Manila, July 24 -- The Department of National Defense (DND) on Friday joins the rest of the 11-member bloc Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) in the region.

"For five decades, the TAC has stood as the cornerstone of peaceful interstate relations, guided by the principles of mutual respect, dialogue, the peaceful settlement of disputes, and the renunciation of the threat or use of force," the DND said in a Facebook post.

TAC is ASEAN's core peace and security pact that established a code of conduct for inter-state relations within the region.

"As the regional security landscape continues to evolve, the DND reaffirms its commitment to advancin...