Philippine leader to address parliament ahead of ASEAN

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr will address federal parliament ahead of a gathering of world leaders for the ASEAN summit.

Mr Marcos will give a speech to a joint sitting of parliament on February 29, before a special summit of the Association of South East Asian Nations leaders in Melbourne in March.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the visit by the leader of the Philippines on Monday, as well as plans for a further two state visits coinciding with the summit.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will be welcomed in Melbourne on March 4 for an official visit, while Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will make a trip to Canberra for talks on March 7.

Mr Albanese said the ASEAN summit came at a critical time for the Asia-Pacific region.

"We live in very uncertain times, we live in an era of strategic competition, including in our region," he told parliament.

"Our relationships with our neighbours, including those directly to our north, are so important ... it is important that we engage in our region with ASEAN.

"This is in our domestic interests, not just our international interests."

Melbourne will host the special ASEAN summit to mark 50 years of dialogue between Australia and the organisation of Southeast Asian nations.

The address by Mr Marcos to the Australian parliament will come just weeks after a speech to both chambers by Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape.

Mr Albanese held talks with Mr Marcos in Manila in September 2023, the first bilateral visit to the Asian country by an Australian leader for 20 years.

"Our most important relationships are here in our neighbourhood and the Philippines of course, is an important nation for us," Mr Albanese said.

"President Marcos is a great friend of Australia, a supporter of democratic systems, and we look forward to welcoming him here."

License this article

What is AAPNews?

For the first time, Australian Associated Press is delivering news straight to the consumer.

No ads. No spin. News straight-up.

Not only do you get to enjoy high-quality news delivered straight to your desktop or device, you do so in the knowledge you are supporting media diversity in Australia.

AAP Is Australia’s only independent newswire service, free from political and commercial influence, producing fact-based public interest journalism across a range of topics including politics, courts, sport, finance and entertainment.

What is AAPNews?
The Morning Wire

Wake up to AAPNews’ morning news bulletin delivered straight to your inbox or mobile device, bringing you up to speed with all that has happened overnight at home and abroad, as well as setting you up what the day has in store.

AAPNews Morning Wire
AAPNews Breaking News
Breaking News

Be the first to know when major breaking news happens.


Notifications will be sent to your device whenever a big story breaks, ensuring you are never in the dark when the talking points happen.

Focused Content

Enjoy the best of AAP’s specialised Topics in Focus. AAP has reporters dedicated to bringing you hard news and feature content across a range of specialised topics including Environment, Agriculture, Future Economies, Arts and Refugee Issues.

AAPNews Focussed Content
Subscription Plans

Choose the plan that best fits your needs. AAPNews offers two basic subscriptions, all billed monthly.

Once you sign up, you will have seven days to test out the service before being billed.

AAPNews Full Access Plan
Full Access
AU$10
  • Enjoy all that AAPNews has to offer
  • Access to breaking news notifications and bulletins
  • Includes access to all AAPNews’ specialised topics
Join Now
AAPNews Student Access Plan
Student Access
AU$5
  • Gain access via a verified student email account
  • Enjoy all the benefits of the ‘Full Access’ plan at a reduced rate
  • Subscription renews each month
Join Now
AAPNews Annual Access Plan
Annual Access
AU$99
  • All the benefits of the 'Full Access' subscription at a discounted rate
  • Subscription automatically renews after 12 months
Join Now

AAPNews also offers enterprise deals for businesses so you can provide an AAPNews account for your team, organisation or customers. Click here to contact AAP to sign-up your business today.

SEVEN DAYS FREE
Download the app
Download AAPNews on the App StoreDownload AAPNews on the Google Play Store