STORY: Southeast Asian leaders kicked off the 49th ASEAN Summit in Manila on Sunday (November 15), with talks expected to focus on regional trade and security.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., this year’s ASEAN chair, said at the opening ceremony that developments in the Middle East had put ASEAN nationals at risk and disrupted transport, energy and food supplies, underscoring the need for a coordinated regional response.

The meetings, which run from November 15-17, are also expected to cover the economic fallout from the Middle East conflict, Myanmar, the South China Sea and transboundary pollution.

ASEAN leaders will also hold talks with counterparts from major powers, including the United States, China and Japan.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: MANILA, PHILIPPINES (NOVEMBER 15, 2026) (HOST BROADCASTER - Access all)

1. DANCERS PERFORMING OUTSIDE CONVENTION CENTER

2. CAMBODIAN DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF EDUCATION, YOUTH AND SPORT, HANG CHUON NARON, ARRIVING AT VENUE

3. HANG SHAKING HANDS WITH PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT FERDINAND MARCOS JR

4. HANG POSING FOR PHOTOS WITH MARCOS JR AND PHILIPPINE FIRST LADY LIZA ARANETA MARCOS

5. LAOS PRIME MINISTER, SALEUMXAY KOMMASITH, AND HIS WIFE, ALOUNY KOMMASITH, GREETING MARCOS JR AND ARANETA MARCOS

6. SALEUMXAY AND ALOUNY POSING FOR PHOTOS WITH MARCOS JR AND ARANETA MARCOS

7. MALAYSIA PRIME MINISTER, ANWAR IBRAHIM, AND HIS WIFE, WAN AZIZAH, GREETING MARCOS JR AND ARANETA MARCOS

8. ANWAR IBRAHIM AND HIS WIFE POSING FOR PHOTOS WITH MARCOS JR AND ARANETA MARCOS

9. SINGAPORE PRIME MINISTER, LAWRENCE WONG, SHAKING HANDS WITH MARCOS JR AND ARANETA MARCOS

10. WONG POSING FOR PHOTOS WITH MARCOS JR AND ARANETA MARCOS

11. TIMOR-LESTE PRIME MINISTER, XANANA GUSMAO, DANCING BEFORE GREETING MARCOS JR AND ARANETA MARCOS

12. GUSMAO POSING FOR PHOTOS WITH MARCOS JR AND ARANETA MARCOS

13. VARIOUS OF VIETNAM'S PRIME MINISTER, LE MINH HUNG, SHAKING HANDS WITH MARCOS JR AND ARANETA MARCOS

14. THAILAND'S PRIME MINISTER, ANUTIN CHARNVIRAKUL, AND HIS WIFE, THANANON CHARNVIRAKUL, GREETING MARCOS JR AND ARANETA MARCOS

15. ANUTIN AND THANANON POSING FOR PHOTOS WITH MARCOS JR AND ARANETA MARCOS

16. CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER, MARK CARNEY, ARRIVING AT VENUE

17. CARNEY GREETING MARCOS JR AND ARANETA MARCOS

18. CARNEY POSING FOR PHOTOS WITH MARCOS JR AND ARANETA MARCOS

19. BRUNEI SULTAN, HASSANAL BOLKIAH, AND HIS SON, PRINCE ABDUL MATEEN, GREETING MARCOS JR AND ARANETA MARCOS

20. HASSANAL BOLKIAH AND ABDUL MATEEN POSING FOR PHOTOS WITH MARCOS JR AND ARANETA MARCOS

21. INDONESIAN PRESIDENT, PRABOWO SUBIANTO, GREETING MARCOS JR AND ARANETA MARCOS

22. PRABOWO POSING FOR PHOTOS WITH MARCOS JR AND ARANETA MARCOS

23. BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT, LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA, AND HIS WIFE, ROSANGELA LULA DA SILVA, GREETING MARCOS JR AND ARANETA MARCOS

24. LULA AND ROSANGELA POSING FOR PHOTOS WITH MARCOS JR AND ARANETA MARCOS

25. ASEAN LEADERS WALKING

26. MARCOS JR WALKING, ATTENDEES CLAPPING AT CEREMONY

27. ASEAN AND OTHER LEADERS SEATED, CLAPPING

28. MARCOS JR WALKING UP TO STAGE

29. MARCOS JR SPEAKING ON STAGE

30. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT, FERDINAND MARCOS JR, SAYING (SOUNDBITE STARTS ON SHOT OF ASEAN AND OTHER LEADERS SEATED):

"Developments in the Middle East placed ASEAN nationals at risk, disrupted transport, energy, and food supplies. We considered whether to hold our meeting in abeyance while we attended to the necessities of home. But in our consultations, we reached a clear consensus that it was precisely the moment for ASEAN to come together to forge a decisive response."

31. MARCOS JR SPEAKING ON STAGE

32. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT, FERDINAND MARCOS JR, SAYING (SOUNDBITE STARTS ON SHOT OF ATTENDEES):

"This year, we strengthened maritime cooperation and our response to trafficking, cybercrime, online scams, and other transnational threats. We brought our economies closer to the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement, progress on the ASEAN power grid, stronger trade and supply chain links, and greater support for our MSMEs and creative industries. We reached out to our friends and partners around the world to craft a coherent and organised response to the challenges we all face."

33. VARIOUS OF ASEAN LEADERS DOING TRADITIONAL HANDSHAKE