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developed by ASEAN Secretariat in association with S. Rajaratnam School of

International Studies confirms this positive level of achievements. The
Scorecard has 208 indicators across 5 broad segments to measure and reflect

how far the goals and targets of ASCC pillar have been achieved (Secretariat,
2016a).

With achievements in the implementation of the roadmap for an ASEAN
community (2009–2015) and the formal establishment of the ASEAN

Community on December 31, 2015, the goal for ASEAN nations is now to

have greater regional integration, set through its post-2015 vision and guided
by the ASEAN Charter. The current ASCC Blueprint 2025 seeks to

consolidate the progress made by the earlier blueprint so that its benefits can
be secured. Amongst these benefits is the necessity to protect lower-income

people, who tend to be more vulnerable to both the vagaries of nature and

human-induced disasters. While addressing issues of social protection, the
community also needs to address more recent concerns of migration,

extremism, and climate change (Secretariat, 2016b).

Taking inspiration from the year’s theme of “Partnering for Change, Engaging

the World”, the ministers of all ten ASEAN member nations met on 8 March
th
2017 in Iloilo City at the 17 ASCC Council meeting under the chairmanship
of the Philippines, and extended strong support for the realization of the Socio-

Cultural community under thematic priorities which included a renewed stress
th
on a people-oriented and people-centred ASEAN. The 17 ASCC also took
stock of the implementation of the ASCC 2025 Blueprint through the various
sectoral ministerial bodies under the realm of the ASCC. These include AMRI

(Information), AMCA (Culture and Arts), ASED (Education), AMMDM
(Disaster Management), AMME (Environment), COP (Transboundary Haze

Pollution), AHMM (Health), ALMM (Labour), AMRDPE (Rural

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