President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called on ASEAN member-states to give women greater roles in leadership and decision-making, saying their participation is crucial to the region’s security, resilience and inclusive economic growth.
Speaking at the 4th ASEAN Women Leaders’ Summit in Mandaluyong City on Tuesday, Marcos said women should not only benefit from development but also play a central role in shaping policies, institutions and investments across Southeast Asia.
“Women’s leadership is not optional to our regional agenda. It is the core driver of our security, resilience and prosperity,” Marcos said.
The President pointed to the continued underrepresentation of women in the Cabinets and Parliaments of ASEAN member-states, saying the issue represents a broader gap in whose voices influence decisions affecting the region.
“This is not simply a gap in representation, it is a gap in leadership in whose voices shape the decisions that affect our region,” he said.
Marcos urged ASEAN governments to strengthen leadership pipelines and create greater opportunities for women to take on decision-making positions. He also called for a regional network that would connect and support women leaders across Southeast Asia.
The President also highlighted the economic role of women, noting that more than 60 million micro, small and medium enterprises across ASEAN are owned or managed by women. However, many women entrepreneurs continue to face challenges in accessing capital and developing digital skills.
Under the Philippines’ 2026 ASEAN Chairship, Marcos said the regional bloc is advancing digital financial inclusion and market integration to create more opportunities for women-led businesses.
He also called on governments to turn commitments made during the summit into concrete policies, programs and budget allocations.
“Declarations and summits are certainly valuable, but action is our true currency,” Marcos said. “Our task now is to translate this joint statement into decisive policy.”
The 4th ASEAN Women Leaders’ Summit is being held under the theme “2026: The Year of Women’s Leadership for Inclusive Prosperity in the ASEAN Region.” It brings together government officials, development partners, civil society groups, women leaders, youth representatives and other stakeholders.
The summit is part of the Philippines’ broader ASEAN 2026 chairship, which is anchored on the theme “Navigating Our Future, Together.” The country has identified peace and security, economic integration and people empowerment among its priorities for the chairship.
The ASEAN 2026 calendar also lists the 4th ASEAN Women Leaders’ Summit as a regional ministerial-level meeting under the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community pillar.
Marcos called on ASEAN leaders to ensure that gender equality becomes part of everyday governance and development.
“Together, let us shape an ASEAN where equality is not just a policy target, but a lived daily reality for every woman and child,” he said.
