PM Wong to attend 48th Asean Summit in Cebu, the Philippines

Singapore’s Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong will be heading to Cebu in the Philippines to attend the 48th Asean Summit on May 8.

This will be his fifth Asean leaders’ summit as PM, having previously attended summits held in Laos and Malaysia.

Asean chair

The Philippines is Asean Chair for 2026, and is holding the first of two expected summits this year, with the 48th focusing on intra-Asean cooperation.

The theme of its chairmanship is "Navigating our Future, Together," and the Philippines is looking to promote cooperation to promote Asean’s trade, energy, and food security.

Ongoing supply chain disruptions and energy price increases due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the uncertain status of the Strait of Hormuz are on the agenda for the Asean leaders.

The bloc will also discuss ways to accelerate the region’s green energy transition, as well as how to strengthen collaboration with Asean’s external partners to advance shared priorities and reinforce regional stability.

A number of proposals are expected to be tabled at the summit, such as the Asean Leaders’ Declaration on Maritime Cooperation, which is meant to enhance the maritime economy and sustainability, while promoting the protection of the marine environment.

Bilateral meetings and acting PMs

While at the Summit, PM Wong is expected to have several bilateral meetings with regional leaders on the summit’s sidelines.

PM Wong will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

On May 7, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam will be acting prime minister, while on May 8 and 9, that role will fall to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong.