President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. emphasized Monday that the country’s leadership of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year must produce tangible benefits for Filipinos and the broader region.
He expressed this position when he led an inter-agency meeting at Malacañang to review ongoing preparations for the Philippines’ 2026 ASEAN chairship.
During the meeting, Cabinet agencies presented priority plans centered on job creation, support for small businesses, improved digital services and strengthened people-centered programs, officials said.
Mr. Marcos underscored that these initiatives should translate into concrete outcomes during the country’s ASEAN leadership.
In a Palace press briefing, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said the Philippines is fully prepared to host the biannual ASEAN summit activities connected to the 2026 chairship.
She said coordination among concerned agencies is ongoing to ensure a smooth, secure and well-coordinated hosting.
Castro added that President Marcos directed ASEAN partners to give particular attention to assisting the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, especially in discussions under the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) during the summit.
Present during the meeting were Acting Executive Secretary Ralph Recto; Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro; Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina Aldeguer-Roque; Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda; Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian; Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr.; and PCO Acting Secretary Dave Gomez, among other senior officials.
The Philippines recently hosted the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Retreat and the ASEAN Tourism Forum in Cebu, events the government cited as part of its preparations for the 2026 chairship.
Established in 1967, ASEAN promotes political cooperation, economic integration and regional stability among Southeast Asian nations.
A founding member of the bloc, the Philippines is set to host the 48th and 49th ASEAN summits under President Marcos’ administration, marking the country’s fourth time to host the regional leaders’ meeting.
The Philippines last hosted the summit in 2017.
