Bogotá, DC, 20 February 2026 – The Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Colombia hosted a breakfast briefing on Philippine priorities as the 2026 chair of ASEAN with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Colombia and representatives of Dialogue Partners of ASEAN with resident missions in Bogota.  

Also joining the briefing was Indonesia, the only other ASEAN Member State with a diplomatic presence in Colombia.

The briefing highlighted the priorities of the Philippine Chairship of ASEAN,  deliverables and key outcome documents in each of the three pillars of the ASEAN Community, and the high-level ASEAN meetings to be hosted by the Philippines throughout the year.

Philippine Ambassador to Colombia Adrian Bernie Candolada emphasized the significance of the continued engagement between ASEAN and its external partners to make great strides in the region under “Navigating our Future, Together,” the theme chosen by the Philippines for its 2026 chairship.

During the short Q&A following the presentation, the participants expressed their renewed interest in finding ways to have a better engagement with Colombia or with Latin America where opportunities abound for expanded linkages with regional bodies such as ASEAN. 

Aside from Colombia, the briefing was attended by the respective Ambassadors of Russia, Australia, and Indonesia; the Deputy Chiefs of Mission of the Embassies of Canada, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand; as well as the Political Officers of India, the Republic of Korea, and the United States. – END-