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Alexis Romero - The Philippine Star
May 23, 2025 | 12:00am
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. holds a press conference at Malacañang on March 11, 2025.
STAR / Noel Pabalate
MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos is expected to emphasize the Philippines’ sovereignty and support the holding of talks with the US on its controversial tariff policy during his participation in the 46th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Malaysia next week.
Marcos is scheduled to attend a total of nine leaders-level engagements and at least three bilateral meetings from May 26 to 27, according to Foreign Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary Dominic Xavier Imperial.
“In all these engagements, the President will continue to uphold and promote Philippine interests in ASEAN such as deepening security and stability in the region, economic cooperation and broadening engagement with dialogue partners,” Imperial said at a press briefing.
It will be Marcos’ 33rd foreign trip since assuming office in 2022.
Marcos will join the summit plenary session and retreat session as well as three interface meetings with parliamentarians, the ASEAN Business Advisory Council and representatives from ASEAN youth on May 26. He will also attend the signing ceremony of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on ASEAN 2045 on the same day.
The President will lead the 16th Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Summit and will participate in the 2nd ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit and the ASEAN-GCC-China Summit on May 27.
Imperial said the President may have bilateral engagements with fellow leaders from Laos, Kuwait and Vietnam on the sidelines of the summit.
ASEAN leaders are expected to tackle various global and regional concerns and issues related to maritime and economic cooperation, digital transformation, socio-cultural ties and climate change, among other topics.
“The President will continue to underscore the Philippines’ sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in accordance with international law including the 1982 UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and the 2016 arbitral award,” Imperial said.
China claims historic rights over practically the entire South China Sea and has been resorting to aggressive acts that threaten freedom of navigation in the strategic sea lane.
In 2016, a Hague-based arbitral court invalidated China’s maritime claim and affirmed the Philippines’ sovereign rights over its 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.
Imperial said Marcos would seek the completion of the code of conduct for claimants in the South China Sea
“Back in 2023, the foreign ministers of ASEAN... agreed to fast-track the discussions on the COC (code of conduct) and this is what we are backing on during the summits. The President certainly will push for it. He will raise this with the leaders of the ASEAN,” he said.
The Trump administration’s reciprocal tariff regime, which has triggered fears of a global economic slowdown, as well as the situation in Myanmar are also expected to be tackled during the regional meet.
According to Imperial, Marcos supports the measures enumerated by ASEAN economic ministers who met a few weeks ago to discuss Washington’s tariff policy.
As for the situation in Myanmar, Imperial said deepening the cooperation on a ceasefire is part of Marcos’ agenda at the summit.
During a phone conversation with Marcos earlier this month, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim talked about his government’s call for a ceasefire in Myanmar to be extended to ensure that humanitarian assistance could continue to reach the affected population.
Myanmar was supposed to host next year’s ASEAN Summit, but was replaced by the Philippines because of the political issues it is facing. The Myanmar junta has been barred from joining ASEAN summits since 2022.
