From Niam Seet Wei
CEBU, the Philippines: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim arrived here today (May 7 for a two-day visit to attend the 48th ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings.
A special aircraft carrying Anwar and his wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, landed at the Brigadier General Benito N. Ebuen Air Base here at 1:50 pm, which is the same time as Kuala Lumpur.
They were welcomed by the Philippines’ Department of Energy Secretary, Sharon S. Garin; Cebu Governor, Pamela Baricuatro; and Lapu-Lapu City Mayor, Cynthia King-Chan.
Also present was Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines, Datuk Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino Anthony.
Anwar was also greeted by a guard of honour led by Brigadier General Joseph Archog, Wing Commander of the Philippine Air Force’s 220th Airlift Wing, and welcomed by a troupe of traditional dancers at the airport.
Upon arrival, Anwar will participate in the Special Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Summit, to be held on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit, where discussions will focus on sub-regional development.
Later, he is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Laos and Singapore, before attending the BIMP-EAGA leaders’ dinner hosted by Philippine President, Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr, and his wife, Louise Araneta-Marcos.
On May 8, Anwar will attend the opening of the 48th ASEAN Summit. He is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with his Vietnam and Thailand counterparts thereafter.
He will later join a gala dinner hosted by Marcos and his wife before returning home.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry said the summit serves as an opportunity for Malaysia to share and exchange views on various issues on ASEAN Community building and the way forward.
Discussions will also focus on the impacts of the crisis in West Asia on the Southeast Asian region, ASEAN’s response towards ensuring regional energy and food security, as well as the safety of the bloc’s nationals in the affected areas.
The Philippines took over the ASEAN chairmanship from Malaysia on January 1, 2026.
Themed ‘Navigating Our Future, Together’, the republic, during its tenure, seeks to steer ASEAN’s priorities through three pillars: Peace and Security Anchors, Prosperity Corridors, and People Empowerment. – BERNAMA
