MANILA — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the Philippines is more than ready to lead the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2026, when the Philippines assumes the Chairship of the 11-nation bloc.
The President assured that the Philippines is fully capable and ready to host the biannual international event, particularly in terms of logistics and infrastructure.
Aside from the physical preparations involved in hosting the next ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, the Philippines has also prepared the agenda for next year.
“When you are the Chair of ASEAN, you lead. And that is what we are ready to do because we have a very, very good idea of what the elements are that we feel need to be part of the discussions of ASEAN during our Chairship,” President Marcos said during the Kapihan with the Media in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Tuesday.
“We are now in the process of putting together the different elements of where we think ASEAN should be focusing,” the President said during the media interview, capping his successful participation in the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits from October 26 to 28.
“So, one of the things is the COC, for example. Number one para sa atin. The other member states, that’s not as a big priority to them as it is to us. So, this is our chance to really promote that and to highlight that, and hopefully we will succeed,” the President said, referring to the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea being negotiated among ASEAN member states and China.
President Marcos said the country has been preparing since early this year, relating a conversation with outgoing ASEAN Chair, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim about Malaysia’s hosting of the Summit.
“And he said, ‘You know this is what we’re having to do, and these are the things that we are having to arrange. It’s a big…’ And so immediately I said, ‘We’re next, we have to start preparing,” the President said.
“So, we have been preparing for it for about, eight months now, since nag-usap kami ni Anwar. Sabi ko, ‘Wow, malaking bagay pala ito. Ang dami palang kailangang gawin.’ So, pinaghahandaan na talaga namin. So, ‘yan, we are prepared,” the President stated. | PND
