President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. opened the special BIMP-EAGA Summit at the Shangri-La Mactan on Thursday, urging Southeast Asian leaders to turn regional economic visions into “meaningful and sustainable” impacts for local communities.

Marcos presided over the meeting alongside Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. The summit focuses on the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), a sub-regional initiative designed to spur development in the nations’ less-developed areas.

“Your presence today reaffirms our shared commitment to cooperation, partnership, and inclusive growth,” Marcos told the leaders. He emphasized that the group’s “Vision 2035” serves as a promise that regional development will be felt in the daily lives of citizens.

Established in 1994, BIMP-EAGA focuses on five pillars — connectivity, agribusiness, tourism, environment, and sociocultural education. Marcos cited that current milestone projects are already creating livelihoods and expanding opportunities across the sub-region’s growth areas.

On the sidelines of the summit, Marcos also held a bilateral meeting with the newly appointed Vietnamese Prime Minister Lê Minh Hung.

The President congratulated Hung on his new role and welcomed him to his first summit.

The two leaders discussed the upcoming 50th anniversary of Philippines-Vietnam diplomatic relations and agreed to strengthen trade and economic engagement.

A key outcome of the meeting was an agreement to establish a long-term rice trade mechanism. The deal is intended to ensure a stable supply of the staple grain and bolster food security cooperation between the two nations.

Marcos and Hung also committed to expanding joint efforts against transnational crimes, specifically targeting human trafficking and “scam hubs,” while pledging to enhance collaboration in the tourism sector.