The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Friday led the formal mustering and activation of the Joint Task Group Emergency Preparedness and Response in preparation for the Philippines’ hosting of the 2026 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and related meetings.

The task group is composed of uniformed services, response agencies, and key government institutions, including the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Coast Guard, and Bureau of Fire Protection, among others. 

It is designed to ensure a coordinated, whole-of-government approach to emergency preparedness and response during the series of high-level international events.

During the launching ceremony held at the Lapu-Lapu Grandstand in Camp Aguinaldo, the group demonstrated its integrated surge capacity, interoperability, and operational readiness. 

The activity highlighted the agencies’ ability to respond collectively to emergencies and security contingencies that may arise during the conduct of ASEAN-related activities.

The activation comes as the Philippines gears up for an intensive calendar of meetings under its ASEAN chairmanship in 2026. 

High-level consultative meetings are set to begin this month, including the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) Retreat scheduled from 25 to 29 January, and the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) from 26 to 30 January, both to be held in Cebu City.

A total of 208 clustered meetings have been lined up throughout the year as part of ASEAN 2026.

The 48th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits will take place in Mactan, Cebu, on 8 to 9 May. Meanwhile, the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, which are expected to be attended by leaders from outside Southeast Asia, will be held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila from 10 to 12 November.