By Brian Campued
Understanding the media’s role in delivering timely, accurate, and comprehensive coverage of the 48th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit this May, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said the International Media Center (IMC) is ready to cater to the needs of journalists covering the high-level meetings.
This, as preparations for the Philippines’ hosting of the ASEAN are in full swing, with Cebu designated as the host province for the first leg of the biannual summit.
The IMC, located at the Mactan World Museum in Lapu-Lapu City, will be formally opened on May 5, during which PCO Secretary Dave Gomez and ASEAN National Organizing Council Director-General Ma. Hellen De La Vega, along with Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro and Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Cynthia Chan, will lead an opening program and press briefing.
Highlighting the government’s commitment to ensuring a fully operational and media-ready IMC, Gomez will underscore “the IMC’s role in enabling timely, accurate, and responsible reporting while reaffirming support for both local and foreign media covering the event.”
“Director-General De La Vega, meanwhile, will provide an overview of the summit, including key engagements, thematic priorities, expected outcomes, and operational guidance on coverage schedules, movement arrangements, and media access protocols,” the PCO said in a press release Friday.
Serving as the central hub for both local and international media, the IMC will provide comprehensive facilities, technical support, and operational services, including dedicated media working areas, media pool waiting lounges, and high-speed wired and wireless internet connectivity to support news production and live reporting.
The media center also features broadcast facilities, a main briefing hall for official press briefings and announcements, and a secondary briefing room for delegation-led media engagements and smaller press interactions.
“An official video and photo distribution desk will provide accredited media with timely access to summit footage and images, while live feed monitoring stations will allow journalists to monitor official coverage in real time,” PCO said.
“Additional support amenities at the IMC include an on-site medical clinic, prayer rooms, media dining facilities, technical help desks, and designated parking areas for accredited media personnel.”
The IMC is expecting an estimated 800 to 1,000 local and international media to cover the event.
Meanwhile, Cebu has been ramping up security, traffic management, and logistical arrangements ahead of the leaders’ summit on May 7-8, when President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will convene with his fellow leaders of 10 other ASEAN member states.
Aside from the Philippines, ASEAN is composed of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, and Timor Leste, which formally joined the regional bloc on Oct. 26, 2025.
-jpv
