ASEAN HEADLINE-49TH ASEAN SUMMIT PHILIPPINES 2026 | MANILA: From trade to security: What’s on the agenda of the 49th Asean Summit?
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrives in a vehicle at the Philippine International Convention Center for the opening ceremonies of the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Meetings in Manila on November 15, 2026.
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WATCH VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdcBOlX3_C4
Opening Ceremony of the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits
The opening ceremony of the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits celebrates the region and the Filipino welcome, as the Philippines enters the final chapter of its year as ASEAN Chair. Over the next three days, the leaders of ASEAN and our partners meet in Manila to set the course for the region.
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ASEAN unveils its new flag and emblem, now featuring 11 paddy stalks to symbolize Timor-Leste’s admission to the regional bloc. (ASEAN 2026 PH/YouTube)
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MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will host the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit and Related Summits on Nov. 15 to 17, bringing regional leaders together to discuss key political, security and economic issues.
The second Asean summit hosted by the country this year, the event follows the 48th Asean Summit held in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, in May. It will also mark the culmination of the Philippines’ chairship of the regional bloc.
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Asean 2026 in a nutshell
The main events, to be held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City, will bring together leaders from the 11 Asean member states and representatives of nine dialogue partner countries to discuss regional priorities and pressing issues.
READ: No Xi, but Li of China expected in PH-hosted Asean summit
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Meanwhile, ministerial meetings will be held at Conrad Manila, while the World Trade Center will serve as the International Media Center for at least 5,000 media delegates.
The Philippines was not originally scheduled to chair Asean this year. It took over the role after Myanmar formally relinquished its turn amid its ongoing internal crisis and regional diplomatic pressure.
When did Asean begin?
On Aug. 8, 1967, five foreign ministers gathered at the main hall of the Department of Foreign Affairs building in Bangkok, Thailand, to sign the Declaration of Asean, also known as the Bangkok Declaration. They were Indonesia’s Adam Malik, the Philippines’ Narciso R. Ramos, Malaysia’s Tun Abdul Razak, Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam and Thailand’s Thanat Khoman.
READ: Asean at a glance: Meet the bloc’s 11 member states
The five men would later be recognized as the Founding Fathers of Asean, now considered one of the most successful intergovernmental organizations in the developing world.
The regional bloc held its first-ever Asean Summit in Bali, Indonesia, in 1976, establishing the tradition of holding two meetings in a year, with hosting duties rotating among member states.
READ: AFP to secure Asean leaders during Manila summit
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During the 48th Asean Summit in Cebu in May, leaders adopted the Cebu Protocol to Amend the Charter of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, formally integrating Timor-Leste as the 11th and newest member of the group.
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What does hosting the summit mean to the Philippines?
Nine years after the Philippines last hosted the major regional event in 2017, it is now President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s turn to lead the bloc in shaping its priorities and advancing shared goals amid evolving regional and global challenges.
For ordinary Filipinos, the high-level gathering of leaders from Southeast Asia and dialogue partner countries, including the United States, China and Japan, may seem to have little impact on their day-to-day lives.
For Marcos, however, the summit offers an opportunity to position the Philippines as a regional leader capable of helping shape priorities in the years ahead.
He is also expected to present the country as a business-friendly destination for foreign investors, with the aim of attracting investments that could generate jobs for Filipinos.
“This is really a golden opportunity for us to showcase our country,” said Asean Director-General for Operations Hellen Dela Vega.
Leaders, meanwhile, are also expected to tackle regional security issues, economic uncertainty, and energy crises.
The 49th Asean Summit requires massive security and logistical operations involving more than 19,000 police and military personnel. Special non-working days have also been declared in Metro Manila from Nov. 16 to 18, while transport and activist groups are expected to hold public demonstrations during the event.
READ: Trump to join Asean leaders at Manila summit on Nov. 17
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As of Nov. 10, confirmed participants include United States President Donald Trump, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Meanwhile, award-winning Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie arrived in Manila on Monday for the Inclusive Growth Summit scheduled for Nov. 11.
Priority agreements of the Philippines with Asean, dialogue partners
With the theme “Navigating Our Future, Together,” the country’s chairship focuses on three goals: strengthening regional stability and humanitarian assistance through international law and dialogue; driving regional economic integration and sustainable growth; and expanding access to healthcare, education, and other forms of support for vulnerable groups.
READ: Marcos wants South China Sea code of conduct finalized during Asean
As he said during the 48th Asean Summit in Cebu, Marcos is pushing for the finalization of the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea to help de-escalate tensions in the contested waters.
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The proposed COC is intended to establish rules governing the conduct of countries in the disputed waters and prevent incidents that could lead to armed conflict.
Key agenda, discussions
In a media interview in October, Marcos noted “good progress” in the negotiations for the COC in the South China Sea.
“We’re working very, very hard, we’re making good progress as a matter of fact, in terms of the code of conduct,” Marcos told Forbes Chair and editor-in-chief Steve Forbes during an onstage discussion at the 24th Forbes Global CEO Conference in Singapore.
“The discussions have been going on for a while, and sometimes it’s a bit frustrating that just the definitions of ordinary words are becoming bones of contention,” he said.
“But we are determined to come to an agreement and to hopefully de-escalate the situation,” he added.
Moreover, Marcos is expected to push for the conclusion of the Asean Digital Economy Framework Agreement, advance the implementation of the Asean Power Grid, and expedite the ratification of the Asean Framework Agreement on Petroleum Security.
Perhaps the most controversial is the US-led Pax Silica initiative, which aims to secure global supply chains for artificial intelligence (AI) technology, semiconductors and critical minerals while reducing dependence on China for manufacturing and rare-earth processing.
Plans to establish an industrial hub in Central Luzon have drawn opposition from groups that warn the project could drain water resources, strain the power grid and displace communities if a data center is built there.
However, US Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton has said there will be no announcement about the Pax Silica project “during or after” the Asean events.
READ: Pax Silica brings promise – but at what cost?
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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s efforts to finalize separate free trade agreements with the Philippines and the Asean region are also worth watching.
On regional conflicts, it remains to be seen whether Marcos and other Southeast Asian leaders will once again address the ongoing crisis in Myanmar.
During the recent Asean Summit in Cebu, Marcos acknowledged growing “frustration” among Southeast Asian leaders over the lack of progress in resolving the Myanmar crisis, saying the regional bloc “needs to do more” to move the peace process forward.
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Schedule of activities
Among the scheduled events, aside from the Leaders’ Summit, are the 29th Asean-China Summit, the 16th Asean-United Nations Summit, the 6th Asean-Australia Summit, the 27th Asean-Republic of Korea Summit and the 29th Asean-Japan Summit, among others.
The Quad Leaders’ Summit is also scheduled to take place, bringing together the leaders of India, the United States, Japan and Australia.
The culminating event will be Marcos’ turnover of the Asean chairship to Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Nov. 17.
The following day, Marcos, Trump and other world leaders will travel to Shenzhen, China, for the 33rd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting, scheduled for Nov. 18 to 19.
Scheduled activities overview
Asean clearing operations slammed
The anticipated event has drawn criticism following clearing operations in Pasay and Parañaque cities and nearby areas, which allegedly displaced street vendors, small businesses, and homeless people in an effort to “conceal” poverty in Metro Manila ahead of the summit.
READ: Palace: Clearing ops ahead of Asean for ‘safety’ of delegates
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Defending the government’s decision, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the clearing operations were necessary to ensure the “safety” of delegates and should not be politicized.
“It is highly significant that we demonstrate that we are a nation capable of providing adequate security for the leaders who visit our country,” she said at a briefing on Nov. 10.
“Should any aspect be affected—including any transportation services impacted by the planned rally—the government will take the necessary steps to address it,” Castro said.
Castro urged protesters to hold their demonstrations at a different time and avoid staging them while delegates are arriving on Nov. 15. /dl
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