MANILA- Honeylet Avenceña, President Rodrigo Duterte's common-law wife, will be hosting the spouses of Association Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders when they come to the Philippines for the organization's summit this week.

ASEAN 2017 National Organizing Council Director-General for Operation, Ambassador Marciano Paynor, told reporters on Monday that it was the President's decision to let Avanceña assume the hosting duties, commonly undertaken by a First Lady.

This is not the first time that Avanceña will host a spouse of a head of government, having hosted the wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Akie Abe, during their visit to Davao in Janaury.

Avanceña is expected to tour the spouses around the Metropolitan Museum on Saturday and then host the group for lunch.

"She's being ably assisted by other agencies including NCCA [National Commission for Culture and the Arts], the Metropolitan Museum, the Internal House Affairs of Malacañang, and the Social Secretary," Paynor said.

"She can hold her own, definitely," Paynor added.

So far, at least 6 spouses of ASEAN leaders, including the wives of Sultan Bolkiah of Brunei and Indonesian President Joko Widodo, have confirmed their attendance for the event.