Participants and Officials at the ASEAN Youth Summit 2026 in Pasay City on August 5. (Department of Social and Welfare Development)
On August 5, the Philippines formally opened the ASEAN Youth Summit 2026, with the theme “Digital Resilience and Responsible Use of Technologies,” bringing together youth leaders, policymakers and development partners from across Southeast Asia to strengthen digital resilience and promote the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI).
The two-day summit is organised under the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) chairship of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC), in partnership with the National Youth Commission (NYC), with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The event forms part of the chairmanship of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) under the “Smart Youth and Innovation” thematic framework.
The DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian called on youth delegates to help shape a more inclusive digital future for the region, stressing that ASEAN’s digital transformation should reflect the needs and aspirations of young people. “Throughout the summit, we must bravely confront a fundamental question that will guide our dialogues and every decision we make: To whom is the digital ASEAN really built for?” he said.
The dialogues cover four core themes: critical digital literacy, digital resilience and mental well-being, youth participation in digital governance, as well as technology for Advocacy and innovation. Delegates are also expected to produce the ASEAN Youth Declaration on Digital Resilience, which will provide policy recommendations for governments, civil society and development partners on strengthening youth participation in ASEAN’s digital transformation.
The summit highlights the Philippines’ effort, as this year’s ASEAN Chair, to place young people at the centre of the region’s digital agenda. By prioritising digital literacy and resilience and youth participation in policy making, Manila is seeking to strengthen ASEAN’s preparedness for the opportunities and risks associated with rapid technological change. The initiative comes as ASEAN continues to face rising cyber-enabled threats, including online fraud, scam hubs, misinformation and digital exploitation, which have disproportionately affected young internet users.
Against this backdrop, the planned ASEAN Youth Declaration on Digital Resilience could contribute to broader regional efforts to promote responsible digital citizenship, strengthen online safety awareness and support ASEAN’s long-term objective of building a more resilient, inclusive and people-centred digital community.
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