PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will participate in the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) Summit to represent the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) as its chairman, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Wednesday.
Marcos will attend the summit to be held in New Delhi on Sept. 12–13. He will be accompanied by first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, DFA Secretary Theresa Lazaro, Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda, and Finance Secretary Frederick Go.
In a press briefing on Wednesday, DFA spokesman Analyn Ratonel said Marcos’ participation would provide an opportunity to align regional perspectives with emerging global economic frameworks while directly engaging with leaders of major developing economies.
“Through this visit, the President seeks to ensure that our modern partnerships remain open, resilient, and capable of delivering prosperity to our people," Ratonel said in Filipino.
She explained that Marcos will utilize the summit to articulate Asean’s priorities, such as peace and security, people empowerment and economic prosperity, to the Brics member nations.
During the visit, Marcos is scheduled to hold a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to review the progress of the Philippines-India Strategic Partnership.
“They are set to review the implementation of our Five-Year Plan of Action for 2025–2029 and continue exchanging views on economic matters that affect our citizens,” she said.
Marcos will also meet with Indian business leaders to follow up on investment pledges and commitments made during his earlier visit to India.
The 18th Brics Summit centers on the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability," focusing on navigating global economic uncertainties, leveraging digital public infrastructure, and accelerating climate action.
