A massive security buildup has been activated for the 48th ASEAN Summit 2026, with more than 7,300 personnel from various government agencies deployed across Cebu to secure one of the region’s biggest diplomatic gatherings, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Sunday.
PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. led a send-off ceremony at Mactan Shrine in Lapu-Lapu City on Saturday, formally marking the full activation of coordinated national security operations for the summit.
The deployment forms part of Task Group Central Visayas under the Committee on Security, Peace and Order, and Emergency Preparedness and Response (CSPOEPR), which integrates personnel from the PNP, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Department of Health (DOH), and Office of Civil Defense (OCD), among others.
Security coverage includes venue protection, convoy escort operations, coastal and airspace monitoring, traffic management, emergency medical response, and rapid incident response systems across key areas in Metro Cebu.
Nartatez also conducted an aerial inspection over major sites in Central Visayas to validate deployment plans and assess readiness across transport routes, summit venues, and surrounding critical infrastructure.
He said preparations have gone through extensive planning and continuous coordination among participating agencies.
“This operation is the result of extensive planning and sustained coordination, drawing from established best practices in previous national and international events. We are fully prepared to ensure a safe and secure ASEAN Summit,” Nartatez said.
The ASEAN Summit 2026 is scheduled on May 7 and 8 in Lapu-Lapu City, with foreign delegates expected to begin arriving on May 5 and depart until May 12.
World leaders are set to discuss regional security, economic integration, and policy cooperation during the high-level meetings.
Photo courtesy of PRO-7/Facebook
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