Philippines pledges to strengthen regional peace, expand prosperity corridors and advance people empowerment as next ASEAN chair under “Navigating Our Future Together” theme.
KUALA LUMPUR: Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr has pledged to strengthen regional unity, peace and prosperity as the Philippines prepares to assume the ASEAN Chairmanship for 2026.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, Marcos said the Philippines will lead ASEAN under the theme “Navigating Our Future Together”.
The theme centres on three priorities: strengthening peace and security, expanding prosperity corridors and advancing people empowerment.
“These priorities will serve as our compass, guiding ASEAN towards a future where peace, prosperity and people remain at the heart of all that we say and all that we do,” he said.
He received the ASEAN Chairmanship from Malaysia at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, marking the ceremonial transition as Malaysia nears the final phase of its 2025 Chairmanship.
Marcos noted that 2026 will mark the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
He added that the Philippines will continue to champion peace and stability through dialogue, adherence to international law and enhanced cooperation on security challenges.
“Although the tides of change may be unpredictable, our compass must remain constant, anchored in cooperation and oriented towards a stable, secure and rules-based ASEAN regional architecture,” he said.
He stressed that Manila’s approach will be to build on, rather than diverge from, the collective work of previous chairmanships.
The Philippine leader congratulated Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Malaysians for successfully steering ASEAN under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability”.
He described Malaysia’s leadership as guided by clarity, conviction and pragmatism.
“You have shown us that ASEAN makes the greatest strides when vision is matched with pragmatism,” Marcos said.
He reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to supporting Timor-Leste’s full integration into the ASEAN family.
Marcos also expressed appreciation to the ASEAN Secretariat’s unwavering support in ensuring the bloc’s continued success. – Bernama
