ASEAN Power Grid, Connectivity Among Philippines Priorities As 2026 Chair - President Marcos

By Linda Khoo & Nur Atiq Maisarah Suhaimi

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 (Bernama) -- The Philippines will prioritise strengthening connectivity, accelerating digitalisation, and advancing the ASEAN Power Grid to meet the region's growing energy demands when it assumes the ASEAN chairmanship in 2026, said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

Marcos said the Philippines, as the next ASEAN Chair, would continue to build on ongoing efforts to enhance physical and digital connectivity, which are key to fulfilling the bloc's ambition of becoming the world's fourth-largest economy.

"When I talk about connectivity, I refer to both physical and digital connectivity. With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), it is important that ASEAN really looks very hard into the digitalisation of all the processes of what we do," he said in an exclusive interview with Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) Editor-in-Chief, Arul Rajoo Durar Raj.

Marcos was in Kuala Lumpur to attend the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, which concluded on Tuesday.

Marcos said interconnectivity is equally crucial, adding that the proposed ASEAN Power Grid is essential to meet the region's growing energy demands.

"Interconnectivity is something that is important, and that's why the proposal of an ASEAN Power Grid, Electrical Grid, is important because the demands for electrical power are going to be enormous, even the data centres that we are all establishing are placing pressure on our power supply system," he said.

He noted that the proposed efforts are another critical initiative as the region braces for surging electricity demand driven by data centres and AI computing power.

"The demands on power generation are going to be quite big, and we have to prepare for that," he said, adding that ASEAN must remain agile and adaptable to keep pace with rapid technological change.

"Technology is moving so quickly that we cannot simply make a plan and stick to it. We must be ready to adjust very quickly when new developments arise," he said.

According to the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) website, the ASEAN Power Grid was established under ASEAN Vision 2020 adopted at the Second ASEAN Informal Summit in Kuala Lumpur on Dec 15, 1997.

At the Third Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Leaders' Meeting held on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim called on members to strengthen technical and financial collaboration to accelerate the integration of the ASEAN Power Grid. 

Anwar, in his opening remarks, said the ASEAN Power Grid is a key pillar in the region's efforts to achieve long-term energy security and climate ambitions, as it complements Malaysia's national initiatives towards a low-carbon future. 

AZEC was launched in 2023 and currently comprises 11 partner countries, namely the Philippines, Malaysia, Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Malaysia officially handed over the ASEAN Chairmanship to the Philippines on Tuesday. 

-- BERNAMA