Prabowo Showcases Indonesia’s Diplomatic Presence at the 48th ASEAN Summit Opening Ceremony in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines —JACKTVNEWS Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto attended the opening ceremony of the 48th ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings at the Mactan Expo Center in Cebu, Philippines, on Friday, reaffirming Indonesia’s presence and diplomatic leadership at ASEAN’s highest-level forum.

President Prabowo arrived at the venue aboard the presidential Maung Garuda vehicle and was warmly welcomed by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Marie Louise Araneta-Marcos.

Upon arrival, the Indonesian leader greeted the host delegation before posing for an official photograph with President Marcos Jr. and the First Lady in the reception area of the summit venue.

Dressed in a black suit paired with a blue-striped tie and his signature black peci cap, President Prabowo then entered the waiting lounge alongside other ASEAN leaders ahead of the official opening ceremony.

Among the leaders arriving after Prabowo were Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim accompanied by his wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, and Timor-Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão.

They were later joined by Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, who attended the event alongside his son, Abdul Mateen.

Following the welcoming session, President Marcos Jr. escorted all ASEAN leaders into the main ceremonial hall for the official opening of the 48th ASEAN Summit. President Prabowo took a front-row seat alongside fellow heads of state and government from ASEAN member countries.

The ceremony began with a traditional Filipino cultural performance, followed by an opening address delivered by President Marcos Jr. as host of the summit.

After the speech, all ASEAN leaders were invited onto the stage for a commemorative group photo featuring the symbolic “ASEAN handshake,” representing unity and regional cooperation among Southeast Asian nations.

Once the opening ceremony concluded, the leaders proceeded to a waiting room before attending the main plenary session of the 48th ASEAN Summit, scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. local time.

Reporter: Adolf