Pasay city: Closer cooperation within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in removing digital barriers will give way to the bloc's full potential.
According to Philippines News Agency, during the opening of the business dialogue on ASEAN's Digital Economy in Pasay City on Saturday, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque stressed the importance of sustained collaboration in achieving a 'seamless, fully integrated regional digital economy.'
Roque noted that the ASEAN Digital Framework Agreement (DEFA), expected to be signed in November, would help double the region's digital economy to USD2 trillion by 2030. 'So, we need to push and we need to collaborate and we really need to work together as ASEAN, as a bloc,' she said.
She emphasized the need to remove digital friction to sustain momentum across borders. ASEAN has invested heavily in digital infrastructure and modern policies, but the digital economy is only as strong as the people driving it. Roque highlighted the importance of learning best practices from ASEAN neighbors.
Roque said DEFA will be a 'game-changer,' as it is envisioned to position the ASEAN as a dominant global digital hub. She urged the ASEAN member states to work closely, share practical solutions, and remove trade barriers to make the region's digital economy inclusive, resilient, and world-class.
'By establishing a single, streamlined set of regional rules for e-commerce, cross-border digital payment, data flows, and intellectual property protection, DEFA positions our 700 million-strong region as a dominant global digital hub. We need to collaborate and work together to exhaust the full potential of DEFA,' Roque stated.
She further explained that DEFA is vital in driving the Philippines' digital economy, which accounted for 9.8 percent of the gross domestic product and supported 10.39 million jobs, or more than 21 percent of the national workforce, in 2025. Roque noted that nearly 475,000 Filipino entrepreneurs use digital platforms to expand their reach, completing over 1.2 billion transactions annually.
Roque expressed the DTI's readiness to help ASEAN strengthen its digital trade. 'So, if there are other best practices that we can learn from each and every country, it's best for us to be open to this. We are investing aggressively in our workforce development, re-skilling, and continuous up-skilling to ensure our talent pool remains agile, competitive, and future-ready,' she said.
She concluded by highlighting the role of governments in building infrastructure and policies, but emphasized that it is the innovators, investors, and entrepreneurs who turn opportunities into economic powerhouses.
