ASEAN
Menpora Erick Thohir attends ASEAN Para Games 2025 opening
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Youth and Sports Minister Erick Thohir attended the opening ceremony of the 13th ASEAN Para Games 2025 in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, on January 20, 2026. He affirmed full government and public support for Indonesia's 290 para athletes competing in 18 sports. The Red and White contingent targets 82 gold, 77 silver, and 77 bronze medals.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the Philippines will push through with hosting the ASEAN summits in May and November 2026 on a ‘very bare-bones’ scale, focusing on energy and food security as well as migrant workers amid the Middle East conflict.
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Several Southeast Asian countries are introducing or maintaining tourism taxes in 2026 to fund sustainable practices and infrastructure. Thailand will levy a 300-baht entry fee on foreign visitors starting February, while Bali requires a one-time IDR 150,000 payment. Malaysia applies a nightly room tax, and Vietnam has no specific entry fee but ongoing tax discussions.
The Philippines is set to host the ASEAN Summits in 2026, with private sector leader Joey Concepcion III viewing it as a chance to demonstrate the country's readiness for international business amid recent corruption issues.
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Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro met Myanmar's Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Nay Pyi Taw on January 6 to discuss the political situation, controversial elections, and a stalled regional peace plan. This marked her first official visit as ASEAN chair amid ongoing violence in Myanmar. The trip forms part of the Philippines' efforts to implement the Five-Point Consensus.
More than 200 peacemakers from various countries gathered in a Makati hotel for a conference on peace processes, sharing experiences from the Philippines' Bangsamoro, Indonesia's Aceh, Nepal, and Papua New Guinea's Bougainville. Comfort Ero of the International Crisis Group delivered a keynote on rising global conflicts and China's role in the Indo-Pacific. The Bangsamoro peace remains an ongoing process amid election delays and transition issues.
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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. held a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on November 28, agreeing to enhance cooperation in key areas. The leaders discussed strengthening Philippines-Ukraine relations amid Manila's upcoming ASEAN chairmanship in 2026. Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for Philippine support on Ukraine's sovereignty.
South Korea supports Philippines' ASEAN hosting
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