Manila Activists Mobilize Massive Protests for Donald Trump ASEAN Visit
US President Donald Trump will face organized opposition during his official visit to Manila next month for the 2026 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Meetings, where progressive Filipino groups are planning massive demonstrations. Left-wing political alliances and local activist networks are mobilizing to challenge the visit, citing international policies that organizers argue have destabilized global affairs.
Marcos Government Urges Restraint as Activists Prepare Demonstrations
The Marcos administration has formally appealed to progressive groups to defer the planned actions, urging citizens to practice national hospitality, welcome foreign leaders, and air grievances on another day. Renato Reyes Jr., president of the left-wing multi-sectoral political alliance Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, countered that local networks are fully prepared for what they describe as a renewed wave of opposition, pointing to past presidential tours that drew large-scale public backlash.
The upcoming demonstrations mirror high-profile mobilizations from previous diplomatic visits to the capital.
