At the invitation of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, will undertake a Working Visit to the Republic of the Philippines, on 27-28 November 2025, to discuss preparations for the Philippines’ Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2026. During the visit, Dr. Kao will pay a Courtesy Call on H.E. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., President of the Republic of the Philippines, to discuss key priorities and deliverables for the Philippines’ Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2026, under the theme “Navigating Our Future Together.”
Dr. Kao is also scheduled to meet with H.E. Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, Secretary of Foreign Affairs; H.E. Cristina Aldeguer-Roque, Secretary of Trade and Industry; H.E. Rex T. Gatchalian, Secretary of Social Welfare and Development, as well as with the Chair of 2026 ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC), as part of the Working Visit to provide full support for the Philippines’ preparations for its role as the ASEAN Chair in 2026.