The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) kicked off the first day of the ASEAN Youth Summit 2026 on Wednesday at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City with around 300 youth leaders and representatives of ASEAN Member States, development partners, and other stakeholders from across the region attended the summit.

The two-day gathering was organized by the DSWD in partnership with the National Youth Commission (NYC), with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Australian Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). 

"Our youth are our region's greatest strength. You adapt quickly, create fearlessly, and build connections across borders with ease," DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said in his opening remarks.

"That also means you have the power to shape a digital ASEAN that is safe, inclusive, and trustworthy," added Gatchalian, who also serves as Chair of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC).

The regional youth summit forms part of the Philippines' chairmanship of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC), with Gatchalian serving as its chair.

Competencies covered during the summit include digital literacy, online ethics, responsible innovation, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies.

Meanwhile, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Kim Robert De Leon, National Youth Commission (NYC) Chairperson Joseph Francisco Ortega, DSWD Undersecretary Adonis Sulit of the Policy and Planning Group (PPG), Undersecretary Evelyn Aribon of the Office of the Secretary Group, and Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) also attended the regional youth summit.