The 48th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is set to officially begin in Cebu City in the Philippines on Friday, May 8. The Philippines, which currently holds ASEAN’s rotating chairmanship, is hosting the event under the theme “Navigating Our Future, Together.”

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in a video released on Wednesday, May 6, that the bloc’s leaders will discuss regional and global issues, including ensuring stable energy supplies and accelerating energy diversification to mitigate the impact of the conflict in the Middle East.

Marcos Jr. added that he will use his position as the event’s chair to push for strengthening regional food security, ensuring the free flow of essential goods and establishing measures to support farmers as well as micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).