ASCC PH Hosts 3 Major Meetings this Week

MANILA —The Philippines, through its Chairship of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Pillar, announced on Monday that it is hosting three major meetings to strengthen family resilience, empower young people, and advance inclusive development for marginalized and vulnerable communities across the region.

In a media briefing at the International Media Center, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Assistant Secretary Irene B. Dumlao said these meetings emphasize the Philippines’ “RISE ASEAN” agenda, which supports “a truly ‘One ASEAN, One Response’ region.”

 Dumlao said the three meetings are:

First, the 40th ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (SOCA) Meeting, where senior officials will review and harmonize key frameworks in support of our People Empowerment agenda.

Second, the High-Level ASCC Council Forum, which brings together ministers, senior officials, experts, youth leaders, and development partners to place people empowerment at the forefront of ASEAN’s forward trajectory. 

“The Forum affirms that empowering individuals, families, and communities is both the means and the measure of ASEAN’s success,” Dumlao said.

The third meeting, Dumlao said, is the 35th ASCC Council Meeting, where regional ministers will formally adopt key frameworks and finalize priority social policies for Southeast Asia.

“Beyond these high-level meetings, the richness of the Filipino culture will also be highlighted through our curated gastronomic and heritage tours, and performances of traditional music and dance,” Dumlao said.

Dumlao said the Philippines is deeply honored to welcome the Ministers and Heads of Delegations of “our ASEAN Family, led by H.E. Rex Gatchalian of the Philippines as ASCC Chair and H.E. Masagos Zulkifli of Singapore as ASCC Vice Chair, alongside our esteemed counterparts from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Timor Leste, and the ASEAN Secretariat.”

Gatchalian is the DSWD Secretary.

“The Philippines welcomes our ASEAN family not only with a strong pro-people agenda, but with the spirit of unity and partnership. As we navigate our future together, may we continue shaping a resilient, dynamic, and truly people-centered ASEAN,” Dumlao said.

As the 2026 ASEAN Chair, the Philippines is taking an active role in shaping the regional agenda, engaging in high-level dialogues that are shaping cooperation in security, economic integration, and social development.