By Tracy Cabrera
MANILA, Philippines — The Marcos administration is stepping up preparations for the Philippines’ hosting of the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Summits, with Metro Manila set to observe special non-working days during the high-level gathering.
The summit will be held from November 16 to 18, 2026, with the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City serving as the main venue.
Malacañang declared the three dates special non-working days in Metro Manila to help ease traffic and facilitate security measures for the event.
The declaration was contained in Proclamation No. 1447, signed by Executive Secretary Ralph Recto on September 17 and released to the public on September 22.
Recto said the declaration was necessary to “alleviate traffic” and enable the host country to ensure the safety and security of summit participants.
Leaders of the 11 ASEAN member states, along with representatives of dialogue partners and other participating countries, are expected to gather in Manila for the summit.
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