With great pride and a profound sense of purpose, we welcome our brothers and sisters from our ASEAN family to this historic 48th ASEAN Summit.
We gather at a time when the world is wrapped in tension and volatile fuel prices that have disrupted our economies and brought difficulties to our people. All these add to the challenges that we already face-from climate risks to digital divide to geopolitical uncertainty.
Now more than ever, our responses require more than just individual effort; they demand a unified, collective act and vision.
“Navigating Our Future, Together,” is, therefore, more than just the theme of our Summit. It captures the strength of our solidarity in facing the challenges ahead and charting the course of our shared future.
Let this Summit then serve as a moment for action when dialogue leads to results that benefit all of ASEAN.
Together, let us navigate the complexities of this time and forge a future that is secure, peaceful, stable, and prosperous for every ASEAN national.
Thank you to our fellow ASEAN members for the opportunity to chair this 48th Summit.
Mabuhay!
(Sgd.) FERDINAND R. MARCOS JR.
PRESIDENT
Republic of the Philippines
Distinguished leaders and partners across Southeast Asia: welcome to the Philippines.
As we gather for the 48th ASEAN Leaders’ Summit, we come together as one region with a shared responsibility: to secure a brighter and more resilient future for all our peoples, especially in a time of uncertainty and rapid change.
As Chair of ASEAN 2026, the Philippines is guided by three priorities: Peace and Security, Prosperity, and People Empowerment. These reflect our commitment to keep our region stable, our economies growing, and our citizens at the center of progress.
But today’s challenges demand more from us. With tensions in the Middle East affecting us all, this Summit is an opportunity to deepen collaboration on the issues that matter most: energy security, food security, and the safety of ASEAN nationals wherever they may be.
As host, the Philippines is determined to use this platform to advance concrete and sustainable solutions to current and future challenges in order to shape a better future for all. Let us match the scale of today’s demands with the strength of our solidarity. We aim not only to overcome these difficulties, but to emerge stronger than ever.
With unity as our anchor, ASEAN will continue to be a force for good in the world. May our partnerships remain steadfast, our institutions responsive, and our aspirations bold as we “navigate our future, together.”
Mabuhay!
(Sgd.) RALPH G. RECTO
ACTING EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
Chair, 48th ASEAN Summit
National Organizing Council
