Pasay city: Youth leaders from across Southeast Asia are nearing the completion of a pivotal declaration aimed at bolstering digital resilience programs in the Philippines and the broader region. On Thursday, the Philippines inaugurated the final session day of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Youth Summit 2026 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City. This event convened over 300 delegates to finalize the ASEAN Declaration on Youth Digital Resilience.
According to Philippines News Agency, Jeff Ortega, Chairperson of the National Youth Commission, emphasized the significance of the declaration. He noted that an ASEAN-wide declaration would provide countries with a stronger basis to allocate resources towards digital resiliency initiatives. Despite technological advancements, Ortega pointed out that public programs often lack components related to digital resilience training.
Ortega highlighted the importance of incorporating these initiatives into national laws, ensuring appropriate budget allocations. The summit's aim is to empower the region's youth by equipping them with insights on digital literacy, governance, and online safety measures. Ortega expressed the hope that the summit would offer a broader perspective on how other countries are addressing these issues.
Key speakers on the second day of the summit included Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Assistant Secretary Wryan Te, and Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Assistant Scientist Elmer Peramo. Mayor Belmonte underscored the importance of government support and investment in education to cultivate an informed digital citizenry, empowering youth to translate their ideas into solutions.
The ASEAN Youth Summit, held from August 5 to 6, is spearheaded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in collaboration with the NYC, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The summit aims to create an enabling environment for youth participation and competency strengthening, aligning with the DSWD's priorities as the head of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) in 2026.
In a related development, the Ad Hoc ASEAN Defence Senior Officials' Meeting (ADSOM)-Plus Working Group convened a video conference on August 5 to explore ways to enhance youth participation in regional security. The Department of National Defense announced that the meeting advanced key initiatives and deliverables ahead of the ministerial meetings, focusing on the role of youth in peace and security.
The Philippines, serving as ASEAN chair for 2026, is currently hosting over 600 ASEAN-related meetings covering political, socio-cultural, and economic aspects. Under the theme 'Navigating Our Future, Together,' the Ad Hoc ADSOM-Plus Working Group reaffirmed the commitment of ASEAN Member States and Dialogue Partners to advance defense cooperation, strengthen regional peace and security, and foster dialogue and collaboration on emerging security challenges.
