10th Founding
Anniversary
A Decade of Science Diplomacy — Bridging Divides, Inspiring Lives.
The 2026 anniversary celebrates a decade of nurturing science diplomats across ASEAN, honoring past achievements while recommitting to collaboration, resilience, and regional leadership.
Dates
May 18–21, 2026
Arrival/Departure: May 17–22
Venue
Acacia Hotel
Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Participants
84+ Speakers
100+ delegates · ASEAN-wide
Theme & Objectives
A Decade of Science Diplomacy:
Bridging Divides, Inspiring Lives.
Marking ten years of ASEAN Science Diplomacy, the 10th Founding Anniversary brings together generations of diplomats, scientists, and partners to reflect, recommit, and chart the next decade of regional cooperation through evidence and dialogue.
Highlights
- High-level keynotes from senior officials, ambassadors, and institutional leaders.
- Plenary sessions across ASEAN's economic, political-security, and socio-cultural pillars.
- Workshops on science communication, negotiation, and policy writing.
- Dialogue partner sessions with international missions and organizations.
- Commemorative report launch, joint declaration, and recognition awards.
Celebrate a Decade of Impact
Highlight alumni achievements, recognize partners, and document the Assembly's journey.
Strengthen Regional Collaboration
Convene scientists, diplomats, and policymakers to address shared regional challenges.
Empower Leaders
Provide mentorship, training, and platforms for future science diplomacy leadership.
Reaffirm ASEAN's Commitment
Position science diplomacy as a strategic instrument for resilience, sustainability, and peace.
Institutionalize Capacity-Building
Build continuity through training modules, cohorts, and partner-supported structures.
Four Days of Engagement
Program at a Glance
Four days of foundations, capacity-building, diplomacy, and legacy.
Foundations & Vision
May 18, 2026
Opening ceremony, keynotes from senior officials, ASEAN community plenaries, ambassadors' session, and networking.
Capacity-Building & Co-Creation
May 19, 2026
Strategic statement crafting, three pillars of resilience diplomacy, negotiation, and science communications tracks.
International & Diplomatic Engagement
May 20, 2026
ASEAN Roadmap, Luminaries Session, Dialogue Partners, and partnership exchange with international organizations.
Legacy & Institutionalization
May 21, 2026
Educational tour, closing ceremony, 10-year commemorative report launch, joint declaration, and recognition awards.
Distinguished Speakers
Voices Shaping the Next Decade
84+ secretaries, ambassadors, scientists, and institutional leaders across three program days.
Foundations & Vision
May 18, 2026Special Message
DSG Satvinder Singh
Deputy Secretary General, Economic Community
ASEAN
Keynote Speakers
Sec. Juan Miguel Cuna
Secretary
Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Sec. Renato Solidum
Secretary
Department of Science and Technology
Sec. Ma. Theresa Lazaro
Secretary
Department of Foreign Affairs
Sec. Arsenio M. Balisacan
Secretary
Department of Economy, Planning and Development
Sec. Gilbert Teodoro Jr.
Secretary
Department of National Defense
Plenary Speakers
Science Diplomacy and the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC)
Mr. Theutthoune Soukaloun
Alternate Executive Director
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Mr. Joey Concepcion III
Chairman
ASEAN Business Advisory Council
Ms. Elizabeth Lee
Chairperson
Federation of Philippine Industries
Dr. Donald Patrick Lim
President
Management Association of the Philippines
Mr. Irza Fauzan Suprapto
Chief Executive Officer
Industry Platform, Singapore
Plenary Speakers
Science Diplomacy and the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC)
Mr. Regis Chapman
Distinguished Representative & Country Director
World Food Programme
Hon. Muhammad Arfan Sahib Sali Kando
Head of Data and Information, Bureau Secretariat
Presidential Advisory Council, Ministry of State Secretariat of Indonesia
Prof. Dr. Clarita Carlos
Distinguished Political Scientist, House of Representatives
Former President, National Defense College of the Philippines
Hon. Khlok Dara
Delegate of the Royal Government & Director General
Ministry of Justice, Cambodia
Prof. Eduardo Araral
Professor, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Singapore
Distinguished Member, UN Committee of Experts on Public Administration
Plenary Speakers
Science Diplomacy and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC)
Dr. Ivan Henares
Secretary General
National Commission of the Philippines, UNESCO
Dr. Sam Chittick
Country Representative
Asia Foundation
Dr. Shirley Agrupis
Chairperson
Commission on Higher Education
Rushdi Abdul Rahim
President
Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT)
Dr. Lee Pearson
President and CEO
Wovoka, Silicon Valley
Host / Moderators
Mr. Reginald Yu
President
Philippine Paint and Coatings Association Inc.
Ms. Cathy Yang
Head of Programs, Host Anchor
Cignal TV One News
Atty. Karen Olivia Jimeno
Chief Legal Counsel, Sofcap Partners; News Anchor
Bilyonaryo News Channel (BNC)
Dr. Andery Lim
Education Officer, STEP Centre
Ministry of Education, Brunei Darussalam
Organizers
Dr. Charlston Uy
Founder and CEO
Uy Dental Clinic Group
Sci. Dpl. Glenn Banaguas
Chairman and President
ASEAN Science Diplomats
Usec. Leah Buendia
Undersecretary, Department of Science and Technology
Chairman, COSTI Philippines
Dr. Leo Sebastian
President
Development Academy of the Philippines
Hon. Brian Poe Llamazares
Representative
FPJ Bayanihan Partylist
Capacity-Building & Co-Creation
May 19, 2026Advancing Science Governance
Through Strategic Statement Crafting
Dr. William Dar
Senior Adviser
ASEAN Business Advisory Council
Dr. Ria Persad
President
Statweather
Dr. Richard Hirsch
Chairman
Applied Planning Infrastructure Inc.
Pillar 1
Human Security and Social Resilience Diplomacy
Usec. Carlo Primo David
Undersecretary, Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Water Governance and Resource Diplomacy
Hon. Amina Rasul-Bernardo
President, Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy
Human Security, Gender Equality, Peace, and Resilience Diplomacy
Asec. U-Nichols Manalo
Assistant Secretary, Department of Agriculture
Food Systems and Nutritional Security Diplomacy
Dr. Jaime Montoya
President, National Academy of Science and Technology
Health Security and Pandemic Preparedness Diplomacy
Pillar 2
Environmental Stewardship and Connectivity Resilience Diplomacy
Asec. Romeo Montenegro
Assistant Secretary, Mindanao Development Authority
Energy Transition and Sustainable Systems Diplomacy
Usec. Anneli Lontoc
Undersecretary, Department of Transportation
Infrastructure, Manufacturing, and Transport Connectivity Diplomacy
Asec. Romell Cuenca
Assistant Secretary, Climate Change Commission
Climate and Disaster Resilience Diplomacy
Dr. Neil Aldrin Mallari
President, Center for Conservation Innovations
Environment, Education, and Biodiversity Diplomacy
Pillar 3
Finance, Digital Innovation, and Frontier Resilience Diplomacy
Mr. Drexx Laggui
Principal Consultant, Laggui and Associates, Inc.
Cybercrime and Cybersecurity Diplomacy
Dr. Gay Jane Perez
Director General, Philippine Space Agency
Space, Satellite, and Frontier Science Diplomacy
Atty. Edsel Tupaz
Senior Partner, Garricola — Africa Cauton & Saavedra Law Firm
Digital Transformation, Frontier Tech, and AI Diplomacy
Mr. Benjamin Villacorte
Chairman, Philippine Sustainability Reporting Committee, SGV & Co
Banking and Sustainability Finance Diplomacy
Negotiations, Informed-Based & Ethics in Policy Making
Atty. Paul Heherson Balite
Assistant Vice President
Philippine Institute of Arbitrators (PIARB)
Atty. Mariliza Kalaw
Senior Vice President
Philippine Institute of Arbitrators (PIARB)
Atty. Ian Ray Malilong
President
Philippine Institute of Arbitrators (PIARB)
Science Communications
Mr. Timothy James Dimacali
Vice President for External Affairs
Science Communicators Philippines
Dr. Ruby Cristobal
President
Science Communicators Philippines
Host / Moderators
Dr. Manuel Enverga III
Professor
Ateneo de Manila University
Dr. Benito Teehankee
Professor
De La Salle University
Dr. Carl Balita
Chairman and CEO
CEB Group of Companies
Mr. Caesar Vallejos
President
NET25
Dr. Tirso Ronquillo
President
Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges
International & Diplomatic Engagement
May 20, 2026ASEAN Plan of Action for Science, Technology, and Innovation (APASTI)
H.E. Hul Seingheng
Undersecretary, Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation
Chairman, COSTI Cambodia
ASEAN Science Diplomacy: The Roadmap
Sci. Dpl. Glenn Banaguas
Chairman and President
ASEAN Science Diplomats
ASEAN Luminaries Session
Voices of Unity
H.E. Megawati Manan
Ambassador
Brunei Darussalam
H.E. Sin Saream
Ambassador
Cambodia
H.E. Victorina Hesti Dewayani
Deputy Chief Minister
Indonesia
H.E. Thiphasone Sengsourinha
Ambassador
Lao PDR
H.E. Dato' Abdul Malikmelvin Castelino
Ambassador
Malaysia
H.E. San Kyu Kyaw
Chargé d'Affaires
Myanmar
H.E. Constance See
Ambassador
Singapore
H.E. Makawadee Sumitmor
Ambassador
Thailand
H.E. Marciano Octavio Garcia da Silva
Ambassador
Timor-Leste
H.E. Dr. Lai Thai Binh
Ambassador
Vietnam
ASEAN Dialogue Partners Session
H.E. Marc Innes-Brown
Ambassador
Australia
H.E. David Hartman
Ambassador
Canada
H.E. Jing Quan
Ambassador
China
H.E. Massimo Santoro
Ambassador
European Union
H.E. Harsh Kumar Jain
Ambassador
Republic of India
H.E. Endo Kazuya
Ambassador
Japan
H.E. Dr. Catherine Rosemary McIntosh
Ambassador
New Zealand
H.E. Lee Sang-Hwa
Ambassador
Republic of Korea
H.E. Marat Ignatyevich Pavlov
Ambassador
Russian Federation
H.E. Sarah Hulton OBE
Ambassador
United Kingdom
H.E. Robert Ewing
Chargé d'Affaires
United States of America
ASEAN Partnership Exchange
With International Organizations
Mr. Takanori Morishima
Senior Representative
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Ms. Floradema "Folay" Eleazar
Team Leader
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Dr. Delia Catacutan
Senior Fellow
Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry
Dr. Seokjoon Moon
Strategic Partnerships Officer
World Food Programme (WFP)
Moderators
Usec. Margarita Gutierrez
Undersecretary
Department of Justice
Atty. Aris Manguera
Director
Department of Justice
Speaker lineup is subject to final confirmation by the Secretariat. Photos are continuously being updated.
A Decade of Assemblies
From Batangas to Manila — and Back
Tracing the journey that brought the Assembly home in 2026.
2017
Batangas
1st ASEAN Science Diplomats Assembly
2018
Davao
2nd Assembly — FEWB nexus
2019
Manila
3rd Assembly — sustainability financing
2020–25
Virtual
Online continuity and Der Forscher Lecture Series
2026
Philippines
10th Founding Anniversary