ASEAN Summit in full swing in Lapu-Lapu City

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HEADS of state, ministers, and foreign delegates arrived in Cebu on Thursday, May 7, as the first full day of the 48th ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings opened with ministerial talks and side events.

ASEAN foreign ministers and senior officials held high-level discussions that shaped the agenda for the leaders’ summit.

Meanwhile diplomats, business executives, sustainability advocates, and industry leaders gathered for the ASEAN-EU Sustainability Summit held alongside the regional meetings.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) scheduled the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the 31st ASEAN Political-Security Community Council Meeting, the 38th ASEAN Coordinating Council Meeting, and the ASEAN Joint Foreign and Economic Ministers’ Meeting.

At the ASEAN-EU Sustainability Summit, speakers focused on business resilience, renewable energy, decarbonization, climate adaptation, sustainable supply chains, and long-term investment strategies.

This as ASEAN and European stakeholders examined how companies and governments can respond to economic and environmental pressures.

Philip Morris International Chief Sustainability Officer Jennifer Motles said sustainability efforts must extend beyond financial performance and include environmental, social, and human impact.

Motles, a former United Nations human rights lawyer who has served as PMI’s Chief Sustainability Officer for six years, said companies must account for different forms of capital, including natural, intellectual, social, human, and manufactured capital, to create long-term business value.

“The people we work with, the people that we employ, the communities that we interact with, the natural resources that we rely on. If we don't account for this, then we cannot really create a sustainable business model,” Motles said during the roundtable discussion.

She pointed to the Philippines’ vulnerability to climate change and natural disasters and said companies operating in the country must address environmental risks while strengthening resilience measures.

Motles also cited investments in renewable energy use in manufacturing facilities in the Philippines as part of broader decarbonization and transition efforts.

“So how can we run our business in a way that is conscious enough, that understands the impact that it creates, and it can mitigate the negative impacts as much as possible?” she said.

She said sustainability requires companies to act before risks escalate.

“And this is really what sustainability is about, right? Acting in a proactive way. Not taking action when it's too late,” Motles added.

The sustainability discussions also covered evolving environmental regulations, renewable energy transition policies, emissions reporting, circularity measures, and supply chain accountability across ASEAN and European markets.

During the roundtable, Motles discussed PMI’s transition strategy away from cigarettes and toward smoke-free alternatives.

Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro opened the summit and welcomed delegates from ASEAN and Europe, business leaders, and development partners attending the event in Cebu.

Baricuatro said Cebu continues pursuing sustainable, resilient, and inclusive development. She said this is done through climate-resilient infrastructure, water and flood management systems, sustainable energy programs, and waste management initiatives.

She stressed the importance of partnerships among governments, businesses, and development groups in building “strong, responsible, and future-ready” economies.

Meanwhile, in a press briefing, Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary Allan Gepty said ASEAN continues pursuing deeper economic integration despite global uncertainties.

“ASEAN is an economic community which is positioned not only as a market but also as a production [hub],” Gepty said.

“One of the important … trade agenda of ASEAN is inclusivity and that includes, integrating micro, small and medium enterprises to the global value chain. And one way to do that is for them to be given enhanced market access in the region,” he added.

Gepty said ASEAN member states continue advancing the Digital Economy Framework Agreement, regional payment interconnectivity, and the ASEAN Power Grid as part of economic and energy resilience efforts.

Baricuatro welcomed Marcos upon his arrival Wednesday night at Mactan-Cebu International Airport after the President’s flight landed at around 9 p.m.

Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei also arrived in Cebu that evening.

Earlier in the week, Baricuatro and Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Cindi King-Chan received First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, who inspected key ASEAN ceremonial routes ahead of the summit.(MyTVCebu)