MALACAÑANG said on Tuesday that the Philippines' hosting of the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Summits offers an opportunity to present the country as an investment destination and demonstrate its economic potential. ASEAN is a ten-member regional grouping whose chairmanship rotates annually among its members, with the chair-country host convening the bloc's leaders and partners for the year's summits.

"It's a big thing that we are now the host of ASEAN so we can show not only Filipinos but the whole world that the Philippines is a good place to put their capital," Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro said at a briefing.

She said business, trade, investment, jobs, and food and energy supply stand to benefit from the summit, scheduled for Nov. 15-17 at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

US President Donald J. Trump is among the leaders confirmed to attend, the Palace earlier said.

The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said in a statement that Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has been invited to take part in the summit plenary as Guest of the Chair. "Brazil is a sectoral dialogue partner of ASEAN," the PCO said — a status that formalizes cooperation with the bloc in specific areas without conferring membership.

Mr. Lula will travel to the Philippines for an official state visit on Nov. 14 to 15 — the first by a sitting Brazilian president to the Philippines, the PCO added — beginning a day before the summit opens.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. visited the summit venue on Tuesday as part of preparations for the regional gathering, Ms. Castro said. "He needs to see what is still lacking because we should be almost done with the preparations," she said.

The Palace also urged groups to raise their concerns ahead of the summit rather than stage demonstrations during the arrival of foreign leaders.

"You have time, you have plenty of time to say what you want to tell the government. It would be better if this were not timed with the arrival of our guests," Ms. Castro said.

Transport group Piston has announced a strike on Nov. 16, the second day of the three-day summit. Ms. Castro said the government would address any transport disruption caused by rallies.

Street clearings near the summit venues are a security matter, she clarified, noting that nearly 20 heads of state are expected to converge on Metro Manila. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking