ASEAN Summit in Cebu to Tackle Energy Security, Food Stability, and Citizen Protection

International News | World news Posted on 2026-04-24 02:55:00

The upcoming 48th ASEAN Summit and related meetings this May will center on strengthening energy security, ensuring stable food supply, and protecting Southeast Asians abroad amid the ongoing Middle East crisis, according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro.

Lazaro said the Philippines is prepared to host the high-level gathering, which will bring together leaders and senior officials from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Cebu on May 8.

“Our focus will be on the most pressing imperatives of our time—fortifying energy security, stabilizing food supplies, and, above all, guaranteeing the safety and welfare of ASEAN nationals wherever they are,” Lazaro said during a forum organized by the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia.

She emphasized that the agenda reflects ASEAN’s collective commitment to addressing disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict and strengthening regional cooperation in response to emerging challenges.

The summit comes amid supply chain strains triggered by the Iran war, compounded by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for over a quarter of global crude oil shipments.

This meeting will be the first of two ASEAN summits to be hosted by the Philippines this year, with the 49th summit scheduled for November in Pasay City.

Myanmar situation
Ahead of the summit, Lazaro said Manila continues to act as a bridge among stakeholders in Myanmar under the Five-Point Consensus, the bloc’s framework for resolving the crisis in the country.

As ASEAN chair’s special envoy to Myanmar, she noted recent developments, including the formation of a new government and statements about releasing political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi.

However, Lazaro stressed that Myanmar has yet to fully comply with the agreed peace plan. “Until they meet the commitments under the Five-Point Consensus, relations will remain as they are,” she said, reaffirming ASEAN’s stance to use the framework as the primary approach to the crisis.

COC talks continue
Lazaro also reported progress in ongoing negotiations between ASEAN and China toward finalizing a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea within 2026.

She said there is “some movement” in discussions, with negotiators now meeting monthly. Talks have been held following the ASEAN foreign ministers’ retreat in Cebu in January, including sessions in Indonesia in February and in China earlier this month.

Lazaro expressed cautious optimism that a substantial agreement could be reached before the end of the year, noting both ASEAN and China are working toward that goal.

NPO News Team | PNA — PR

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