Marcos pushes ASEAN Summit despite oil crisis, trims costs

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the Philippines will proceed with hosting the ASEAN Summit and related meetings this year despite rising costs and the ongoing oil crisis, stressing the need for regional coordination.

“Nagtanong kami sa lahat ng we have consulted with our counterparts in the 10 other member states. The question that I asked them is very simple. Because of the war in the Middle East, would you like to postpone the ASEAN Summit? The consensus that we came to is that it is precisely now that we must coordinate our efforts. So that is what we are going to do, papatuloy natin ang ASEAN Summit,” Marcos said during the opening of the NAIAX – Westbound Off-Ramp to NAIA Terminal 3 Project in Pasay City.

He said key issues such as fuel supply, food prices and the welfare of migrant workers will be discussed during the summit, underscoring the need for ASEAN leaders to meet.

“Ang kailangan talaga sa panahon na ito ay makapag-usap kami mga leaders upang malaman natin kung ano, what do we do in the future, what do we do for the rest of the year, what do we do, how can we help each other, and what is the ASEAN position regarding all of these shocks that are coming our way,” he said.

The summit, which is expected to cost more than P20 billion, has drawn calls for budget cuts, including a proposal by Batangas Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste to reduce the allocation to P10 billion and redirect savings to fuel crisis relief.

Hosting recalibrated

Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said the President has ordered a recalibration of the Philippines’ ASEAN 2026 hosting, scaling down non-essential activities to reduce expenses.

Under the revised plan, about 650 preparatory meetings will be held online instead of in person.

To implement the directive, Recto, as chair of the ASEAN National Organizing Committee, issued a memorandum on 27 March instructing host agencies to shift preparatory meetings—from working groups to ministerial levels—to virtual platforms.

He also directed the Department of Foreign Affairs to “hold diplomatic briefings to incorporate appropriate messaging and other changes with the substantive deliverables.”

“But a stripped-down ASEAN activity will still be able to achieve its goal of strengthening regional unity and forging a common response to mounting global challenges,” Recto said.

He added that the adjustment reflects the need to respond to current global challenges.

“That alone compels ASEAN 2026 to redesign how the meetings will be conducted and realign activities to the most urgent. Ang gusto natin ay siguraduhin na ang ASEAN ay tumutugon sa tunay na problema ng karaniwang mamamayan, hindi lang ng Pilipinas, pero sa buong rehiyon. Hindi ito panahon para sa engrandeng seremonya. Panahon ito ng mabilis na aksyon, pagtutulungan, at konkretong solusyon,” Recto said.

“The pomp and the pageantry will have to give way to problem-solving. But we believe that ceremonies will still honor tradition as it celebrates unity,” he added.

Recto said the scaled-down activities are expected to generate savings that will be redirected to programs aimed at cushioning the impact of the oil crisis on vulnerable sectors.

“As host, we remain committed to our goal of ASEAN, not merely as a platform for dialogue, but as a force for coordinated action and dynamic leadership in a time of crisis. As ASEAN chair, the Philippines must lead the way in forging common action that responds to the needs of the Filipino people and the broader ASEAN community,” he said.