Joanne Lin, Fulbright fellow at the Center for International Studies, discusses the Philippines's chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the need to preserve cohesion amid mounting challenges over setting ambitious priorities.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at an ASEAN summit.
WHEN the Philippines assumed the Asean chairmanship on Jan 1, 2026, under the theme “Navigating Our Future, Together”, expectations were high within Asean that Manila would steer the bloc through a year marked by strategic uncertainty and accumulated regional pressures.
The organisation continues to face political crises in Myanmar, persistent tensions in the South China Sea and a broader environment in which the second Trump administration and geoeconomic competition continue to test Asean unity.
Early meetings and diplomatic engagements offer initial signals of how Manila is positioning itself within these structural constraints.
The Philippine chair has focused on continuity. The Asean Foreign Ministers’ Retreat in Cebu in late January was an early test of forging unity on sensitive issues, with Myanmar at the centre of discussions.
There, Manila reiterated established Asean positions, including continued reference to the Five-Point Consensus and the restriction of high-level representation by the Myanmar military authorities.
In her capacity as special envoy of the Asean chair, Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro visited Myanmar on Jan 6. She made clear that Asean would not recognise the recent electoral process as yet, reinforcing the grouping’s position that political developments in Myanmar must move towards inclusive dialogue and cessation of violence.
While engagement with the military leadership prompted criticism from regional observers, the visit reflected Asean’s longstanding approach of dialogue without endorsement.
This dual-track posture reflects Manila’s effort to bridge differing views within Asean on the balance between political pressure and continued engagement with Naypyitaw. Manila appears to be signalling that it will prioritise managing escalation risks and preserving Asean’s collective position rather than forcing an expedited political outcome.
This balancing act extends to the South China Sea issue, where the Philippines faces a particularly delicate balancing act.
