The Philippines hosted the opening of the 48th ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Summit in Lapu-Lapu City, in the central Philippine province of Cebu, on Friday, May 8. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged member states to "respond with unity, with wisdom, with resolve" as the region faces instability linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict, noting that the Philippines had scaled back some summit activities in response to the crisis. The ceremony also featured cultural performances by award-winning local artists, including the Lumad Basakanon dance troupe and a choral ensemble that performed the ASEAN anthem, "The ASEAN Way."
Mosaic News
News without borders
Friday, 29 May 2026
Philippines opens 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu with call for unity amid global uncertainty[Updated]
Friday, 8 May 2026, 07:15 · 1 min read
Updates
20d
ASEAN leaders agreed to a regional fuel-sharing framework to ease the economic strain caused by the more than two-month closure of the Strait of Hormuz, though key details — including which countries would be prioritized and how costs would be handled — remain unresolved. Philippine Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said the crisis has disrupted transportation, tourism, and food supply chains across the bloc, while putting millions of ASEAN nationals in West Asia at risk. The region imports roughly 66 percent of its crude oil, and member states have responded by ramping up coal-powered generation, seeking alternative suppliers including Russia, and introducing conservation measures. Marcos acknowledged the framework's limitations, saying: "How is the sharing? Who gets what? How do you pay for it? … We haven't done it before."
Original story
Sources
This article was automatically compiled by AI from the sources above. It may contain inaccuracies. Always read the original sources for the full context.