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Marcos: PH hosting of ASEAN 2026 ‘enormous responsibility, great opportunity’
The Philippines officially assumed the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, taking over from Malaysia.
As chair for 2026, the country will host hundreds of meetings and events, including the 48th and 49th ASEAN Summits, and will steer regional discussions.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. described the hosting as an "enormous responsibility" that also presents "great opportunities" for the country.
He stated that the Philippines aims to be a "chill and hospitable" host, leveraging the Filipinos' easy-going nature as an advantage in finding consensus among member states.
The hosting will focus on practical, inclusive, and measurable initiatives for the ASEAN Vision 2045, with key discussion areas including peace and security, maritime cooperation, trade, development, and climate change.
The Philippines is allocating over P17.5 billion for its hosting duties in 2026, in addition to P5.4 billion for preparations in 2025.
Marcos Jr. reaffirmed the Philippines' commitment to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and cited progress in trade agreements like the ATIGA and the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area 3.0 Upgrade.
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