Preparations for ASEAN Summit in Manila ‘almost done’ — Malacañang

MANILA — Preparations for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Leaders’ Summit in Manila are “almost done,” the Malacañang said on Tuesday, less than a month before the Philippines welcomes some 20 world leaders for the annual regional gathering.

“Ang paghahanda kasi habang pinapaganda mo ang isang event hindi mo masasabing tapos na ang pagprepara pero definitely November na po ito so halos tapos na po ang preparation,” Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro told Palace reporters.

“Habang may nakikita pa na i-improve ay ginagawa pa rin iyan,” she said.

In a separate statement, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said that preparations leading up to the regional summit are “time on target.”

“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,” Recto’s statement read.

Aside from the heads of government of the 11-member ASEAN bloc, world leaders expected to travel to Manila for the event include US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, among others.

“We are trying to blend the Filipino’s charming fiesta hospitality with the serious business that will be tackled during the summit,” Recto said.

“We have proven that we can be prudent with public resources without curbing the ambitious targets of the summit,” he said.

The 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits will happen in Manila on November 15 to 17, 2026.