Widening the ASEAN conversation

Cebu is gearing up for the Philippines’ hosting of the 48th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit from Wednesday, May 6, to Friday, May 8, 2026. The Philippines assumed the ASEAN chairmanship this year, succeeding Malaysia.

Heads of state and senior officials from the 11 ASEAN member-states are expected to attend the summit. According to the official event press release, the summit is anchored on the theme “Navigating Our Future, Together” and will tackle urgent regional priorities, including energy security, food security, and the safety of ASEAN nationals.

The primary venue for these high-level engagements is the newly-built Mactan Expo in Mactan Newtown, Lapu-Lapu City. Participants in side events and related activities should expect security checkpoints and traffic controls en route to the area. A source also said that roads within Mactan Newtown may be restricted to vehicles with ASEAN plates, effectively closing them to other vehicles during summit-related movements.

The cosmetic beautification along the South Road Properties (SRP) in Cebu City also indicates that the area may serve as a venue for some summit activities, or may somehow be involved as part of the delegates’ route, considering the hotels and convention sites nearby. On my way to Cebu south last weekend, I noticed ASEAN-themed tarpaulins and board-ups, with the SRP area looking its prettiest so far. I could only say, “Wow, that’s good,” but I was also sobered by the knowledge that such improvements usually happen only when international summits are held and important guests are around.

Speaking of important guests, Cebu will also host other regional voices this week. They may not be part of the summit proper, but their activities help bring balance and substance to the event. I am referring to the inaugural “ASEAN For The Peoples Week 2026”, organized by the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia from May 5 to 8 in Cebu alongside the 48th ASEAN Summit. The initiative is designed as a civil society platform bringing together policymakers, civil society leaders, business actors, youth representatives, media, academics, and regional partners to bridge the gap between ASEAN policy and public understanding.

The program will feature several activities that make ASEAN less distant and more understandable to ordinary citizens. These include an ASEAN Journalist and Digital Storyteller Capacity Building Fellowship on May 5 at Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island, where selected journalists and digital storytellers from across Southeast Asia will explore how ASEAN policies can be reported in more accessible and meaningful ways.

On May 6, the Southeast Asia Lecture Hall will be held at the University of San Carlos, featuring former Foreign Affairs secretary Delia Domingo Albert, who is expected to discuss ASEAN’s strategic narrative, its place in the current global order, and the importance of civil society participation in shaping ASEAN’s future.

The discussions will continue on May 7 with the Track 1.5 ASEAN Community Building Forum at Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu. This closed-door forum will bring together government officials, policy experts, and other stakeholders to discuss pressing regional issues, including economic integration, energy transition, ASEAN’s role in the changing global order, and regional resilience and sustainability.

The week will culminate on May 8 with an ASEAN Community Town Hall, a public discussion designed to help people better understand ASEAN’s work and connect policy discussions with public concerns. Its sessions will cover the sustainable development goals, digitalization and support for MSMEs, climate and energy security, ASEAN’s place in a changing world, and the challenge of making ASEAN genuinely people-centered.

Although ASEAN For The Peoples Week is outside the official summit, it helps widen the conversation beyond protocol and diplomacy.