President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to highlight energy security, food stability, and the protection of overseas Asian nationals as key priorities when the 48th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit formally opens in Cebu on Thursday.
In a video message released on Wednesday ahead of the summit, Marcos said ASEAN must strengthen cooperation amid rising global uncertainties, including tensions in the Middle East, which he noted continue to pose risks to energy supply chains and the safety of citizens abroad.
He stressed that ASEAN unity remains central to the region’s ability to respond to shared challenges.
“We underscore that the only way forward is for ASEAN to remain united, coalescing as a force for good in the region, with ASEAN Centrality as our guiding principle,” Marcos said, adding that the Philippines carries “with pride and resolve” its role as ASEAN Chair this year.
The President said the region has made significant progress since the Philippines last held the chairship nine years ago, but warned that ASEAN still faces an increasingly complex global environment that demands stronger coordination.
“But our work is far from over, as we continue to wrestle against an increasingly complex global environment where prompt and sustained cooperation is crucial,” he said.
Marcos said discussions during the summit will focus on three major concerns: energy security, food security, and the safety of ASEAN nationals worldwide. He said these issues have become more urgent amid global disruptions affecting supply chains and geopolitical stability.
On energy, the President said he will push for stronger regional preparedness measures, including efforts to stabilize supply and accelerate energy diversification to reduce reliance on volatile external sources.
He also emphasized the need to reinforce food security by ensuring the uninterrupted flow of essential goods across borders, while supporting farmers and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that form the backbone of regional food systems.
Marcos added that ASEAN must also strengthen mechanisms to protect its citizens overseas, particularly in light of ongoing regional conflicts and crises affecting migrant workers and travelers.
“We will continue to stress that as one region, our efforts will truly be effective on the basis of a unified approach and collective vision,” he said, noting that such cooperation is essential to achieving a secure and stable future for ASEAN peoples.
The Philippines is hosting the 48th ASEAN Summit under the theme “Navigating Our Future, Together,” with preparatory meetings already underway in Cebu led by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
Senior officials and ministers from ASEAN member-states have begun discussions in Mactan, Cebu, covering political-security and economic matters in advance of the main summit sessions.
A series of high-level meetings will continue through May 7, including ASEAN foreign and economic ministerial sessions, as well as a special summit for the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).
The main leaders’ summit opens on May 8 at the Mactan Expo in Lapu-Lapu City, followed by working sessions and a retreat involving heads of state from ASEAN member-countries, including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
Marcos is also scheduled to hold a press conference at the International Media Center after the summit proceedings, followed by a state-hosted gala dinner with First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos to formally close the event.