1 day ago
5
Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!
Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.
Visit Suniway.ph to learn
The global energy crisis, food security, and transnational crime are among the top issues on the table as Southeast Asian leaders and their allies converge in Manila.
The Philippines, chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for 2026, is hosting the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits from Sunday, November 15, to Tuesday, November 17.
Aside from leaders and representatives of ASEAN’s 11 members, other world leaders will be in attendance, including United States President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and newly reelected Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is embarking on a state visit to the Philippines before the summit.
During the summit’s closing ceremony, the Philippines will also turn over the ASEAN chairmanship to Singapore, which will lead the bloc in 2027.
Check out this page for the latest ASEAN Summit news, photos, videos, and insights. For more updates and to share your own views, you can also join the Security and Global Affairs chat room in Rappler’s Muni app.
LATEST UPDATES
36 minutes ago
Lazaro holds press briefing on foreign ministers’ discussions
Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro speaks to journalists on Saturday, November 14, 2026, about the latest discussions of Southeast Asian foreign ministers and what to expect next as leaders will be gathering for the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Manila.
1 hour ago
Cyprus, Slovakia, Slovenia sign Southeast Asia amity treaty
Cyprus, Slovakia, and Slovenia sign the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) in Manila on Saturday, November 14, 2026, ahead of the 49th ASEAN Summit.
Established in 1976, the TAC “embodies universal principles of peaceful coexistence and friendly cooperation among states in Southeast Asia.” It is a “legally binding code for inter-state relations in the region and beyond.”
2 hours ago
Laos PM Saleumxay now in Manila
Laos Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith arrives in Manila on Saturday, November 14, 2026, for the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits.
Photo by Firdia Linsawati/Pool via Reuters
2 hours ago
Timor-Leste’s Xanana Gusmao arrives
Timor-Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao arrives in Manila on Saturday, November 14, 2026, for the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits.
Timor-Leste became the 11th member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in 2025.
2 hours ago
Vietnamese PM Hung now in Manila
Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung arrives in Manila on Saturday, November 14, 2026, for the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits.
Photos by Firdia Linsawati/Pool via Reuters
3 hours ago
ASEAN members sign Digital Economy Framework Agreement
Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations sign the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) in Manila on Saturday, November 14, 2026.
The DEFA, touted as the world’s first region-wide agreement of its kind, aims to “establish a safer and more seamless digital economy across Southeast Asia,” according to the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry.
3 hours ago
Australia’s Anthony Albanese arrives
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrives in Manila on Saturday, November 14, 2026, for the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits.
Albanese has served as Australia’s prime minister since 2022.
3 hours ago
39th ASEAN Coordinating Council Meeting begins in Manila
3 hours ago
DICT working to speed up ASEAN media center’s internet connection
Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Robert Joseph de Claro on Saturday, November 14, says the agency is working to improve internet speed at the ASEAN media center while ensuring the connection remains secure.
“Considering the importance of ASEAN for our country, we needed to take additional security measures to ensure…everything is secured coming from this center,” De Claro tells reporters.
He also says the additional security measures were prompted in part by the recent Microsoft outage and an air traffic network failure in the United States.
4 hours ago
ASEAN, ADB sign memorandum of understanding
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Asian Development Bank sign the ASEAN-ADB Memorandum of Understanding on Saturday, November 14, 2026, ahead of the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Manila.
The MOU is “expected to provide a structured framework for sustained collaboration and further strengthen ASEAN-ADB partnership in support of regional priorities.”
