ASEAN was established in August 1967 with the purpose of 

accelerating the economic

growth, social progress, and cultural development in the region, and promoting regional
peace and stability.

The establishment of Maphilindo will remove the barriers that have been built artificially to divide
the peoples of the Malay race. These two developments, however, accomplish more than the
rectification of what is unjust or unnatural. Maphilindo was initially proposed as a realization of
Filipino national hero Dr. José Rizal's dream of uniting the Malay peoples, seen as artificially
divided by colonial frontiers. Uniting the Malay people was highly prioritized resulting in many
events occurring within the region.