesian descendants living in the Philippines, with thousands of individuals successfully confirmed as Indonesian citizens.

“That program benefited thousands of individuals whose Indonesian nationality has been confirmed. Once again, we are in the process of expanding the action plan between the two countries,” she explained.

Beyond citizenship documentation, both nations discussed a wide range of issues under the Philippines-Indonesia Action Plan 2022–2027, covering defense, security, maritime cooperation, economy, health, education, and other strategic areas.

They also exchanged views on pressing regional and global matters, including the South China Sea, ASEAN dynamics, United Nations issues, and the Middle East crisis.

Minister Lazaro further announced that the Philippines will host the next Joint Commission meeting in Manila, a step seen as crucial to maintaining momentum and ensuring the implementation of agreements already reached.

This initiative underscores the enduring partnership between Indonesia and the Philippines, reflecting a shared commitment to not only address citizenship concerns but also to strengthen cooperation across multiple sectors in an increasingly complex regional landscape. ***