Prabowo Attends Opening Ceremony of the 48th ASEAN Summit in the Philippines
President Prabowo Subianto attended the opening ceremony of the 48th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at Mactan Expo, Cebu, Philippines, on Friday, 8 May 2026. According to a written statement from the Presidential Secretariat, the Head of State arrived around 09:04 local time (LT) and proceeded directly to the foyer.
Upon arrival at the venue, Prabowo was personally welcomed by Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Romualdez Marcos Jr. and his wife, Marie Louise Cacho Araneta Marcos.
Prabowo—wearing a suit paired with a blue shirt and a striped tie—shook hands with Bongbong and Marie. The three then posed for a photograph together, before Prabowo headed to the waiting room with the other attending heads of state.
Subsequently, President Prabowo, along with other Southeast Asian leaders, proceeded to Halls 2 and 3 to participate in the opening ceremony.
In his opening remarks, President Marcos Jr. emphasised the importance of ASEAN nations’ collective commitment to maintaining dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect amid increasingly complex global dynamics. Bongbong stated that the presence of Southeast Asian leaders at the conference reflects the region’s collective spirit.
Furthermore, he affirmed that the current challenges facing the region should serve as a momentum to strengthen unity and enhance cooperation among ASEAN countries. “If there is one lesson that ASEAN has learned over the decades, it is that difficult times do not divide us,” Bongbong said in his remarks.
The opening ceremony of the 48th ASEAN Summit concluded with a group photo session. The ASEAN leaders were seen standing hand in hand. During the session, President Prabowo stood between the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam, His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, and the Prime Minister of Cambodia, Hun Manet.
Yesterday, President Prabowo attended the Special Summit of the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA). This agenda forms part of the 48th ASEAN Summit held in Cebu, Philippines.
In his speech, Prabowo highlighted the issue of energy resilience. He stated that escalating global pressures and geopolitical instability due to the war in the Western Asia region have made energy a challenge that must be addressed immediately.
“Energy resilience is one of the important issues we face today. With increasing global pressures and instability in the Middle East, this is no longer a long-term problem, but an urgent one,” said Prabowo in the Philippines on Thursday, 7 May 2026.
He noted that the BIMP-EAGA region has significant potential in developing renewable energy. He mentioned resources ranging from hydropower, solar power, wind power, to fertile land that have not yet been optimally utilised. Prabowo then questioned the readiness of member countries to harness this potential.
“The question is, are we ready to act on that potential? Not only to meet our subregional needs, but also to contribute to ASEAN’s energy transition?” said the Chairman of the Gerindra Party.
Furthermore, the President encouraged concrete steps to accelerate the development of clean energy in the region. Some steps he highlighted include developing hydropower in Borneo, expanding solar energy projects in Palawan, and utilising wind energy in coastal areas.