CEBU CITY, Philippines — All 11 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) will be represented at this year’s summit in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.
Dax Imperial, spokesperson for Asean of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), announced on Wednesday, May 6, that from the bloc have confirmed their participation in Friday’s summit in Cebu.
Myanmar, however, will be represented by its Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs, he added.
READ: Asean at a glance: Meet the bloc’s 11 member states
“We are guided by the leaders’ decision […] Because of the situation in Myanmar, the decision is for the representation of the Permanent Secretary [of Myanmar],” explained Imperial.
Cebu has been chosen as the venue of the 48th Asean Summit, with the Philippines serving as chair.
Cost-saving measures
This 2026 edition of the Asean Summit comes at a time when the world is facing significant oil and supply chain disruptions as a result of the war in the Middle East.
READ: No Asean consensus yet on Myanmar election recognition – spokesperson
According to Imperial, the national government has “saved a lot” after President Bongbong Marcos decided to shift dozens of meetings virtually, and compress the usual weeklong summit to two days only.
Energy security is among the priority meetings expected in the summit. /dl
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