The Philippines' 2026 ASEAN chairmanship will be a test of whether the bloc can preserve unity, manage internal and external crises and remain a credible regional forum amid intensifying great power rivalry, rising intra-ASEAN security risks and a more fractured and transactional global order. On Jan. 1, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) chairmanship formally transferred from Malaysia to the Philippines, giving Manila responsibility for setting the bloc's agenda and convening its meetings for the calendar year. On Jan. 28-29, the Philippines hosted the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat in Cebu, marking the first major ministerial gathering under its chairmanship. During the retreat, Philippine officials reiterated their intention to prioritize negotiations on a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, building on draft texts completed by ASEAN members in 2024. Manila also confirmed that it would continue ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus peace initiative on Myanmar, including by appointing a special...
