Pasig city: Two leading business groups in Southeast Asia unveiled an action plan on Wednesday aimed at providing strategic guidance for the Philippines as it prepares to chair the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2026, amid rising global geopolitical and economic uncertainties.
According to Philippines News Agency, the framework titled 'Advancing ASEAN: A Strategic Action Plan (SAP) Supporting the Philippines' 2026 Chairship,' is the result of collaborative efforts by the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) and the ASEAN Business Advisory Council Philippines (ASEAN-BAC Philippines). The plan focuses on five key priorities: food security, healthcare, supply chains, digital economy and workforce development, and artificial intelligence (AI).
USABC Philippine Country Representative Herminio Bagro III highlighted that the plan represents a consolidated voice of US businesses in Southeast Asia. He emphasized the formal commitment to support the Philippines during its chairship year, aiming for an ASEAN that is resilient, inclusive, and future-ready. The plan addresses ASEAN's structural challenges, such as fragmented governance and uneven digital adoption.
The action plan encourages the Philippines to establish institutional foundations that would aid Singapore and Thailand when they chair ASEAN in 2027 and 2028. Proposed initiatives include creating a circular health economy platform, an ASEAN preventive health systems accelerator, and regulatory harmonization, among others.
USABC President and CEO Brian McFeeters noted that the ongoing Middle East crisis underscores the SAP's relevance. He clarified that the SAP is not an emergency action plan but a long-term strategy for ASEAN to address major challenges and benefit the economy.
The document was presented to the Philippine government, represented by Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque, alongside ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who also endorsed the proposed plan, during a ceremony at Marco Polo Ortigas in Pasig City.
