ASEAN Summit preps mostly done, says Palace

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The preparation for the Philippines’ hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in November is mostly done, except for a few possible improvements, according to the Palace on Tuesday.

The Philippines is nearing the end of its chairship of the ASEAN for 2026, with the leadership being passed to Singapore for 2027. The main event where various international leaders are expected to attend will take place in November.

“With 20 heads of state in attendance, this is a meeting with a million moving parts, from convoys to conferences, from agenda to attractions to be visited, from security to seat plans, so failure on our part is not an option,” Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said in a Facebook post.

“There is a long check list of things to be done, and we have ticked almost all of them. This ranges from the minute, like the salubong sa tarmac, to the massive, which is the road traffic adjustments,” he added.

Recto said the government was trying to blend the Filipinos’ fiesta hospitality with the serious businesses of the Summit.

The Palace has already declared November 16 to 18 as holidays for the ASEAN Summit.

In a media briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said that preparations are mostly done.

“Halos tapos na po ang preparation pero habang may nakikita pa na i-improve ay ginagawa pa rin iyan,” Castro said. (All of the preparations are almost done but if something needs to be improved, it will also be done.)

Aside from other ASEAN heads of state, United States President Donald Trump is also expected to attend the Summit. This would mark his first visit to the Philippines during his second term as President.

Trump’s last visit to the Philippines was in 2017 during Manila’s last chairmanship of the ASEAN. —RF, GMA News