Representatives from the Philippines advocated for the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and startups during the recently concluded third Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM3) and Related Meetings.
In his remarks at the plenary session, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Charles Jose emphasized the importance of APEC forums in strengthening collaborative efforts to address both domestic and cross-border challenges, foster innovation among member economies, and adapt to the rapidly changing digital landscape.
“As AI adoption varies widely across APEC economies, the Philippines prioritizes capacity-building efforts that provide targeted support for MSMEs and startups,” said Jose at the forum held from July 26 to August 15, 2025 in Incheon, Republic of Korea.
“This includes initiatives such as promoting AI literacy, sharing sector-specific use cases and developing cost-effective solutions. We need to empower and ensure that these vital economic engines are not forgotten, guaranteeing their equitable participation in the AI-driven economy,” he added.
Issues discussed at the APEC SOM3 meetings ranged from bridging gaps through advancements in the digital economy, market access, human capital development, structural reform as well as the next steps for the APEC Services Competitiveness Roadmap (ASCR) and the Cebu Action Plan (CAP).
In line with this year’s theme of “Building a Sustainable Tomorrow: Connect, Innovate, Prosper,” the Philippine delegation attended around 123 working group and ministerial-level meetings, capacity-building workshops, and public-private dialogues.
Jose, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and International Economic Relations, led the Philippine delegation in the meetings. The Philippines also participated in other APEC meetings scheduled for the rest of August.
