Indonesia-Philippines Discuss Registration of People of Descent

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – Indonesia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sugiono, highlighted the importance of registering and addressing people of Indonesian and Filipino descent as part of strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. He noted that ethnic proximity and familial ties between communities in North Sulawesi and the southern Philippines make citizenship issues a shared concern.

“This is important because the Philippines is a very close neighbor to Indonesia, and there has been long-standing traditional human mobility,” said Sugiono after meeting with Philippine Foreign Minister Theresa Lazaro at the Pancasila Building in Jakarta on Thursday, April 23, 2026.

According to Sugiono, the Indonesian government has carried out the registration and identification of around 8,000 people of Indonesian descent, as well as about 800 people of Filipino descent. “They will later be granted their rights in accordance with their respective citizenship,” he said.

Meanwhile, Philippine Foreign Minister, Theresa Lazaro, stated that both countries also discussed ongoing efforts to register people of Filipino descent in North Sulawesi. “The Philippines hopes this program will enable people of Filipino descent to be properly documented and to access social services in a comprehensive and timely manner,” Lazaro said in a joint statement with Sugiono.

She added that the first phase of registration for people of Indonesian descent in the Philippines has been completed and deemed successful through close coordination with Indonesian authorities.

“The program has benefited thousands of individuals whose Indonesian citizenship has been confirmed. We are now in the process of expanding the action plan between the two countries,” Lazaro said.

In addition, both countries discussed various issues under the Philippines–Indonesia Plan of Action 2022–2027, which covers defense, security, maritime cooperation, economy, health, education, and other strategic sectors.

Regarding the geopolitical situation in the Middle East, Indonesia and the Philippines believe that the current ceasefire is an important step to prevent wider escalation. Sugiono emphasized that stability in the Gulf region is crucial, as any disruption would affect energy security, supply chains, and economic resilience in ASEAN and across Asia.