6 days ago
17
Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!
Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.
Visit Suniway.ph to learn
Philstar.com
May 7, 2026 | 3:18pm
MANILA, Philippines — Regional leaders began arriving in Cebu for the 48th ASEAN Summit and related meetings as the Philippines hosts talks overshadowed by the Middle East conflict and the oil supply crisis.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto are among those already in the country.
Marcos, meanwhile, arrived at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport at 9:14 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, following at least six official engagements in Metro Manila earlier in the day.
Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah arrived earlier in the evening. A licensed pilot, Bolkiah flew and landed his own aircraft at Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base. His son, Prince Abdul Mateen, will also be in attendance at the ASEAN meetings.
Myanmar’s Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs U Hau Khan Sum was the first ASEAN representative to arrive in Cebu at noon Wednesday.
Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah lands his own aircraft at the Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu City on May 6, 2026, ahead of the 48th ASEAN Summit and other meetings.
PNA/Avito Dalan
As of press time on Thursday midday, the following leaders had also landed:
- Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim
- Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto
- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet
- Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung
- Timor-Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao
Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and representatives from Laos were also expected to arrive later Thursday.
Myanmar is the only ASEAN member state not represented by its head of government at this year’s summit.
Meetings lined up
Marcos is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung at the Shangri-La Mactan on Thursday afternoon.
He will also lead the Special Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area Summit before hosting a dinner for ASEAN leaders alongside First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos.
ASEAN leaders are set to convene Friday for the main leaders’ meeting, which Marcos will chair as this year’s ASEAN host.
The Philippines has said it intends to push discussions on energy security amid concerns over global oil supply disruptions linked to the conflict in the Middle East.
The government earlier scaled back parts of the summit preparations to reduce costs, including moving hundreds of meetings online and shortening preparatory activities.
The foreign ministers' meeting, with Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro presiding as chair, opened discussions on Thursday morning. On the agenda is the first possible ASEAN charter amendments in nearly two years.— with video report by Anj Andaya
