As Manila prepares to host the 2026 ASEAN Summit this November, local activist groups are gearing up for widespread demonstrations to greet US President Donald Trump. Renato Reyes Jr., leader of the coalition Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), has openly condemned the President’s arrival, citing the administration’s role in the ongoing conflict with Iran and the subsequent spike in global oil prices. With the Philippine government designating the summit dates as non-working holidays and implementing significant security measures, including major road closures and the potential cancellation of over a hundred flights, tensions are already running high across the capital.

The Marcos administration has urged protesters to remain hospitable and hold off on their demonstrations until after the summit, but activist leaders have flatly rejected these calls. Bayan argues that the visit is centered on securing the controversial "Pax Silica" agreement, a US-led initiative aimed at establishing semiconductor and rare earth mineral manufacturing hubs in the Philippines. Activists fear this pact will not only exploit local labor to fuel US military production but also force the Philippines into a dangerous geopolitical standoff with China. With plans to burn effigies and flood the streets with protest banners, demonstrators have made it clear that they intend to voice their intense opposition to both US foreign policy and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Palestine during the President’s brief stay.