Welcome to the Philippines, our nation of 117 million. A warm welcome to all of you: delegates of the 49th ASEAN Summit, world leaders and your posse of aides, buff bodyguards and assorted hangers-on.
Welcome to Manila, welcome to mayhem, though you may not see it. Tarpaulins and giant billboards have concealed the ugly side as expected.
But it’s also welcome to this island paradise in the Pacific, the Pearl of the Orient, as they say, as some of you may have the chance to find out if you extend your stay long after the meetings, banquets and closed-door sessions.
The Philippines has some of the world’s best beaches, coral reefs and diving spots, emerald blue waters and pinkish sand. I hope you can find time to visit Palawan, Boracay, Bohol or many other places in between.
But if you’re stuck in Manila, depending on where you’re billeted, you might catch a glimpse of the famed Manila Bay sunset from your hotel room – a breathtaking sight of a fierce crimson sun disappearing far into the horizon, leaving the waters glistening like a giant jewelry box.
There is nothing quite like it anywhere else in the world.
We are a beautiful country, no doubt, with an even more beautiful people. The smiles of Filipinos are genuine and warm, no matter how difficult the days and nights may be.
And you won’t have much trouble communicating.
English is widely spoken here, without the tonal accent you might notice in other Southeast Asian countries. You can strike up a conversation with anyone – from your Filipino counterpart in the diplomatic community to the locals manning sari-sari stores in the neighborhood.
I haven’t even mentioned the food.
As of November 2026, the Philippines has 126 restaurants in the Michelin Guide, from two stars to a long list of Selected restaurants and eateries.
Even the late Anthony Bourdain, the celebrated American chef and food storyteller, was won over by Filipino food.
He once declared that sisig – that traditional dish of chopped pig’s face, served on a sizzling hot plate – was perfectly positioned to win the hearts and minds of the world.
So dear guests, come visit us hungry. I can assure you, you will have a gastronomic adventure.
Our hotels are world-class and service is excellent. You will experience this for sure at Enrique Razon’s Solaire Resort Entertainment City in Parañaque, the ground zero of most ASEAN activities, and in other hotels you may find yourselves in.
The glittering Philippine International Convention Center, where some of the ASEAN activities will be held, is a showcase of Brutalist architecture, designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin.
Elsewhere around Manila, the capital, you will see old apartments and mansions that reflect our mix of varied influences – all the way back to the Spanish colonial era.
In his book, Manila, My Manila, another National Artist, this time for Literature, Nick Joaquin, said, “Like Troy and like Rome, Manila has been many cities and will be many more.”
This is our Manila – destroyed, conquered, rebuilt yet continuously tested by generations and generations of politicians.
City of contrasts
But I must warn you, dear visitor, lest you fall in love with this place: Manila is a city of contrasts.
If you stay long enough, you will soon see that beneath the charm is an ugly head just waiting to be discovered.
Behind the glam and glitter and the striking red carpet lies another Manila: crowded streets and communities where people struggle to make ends meet. Some live on cold pavements in Manila’s nook and crannies but you won’t see them because the streets have been temporarily cleaned up for your visit.
And then there is the traffic.
This is Dan Brown’s Manila, which he dubbed the Gates of Hell.
Traffic is so bad here, every single day, with or without ASEAN.
Depending on who you are, though, you may not even experience it. You will be given an army of siren-blaring police escorts, allowing you to snake your way through the gridlock without breaking a sweat.
The rest of us, mere mortals in this country of stark inequality, will have to endure the road closures, horrendous traffic and work disruption.
President Marcos himself has appealed for understanding, assuring the public that the inconvenience is temporary and that the benefits of hosting the summit will outweigh the disruptions.
The government has earmarked P22.9 billion for the country’s ASEAN hosting, but the Palace said it was worth it.
We certainly hope so.
The regional bloc, I wish with fingers crossed, will help us at a particularly difficult time for the country.
The Middle East conflict is driving up energy costs, threatening to make life even more expensive for all of us while the US-China rivalry has given us geopolitical headaches.
Fuel sharing in the region, more trade opportunities and better access to markets and more foreign investors finally putting the Philippines on their radar are some of the concrete results we hope to see after this summit. In short, real economic benefits, more than diplomatic pleasantries.
And finally, I hope we attract more visitors like you. I hope you come back, our dear ASEAN friends, and long for more of what the Philippines has to offer.
For now, welcome to Manila, warts and all!
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Email: eyesgonzales@gmail.com. Follow her on X @eyesgonzales. Column archives at EyesWideOpen on FB.