President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. started his week providing more aid to Filipinos affected by the rising food prices before flying midweek to Cebu to host the 48th ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings.

According to the organizing committee, the successful hosting of the Summit was a “wow moment,” a grand demonstration of Filipino hospitality, bayanihan, and whole-of-nation cooperation.

The ASEAN 2026 National Organizing Council extended its gratitude to all who helped deliver a Summit worthy of the Filipino people and the ASEAN community.

Under the leadership and guidance of the Office of the President, the preparations and implementation of the landmark meetings were carried out through close coordination across the government and its partners.

4 May

Manila in a jiffy

On Monday, President Marcos inaugurated the 7.88-km Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX) Subsection 3 in General Trias, Cavite, which extends the expressway to the Governor’s Drive Interchange also in General Trias, which would make travel to Metro Manila faster and more convenient.

The new segment will ease congestion and cut travel time between Biñan, Laguna and General Trias from one hour to 26 minutes, strengthening South Luzon’s transport network.

In the afternoon, Marcos received Japan’s Minister of Defense, Shinjiro Koizumi, at Malacañang, underscoring the continued strengthening of the strategic partnership and defense cooperation between the Philippines and Japan.

5 May

Domestic concerns addressed

The President gathered members of the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (Uplift) Committee. Among the items discussed were the government’s steps to ensure that the oil supply and government funds were sufficient to provide services to the people, and the monitoring of the prices of goods.

The President instructed Agriculture Secretary Tiu Laurel Jr. to take steps to lower the price of rice. He also spearheaded the 9th Economy and Development Council Meeting and discussed solutions to the country’s current challenges, including the development of a mass transportation system through a better railway network.

6 May

Balikatan starts

The President graced the kickoff rites of the Joint Task Force Maritime Strike PH-US Exercise Balikatan 2026 at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

Later, he presided over a briefing in Malacañang on the government’s response to the unrest of Mayon Volcano.

In the afternoon, the President attended the Bawat Bayan Makikinabang cash aid and rice distribution in the cities of Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Parañaque and Pasay, where barangays received P200,000 each.

Half of the amount is allotted to the Presidential Scholars in each barangay or P20,000 per scholar, while the other half will be used for priority projects.

7 May

Boost ASEAN PPP

At the 2026 ASEAN Summit in Cebu, President Marcos called on the leaders of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) to boost their public-private partnerships (PPP) within the sub-region following the adoption of Vision 2035, which will serve as a strategic roadmap for the next decade.

The President underscored the benefits of PPPs for the Philippines in fast-tracking the implementation of high-impact priority projects, citing the ongoing efforts of the Mindanao Development Authority to facilitate PPPs in Mindanao, a BIMP-EAGA focus area.

Key trilateral peace gab

Mr. Marcos then facilitated a trilateral meeting among the leaders of Cambodia, the Philippines and Thailand.

Marcos said Cambodia and Thailand made progress during talks, leading both border neighbors to reach several agreements aimed at advancing the resolution of their conflict.

Speaking after the trilateral meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, President Marcos said the discussions reflected a shared commitment to dialogue, restraint, and the peaceful resolution of differences.

8 May

Goal: Solid unity

At the official opening of the 2026 ASEAN Summit, Marcos called for stronger regional coordination and the effective implementation of action plans by the 11-member group to better prepare for emerging global risks.

He also warned that in an increasingly interconnected world, disruptions in one region can quickly spread across supply chains, financial markets, and the daily lives of people in Southeast Asia.

The President cited the recent oil-supply disruptions as an example of how external shocks can trigger a domino effect across economies, affecting business operations, employment, and household livelihoods.

Marcos said such risks were already anticipated in “ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future,” which identified major power rivalries, supply chain disruptions, and resource security issues as key challenges facing the region.

Framework unveiled

Consistent with the Philippines’ ASEAN chairship theme, “Navigating Our Future, Together,” President Marcos said the country has advanced the Lead–Sail–Rise framework, which aligns ASEAN’s three community pillars into a more coherent regional strategy.

Under the framework, LEAD reinforces a rules-based and resilient Political-Security Community, SAIL advances an integrated and innovation-driven Economic Community, and RISE promotes a people-centered and inclusive Socio-Cultural Community.

The President said the framework is intended to translate ASEAN’s long-term vision into coordinated action on peace, prosperity, and people empowerment.

Concrete actions listed

The President said discussions with fellow ASEAN leaders during earlier sessions tackled energy security, food supply stability, and the welfare of nationals working abroad, which he described as “immediate responsibilities” requiring collective action.

The President also met with members of the Philippine and international media, where he reported on the gist of the various meetings during the Summit, including approval for the Philippines to host the ASEAN Maritime Center, which will consolidate the maritime operations of the 11 member states.

He also reiterated the regional bloc’s call for peace in the Middle East, urging the parties in the conflict to work toward a lasting solution to the geopolitical issue.

The President capped the 48th ASEAN Summit with a Gala Night, hosting local and foreign delegates in a delectable dinner.

9 May

Thai relations tightened

To cap off his meetings with ASEAN leaders, President Marcos met with Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul of Thailand where they discussed a broad range of issues to further strengthen the longstanding partnership between the Philippines and Thailand.

The two leaders exchanged views on enhancing bilateral relations through high-level exchanges, trade and economic cooperation, people-to-people ties, and cooperation to combat transnational crime.