MANILA, Philippines — Preparations for the country’s hosting of the 2026 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit are in full swing, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said.
In an interview on the sidelines of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Day celebration held in Camp Crame recently, Recto said that everything is “going smoothly” although “very challenging.”
“There are many departments involved… But everyone is cooperating, so we're confident that we will be able to put off a good show,” he said, adding that ensuring public safety is the priority.
Recto said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. tasked the PNP to monitor threats and quell potential threats to the yearly gathering that kicked off with the Asean Tourism Ministers’ Meeting and Asean Foreign Ministers’ Retreat in Cebu last week.
“We will be holding something like 650 meetings this year… PNP will take care of safety and security,” he said.
“We are just following all the directives of the President. He wants us to ensure, along with the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) and the PNP, that all our dignitaries are safe,” he added.
With the theme “Navigating The Future Together,” the 48th Asean Leaders’ Summit and Related Summits will be held in Cebu on May 8 to 9. This will be followed by the 49th Asean Summit and Related Summits on November 10 to 12, to be held at the spruced up Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.
