Kuala lumpur: The United States Mission to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has welcomed the Philippines’ upcoming chairship of the bloc in 2026. ‘We now welcome the Philippines as the ASEAN Chair for 2026. (We look) forward to working together to drive growth, create opportunities, and deepen ties that benefit both America and the region,’ it stated.

According to Philippines News Agency, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. formally accepted the bloc’s chairship from Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during a turnover ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on October 28. As chair, Marcos announced that the Philippines will guide the bloc toward initiatives aimed at fortifying peace and security anchors, strengthening prosperity corridors, and advancing people empowerment.

With Manila at the helm, ASEAN will launch a series of high-level meetings under the theme ‘Navigating Our Future, Together’ next year. This initiative is expected to foster collaboration and address regional challenges.

At the 13th ASEAN-US Summit on October 26, Marcos acknowledged the US’ active and meaningful engagement with ASEAN across its three pillars: political-security, economic, and socio-cultural. In his speech, he expressed gratitude for Washington DC’s support in promoting peace at seas, combatting transnational crime, and counter-terrorism, while recognizing its crucial role in advancing economic development in the region.

‘We recognize that the global economic landscape is marked by uncertainty. ASEAN values its partnership with the United States and seeks to build practical, strategic, and forward-looking collaboration that delivers concrete outcomes for our businesses and citizens alike,’ Marcos stated.