Philippines to Host Series of Preparatory Meetings for the 48th ASEAN Summit
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is hosting a series of meetings to prepare for the 48th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit on 8 May in Cebu.
“Ahead of the ASEAN Summit on 8 May 2026, the Philippines, through the Department of Foreign Affairs as the lead agency for the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) pillar, will host a series of preparatory meetings,” said Assistant Secretary of Foreign Affairs and ASEAN Spokesperson Dominic Xavier Imperial at a press conference in Cebu on Wednesday, as stated on the official website of the Philippines’ ASEAN 2026 Chairmanship.
The preparations include a senior officials’ meeting (SOM) of ASEAN on Wednesday afternoon, to be followed by a senior officials’ meeting of the Political-Security and Economic Community pillars (SOM-SEOM) of ASEAN.
On Thursday (7 May), a series of ministerial-level meetings will be held, including the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM), the 31st Meeting of the ASEAN Political-Security Community Council (APSC), the 38th Meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC), and the Joint Meeting of ASEAN Foreign and Economic Ministers.
Imperial stated that these meetings will be attended by senior officials and foreign ministers from the 11 ASEAN member countries to help lay the foundation for the ASEAN Summit through discussions focused on pressing regional priorities and ASEAN’s long-term community-building agenda in line with the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
Under the APSC pillar of ASEAN, the Philippines is also working to endorse three important outcome documents for consideration by ASEAN leaders when they meet for the ASEAN Summit on Friday.
The three pillars of the ASEAN Community, which aim to promote regional integration, include the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC), the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC).
These pillars were established to ensure enduring peace, an integrated market, and improved quality of life across Southeast Asia.