MANILA, Philippines – Manila is gearing up to host the 30th ASEAN (Assocation of Southeast Asian Nations) Summit and Related Meetings from April 26 to 29.

The 30th ASEAN Summit itself will take place on Saturday, April 29. Of all the activities during the 4-day meeting, this is the biggest event since 9 Southeast Asian leaders are attending, aside from President Rodrigo Duterte.

On the other days, meetings related to this high-profile regional summit will take place involving senior officials from the 10 ASEAN member states.

Why is this ASEAN Summit a big deal? It’s the first international summit of heads of government to be hosted by the Philippines under the Duterte administration. The last time the Philippines hosted an ASEAN Summit was in 2007, under the Arroyo administration.

An ASEAN summit provides Southeast Asian leaders a venue to meet on common issues of interest – economy, security, jobs, education, and climate change, among other topics. This is also the time when they and their ministers sign important agreements on cooperation.

Most of the events will take place in Pasay City so expect traffic rerouting in some roads there. Since some heads of government will be coming from hotels in Manila and Makati, some rerouting will also be implemented in roads in those areas. See the complete traffic rerouting scheme here. 

Because the main venue is the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), the entire Cultural Center of the Philippines (CPP) Complex will be open only to ASEAN delegates. (READ: Palace: Work, class suspensions in Metro Manila on April 28)

So what exactly is happening from April 26 to 29? Read below for the detailed schedule.

April 26, Wednesday

• Meeting of the Committee on Permanent Representatives to ASEAN | 9 am – 5 pm, PICC
• Welcome Dinner for Senior Officials and Delegates | 7 pm to 9 pm, City of Dreams

April 27, Thursday

• ASEAN Senior Officials’ Preparatory Meeting | 9 am to 5 pm, PICC
• BIMP-EAGA (Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area) Senior Officials’ Preparatory Meeting | 9 am to 5 pm, PICC
  
• Welcome Dinner for ASEAN Foreign Ministers | 7 pm to 9 pm, The Blue Leaf Filipinas
• State visit of His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei

April 28, Friday – Expect amped up security due to arrival of heads of government

• Arrival of heads of government | various schedules
• IMT-GT (Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle) Senior Officials’ Preparatory Meeting | 9 am to 5 pm, PICC
• Prosperity for All Summit of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council | 9 am to 5:40 pm, City of Dreams
• ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting | 10:30 am to 12:30 pm, PICC
• 15th ASEAN Political-Security Community Council Meeting | 2 pm to 3 pm, PICC
• 19th ASEAN Coordinating Council Meeting | 3:15 pm to 4:15 pm, PICC
• 14th ASEAN Leadership Forum | 5 pm to 6 pm, Manila Hotel
• Networking Dinner of Prosperity for all Summit | 6:30 pm onwards, City of Dreams
• State Visit of Indonesian President Joko Widodo

April 29, Saturday – This will be the busiest day because of events involving the ASEAN leaders.

• 30th ASEAN Summit and Related Activities | Whole day, PICC and various venues
• Arrival of leaders from 9:40 am to 10:10 am
• Opening Ceremony
• Plenary
• Leaders’ Family Photo
• Lunch
• Leaders’ Retreat at the Coconut Palace
• Signing of Outcome Documents from 2:55 pm to 3:25 pm
• ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with representatives of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly
• ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with representatives of ASEAN Youth
• Closing Session
• BIMP-EAGA Summit
• IMT-GT Summit
• Press Conference
• Gala Dinner at Sofitel

– Rappler.com