03/05/2026
OVER 7,300 FORCES MOBILIZED TO SECURE ASEAN SUMMIT 2026 IN CEBU
A large-scale security deployment was formally launched at the Mactan Shrine in Lapu-Lapu City on Saturday, May 2, 2026, with more than 7,300 personnel from various government security and emergency response agencies mobilized in preparation for the ASEAN Summit 2026 in Central Visayas.
The send-off ceremony was led by local officials and top security leaders, together with PNP Chief, PGEN Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr., marking the full activation of coordinated national security measures for one of the regionβs most significant diplomatic events.
PNP Chief, PGEN Nartatez also conducted an aerial inspection over key areas in Central Visayas to assess operational readiness, validate deployment plans, and ensure seamless coordination of security forces across critical sites, transport routes, and event venues.
The Task Group Central Visayas under the Committee on Security, Peace and Order, and Emergency Preparedness and Response (CSPOEPR) was formally activated, integrating forces from the PNP, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Department of Health (DOH), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), and other partner agencies. The deployment covers site security, convoy protection, coastal and airspace monitoring, traffic management, emergency medical response, and rapid incident handling.
PGEN Nartatez emphasized that preparations for the summit have been comprehensive, deliberate, and continuously refined.
βThis 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,β he said.
He also underscored that deployment levels are calibrated based on operational requirements to maintain optimal security coverage at all times.
The ASEAN Summit 2026 will be held on May 7 to 8 in Lapu-Lapu City, with foreign delegates arriving as early as May 5 and expected to depart until May 12. The event is expected to gather world leaders to discuss key regional issues including security cooperation, economic integration, and policy development.
Anchored on the PNP Focused Agendaβa transformation framework designed to make police service more responsive, efficient, and community-centeredβthe deployment highlights strengthened inter-agency coordination and intelligence-driven operations, particularly under enhanced managing police operations and active community support, ensuring a safe, orderly, and secure environment for the international summit.
As the PNP leads comprehensive security operations for ASEAN Summit 2026 under the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the PNP continues to assure the public of βBagong PNP para sa Bagong Pilipinas: Serbisyong mabilis, tapat, at nararamdaman.β
(PNP-PIO)