49th ASEAN Summit in Manila to kick off Sunday
Leaders of Southeast Asian nations are set to discuss pressing regional and global concerns as the Philippines hosts the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits beginning Sunday, November 15.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will chair the meetings, which will bring together leaders from across the region and their global partners.
The summit’s opening day will feature the ASEAN leaders’ interface meetings with representatives of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, the ASEAN Business Advisory Council, and ASEAN youth.
On Monday, November 16, ASEAN leaders will hold separate summits with their dialogue partners, including Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, the United States, and the United Nations.
On the final day, Marcos will convene the 29th ASEAN Plus Three Summit and the 21st East Asia Summit.
The Department of Foreign Affairs says these meetings will focus on shared regional and global challenges amid evolving geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties.
Among the key issues expected to be discussed are the energy crisis stemming from the conflict in the Middle East, food security, the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar, and transboundary haze.
ASEAN 2026 spokesperson and Deputy Director-General Dominic Xavier Imperial also highlighted the need to address transnational crime and online scams, as well as strengthen the protection and welfare of migrant workers.
The long-awaited Code of Conduct in the South China Sea is also expected to figure in discussions between ASEAN leaders and China, particularly on maritime cooperation and security.
While negotiations have made significant progress, a finalized agreement within the year remains uncertain.
Imperial said some provisions of the proposed agreement still require refinement and clarification by negotiators.
The Code of Conduct is intended to build on the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea by establishing a framework to manage tensions in the disputed waters, where several countries have overlapping territorial claims.
However, negotiations have been complicated by disagreements over the document’s scope, legal basis, and China’s position on key provisions.
Meanwhile, Imperial said the summit’s program would proceed as scheduled despite the expected late arrival of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trump is set to arrive on November 17, the same day the summit’s closing ceremony is scheduled to take place.
The ASEAN-U.S. Special Summit will follow later that day.
Marcos is also expected to hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the gathering with leaders from the United States, Australia, Brazil, Japan, and South Korea.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva arrived in Manila on Friday for a state visit and participation in the ASEAN Summit.
Imperial said proposed bilateral meetings with the leaders of India and Laos, as well as United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, are still being finalized.
Ahead of the summit’s formal opening, ASEAN member states are expected to sign the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement on Saturday, November 14.
The agreement aims to promote a safer, more connected, and integrated digital economy across the region.
The Philippines will formally hand over the ASEAN chairship to Singapore during the summit’s closing day. – ANC, The World Tonight, November 13, 2026