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'In an increasingly connected world, instability in one part of the globe will quickly reverberate across supply chains, financial markets, and the daily lives of our peoples,' says Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
CEBU, Philippines – As chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for 2026, the Philippines is pushing for what it calls the LEAD-SAIL-RISE Framework.
This framework, according to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., aligns the ASEAN’s three community pillars into a “coherent strategy” that would enable the bloc to achieve its goals and respond to challenges, such as those stemming from the conflict in the Middle East.
Marcos made the remarks as he opened the retreat session of the 48th ASEAN Summit at the Shangri-La Mactan in Cebu on Friday, May 8.
Read Marcos’ opening statement in full below.
Your Majesty,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Colleagues,
Delegates and Friends,
Good afternoon.
Welcome to the Retreat of the 48th ASEAN Summit.
We strive very hard to find us a nice location. It is actually a non-denominational chapel that is used for weddings and I hope that the spirit of romance will imbue our discussions.
We gather at a time of uncertainty — a time when events far beyond our region remind us once again of how deeply interconnected we are.
Neither distance nor partnerships alone insulate any nation from the ripple effects of conflicts halfway around the world.
In an increasingly connected world, instability in one part of the globe will quickly reverberate across supply chains, financial markets, and the daily lives of our peoples.
We have seen firsthand the vulnerability of our nations to external factors. The domino effect of oil supply disruptions on the various sectors of our countries has affected how we conduct business, how we work, [and] how we live.
And while the impact may differ from country to country in ASEAN at present, there is no denying that this disruption will have an impact on the future.
Even if the tensions de-escalate in time, the damage to critical infrastructure, to vital systems, and trust in general will continue to be felt for years to come.
But this is something that we have foreseen.
In ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future, we recognized that major power rivalries, supply chain disruptions, and resource security issues will test our region.
While these difficulties continue to pose as challenges requiring effective and innovative responses to secure the future of ASEAN and its peoples, they also present inherent opportunities to achieve the resilient, innovative, dynamic, and people-centered ASEAN Community that we envision.
It is therefore critical that we, as the Leaders of the ASEAN Nations, ensure that the concrete steps towards achieving these goals are supported and enacted.
Consistent with the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairship theme of “Navigating Our Future, Together,” we have identified strategic priorities to translate our vision into action.
Through the integrated LEAD–SAIL–RISE Framework, we have aligned the three (3) community pillars into a coherent strategy:
- LEAD – reinforces a rules-based and resilient Political-Security Community;
- SAIL – drives an integrated and innovation-led Economic Community; and
- RISE – promotes a people-centered and inclusive Socio-Cultural Community.
Together, the framework translates ASEAN’s long-term vision into mutually reinforcing actions on peace, prosperity, and people empowerment.
This morning, we had a candid and productive exchange on the challenges before us.
We spoke extensively about the importance of ensuring regional energy security and resilience, stabilizing food security in the face of external shocks, and regarding the safety and welfare of our nationals that we need to safeguard, some of whom live and work far from home.
These are no longer abstract concerns. They are immediate responsibilities that call for foresight, coordination, and concrete and collective action.
During the Retreat, let us discuss how we can navigate this uncertain future, together.
The recent crisis is a stark reminder of how vulnerable our economies remain to sudden shifts in the international order and, consequently, the global economy.
A few weeks’ worth of disruptions will take years to be corrected, testing not just our governments, but also our communities.
May this afternoon’s exchange give us an opportunity to reflect on how we can move forward — not only in how we respond to immediate disruptions, but in how we can strengthen our institutions, maximize existing mechanisms, and effectively implement action plans so that future shocks do not become future crises.
Consistent with the strategic priorities of the Philippine Chairship of ASEAN and in line with our theme “Navigating Our Future, Together,” I am certain that the discussions from our Retreat will help us LEAD, SAIL, RISE ASEAN together — for our region, our peoples, and most importantly, for our future.
Your Majesty,
Excellencies,
We shall now proceed to our exchange of views on regional and international issues, particularly on (1) ASEAN’s Capacity to Manage and Mitigate the impacts of Oil Supply Disruptions and Price Volatility, as well as (2) the Lessons Learned from the Recent Geopolitical Crisis.
May I now call on our incoming Chair, His Excellency Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, to deliver his intervention.
– Rappler.com
