ASEAN summit in Cebu to tackle Middle East crisis

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May 6, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Joint efforts to ease the impact of the Middle East war have been included in the agenda of this year’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, Malacañang said yesterday, as the Philippines gears up for its hosting of the regional meet this week.

“With the impact of the Middle East tension bearing heavily on Asia, upon the initiative of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the leaders have refocused the agenda to include discussions on energy security and a unified response to mitigate negative effects on individual member states,” Presidential Communications Secretary Dave Gomez said at a press briefing in Cebu yesterday.

Hellen de la Vega, director general of ASEAN 2006, said members of the regional bloc have agreed that the current situation highlights the need for leaders to meet face-to-face to tackle important measures addressing issues like the Middle East conflict and the resulting energy crisis.

“Hence, the President directed to proceed with the barebones and business-like 48th ASEAN Summit focused on the pressing issues that need to be addressed and without the need for much frills or fanfare,” de la Vega said.

According to her, the proposed priorities and substantive deliverables for the summit focus on topics related to the Middle East crisis such as energy security, food security and the safe mobility of ASEAN nationals.

“Our government agencies coordinating the three ASEAN pillars of cooperation in the Philippines are working hard to achieve the strategic priorities during our chairship of the three Ps: of peace and security anchors; of prosperity corridors and people empowerment,” the ASEAN director general said.

Aside from energy issues, Gomez said disaster resilience is also part of the regional bloc’s agenda.

ASEAN member-states have committed to collaborative frameworks that enhance community-based early warning systems, rapid humanitarian response and support for affected populations, he added.

Such efforts, Gomez said, would ensure that volcanic disasters like the unrest of Mayon Volcano do not undermine vulnerable communities, but “drive inclusive, people-centered resilience strategies among member states.”

In March, the Philippines pushed for the Manila-ASEAN Strategic Protocol for Emergency and Comprehensive Transformation Framework to boost the regional bloc’s disaster response.