In 2026, all eyes will turn to the Philippines as it assumes the chairmanship of ASEAN. With the theme “Navigating our Future, Together”, the Philippines sets an agenda for what President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. describes as a “forward-looking ASEAN”. It encompasses a wide range of issues including humanitarian and disaster resilience, climate change, economic and supply chain integration, and digitalisation and artificial intelligence.
This agenda reflects the shared ambitions of the grouping’s eleven members, including the new member, Timor-Leste. It also reflects continuity with that of previous chairs. As the 2026 chair, the Philippines is tasked to kickstart the measures in ASEAN’s 2026 Strategic Plans for its political-security, economic, and sociocultural pillars, which were finalised during Malaysia’s chairmanship in 2025. From a Philippine perspective, the ASEAN chairmanship also offers an opportunity for it to advance parts of its domestic agenda by linking its national interests to regional priorities and opportunities.