Thank you, Mr. Chair,

Allow me to congratulate you on your election as Chair of the 2025 substantive session of the UN Disarmament Commission. The Philippines pledges its full support and cooperation to your leadership and looks forward to a productive session under your guidance.

The Philippines aligns itself with the ASEAN statement delivered by Malaysia and the NAM statement delivered by Indonesia.

Mr. Chair,

The UNDC continues to serve as an irreplaceable forum where every Member State can contribute to developing recommendations for achieving the objectives of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. The Philippines remains hopeful that through genuine engagement, UNDC’s outcome will positively contribute to the upcoming 11^th NPT Review Conference and strengthen the implementation of commitments made at the 3^rd Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

The Philippines notes with profound concern the persistent tensions among nuclear powers and the ongoing modernization of nuclear arsenals. Recent conflicts have demonstrated how quickly nuclear rhetoric can escalate, bringing the world perilously close to nuclear confrontation. This alarming reality underscores the urgency of tangible progress on nuclear disarmament.

As a staunch advocate for nuclear disarmament, the Philippines maintains that the possession of nuclear weapons by any State poses a threat to all States and stands fundamentally incompatible with the rules of international humanitarian law. While risk reduction measures are necessary to decrease the likelihood of nuclear weapon use through accident, miscalculation, or deliberate action, such measures must be pursued as complementary to - never as substitutes for - nuclear disarmament. We emphasize that the only absolute guarantee against the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons is their complete elimination.

We reiterate the urgent need for transparency and accountability of Nuclear Weapon States regarding their disarmament obligations under the NPT. This must take the form of benchmarks, and concrete, measurable, and time-bound actions with established deadlines. Nuclear Weapon States must report their implementation of these obligations to the NPT Review Conference in a structured manner that enables non-Nuclear Weapon States to engage constructively on these reports.

As we approach the solemn 80^th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we must reinvigorate our collective resolve to prevent such tragedies from ever recurring by eliminating the existential threat of nuclear weapons.

Mr. Chair,

Turning to emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, the Philippines recognizes their transformative potential in supporting multilaterally agreed priorities such as the Sustainable Development Goals. However, we must ensure they are deployed responsibly, in a manner that safeguards international peace and security while respecting the core principles of the United Nations.

We must also acknowledge the stark capacity disparities in AI development and governance. Few countries possess the advanced infrastructure, research capabilities, and skilled workforce needed to lead in AI development. This creates significant challenges for developing countries and risks further widening global inequalities. The Philippines strongly advocates for international cooperation, technical assistance, and knowledge-sharing to ensure no country is left behind in this technological revolution.

We are concerned about duplicative discussions on technologies within the UN system. Given the time constraints of our session, clear mandates for each forum are needed to prevent redundancies. In this regard, we trust your leadership, Mr. Chair, and the Working Group Chairs to help Member States navigate our deliberations and produce meaningful outcomes.

The Philippines stands ready to work with all delegations to ensure that his substantive session produces concrete recommendations on both nuclear disarmament and emerging technologies that reflect our collective commitment to a more peaceful, secure, and equitable world.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.