Manila: The National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) is proposing a new regional framework to improve the well-being of the ageing population in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region. At the ASEAN High-Level Forum on Unlocking the Silver Economy held on June 4, NCSC Commissioner Camilo Gudmalin said the ASEAN Framework on Unlocking the Silver Economy will help address the challenge of viewing ageing as a vulnerability and transform it into a 'longevity asset' by ensuring that older persons can contribute productively to socio-economic development.
According to Philippines News Agency, the framework transforms ageing from a welfare problem into an economic and social opportunity. Gudmalin emphasized that the framework is anchored on a vision of security, dignity, and purpose, and is guided by principles of equity, inclusion, and innovation, delivering through six pillars. These pillars include social protection and income security, integrated health and care systems, lifelong learning and productive engagement, value creation and silver industries, enabling age-friendly communities, and regional cooperation.
Gudmalin outlined that by 2035, the framework promises no older person in poverty, ageing in place with dignity, productive engagement across the lifespan, ASEAN global leadership in longevity, and intergenerational solidarity. The framework is designed through a three-phase implementation approach, beginning with foundation-building from 2026 to 2028, during which countries will assess their national ageing situation, build data systems, and pilot age-friendly communities.
The second phase, from 2028 to 2031, will focus on system strengthening, including certifying care workers, expanding health financing, and developing age-friendly infrastructure. Gudmalin stated that Phase 3 will concentrate on innovation and integration, to be implemented from 2031 to 2035. This phase envisions launching ASEAN-wide Age Tech ecosystems, enabling cross-border silver investments, and fully integrating ageing into ASEAN development planning.
Once the draft framework is refined and concurrence from the ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (SOMSWD) is secured, it will be submitted for further deliberation, refinement, and consensus-building among ASEAN Member States before its full adoption. The ASEAN High-Level Forum on Unlocking the Silver Economy was led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia.
