Philippine officials, business leaders, and development partners on March 19 pushed for faster, coordinated action to turn Southeast Asia’s digital economy commitments into tangible gains, as the country prepares to chair the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in 2026.
The fourth roundtable of the Philippine ASEAN Chairship Series—organized by the US-ASEAN Business Council and the ASEAN Business Advisory Council Philippines—focused on operationalizing the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement, with discussions on digital infrastructure, cross-border data flows, cybersecurity, and the digitalization of micro, small, and medium enterprises.
Participants said the region must quickly align policies with the pace of digital growth, warning that delays could limit ASEAN’s global competitiveness and job creation.
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Director General Kiko Benitez said workforce readiness will be decisive as ASEAN economies accelerate digital transformation.
“As the Philippines assumes the ASEAN chairship in 2026, we have a unique opportunity not just to host conversations but to shape regional direction,” Benitez said.
“At the center of this effort is the urgent recognition that workforce development will determine whether we succeed or fall behind in the digital economy,” he added.
Experts from the Asian Development Bank and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia joined representatives from key Philippine agencies, including TESDA, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Science and Technology, National Privacy Commission, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Education, and the Development Academy of the Philippines.
Discussions highlighted the need for interoperable and trusted digital infrastructure to support regional trade and services, as well as clear and predictable rules for cross-border data flows that balance innovation with security and privacy safeguards.
Participants also called for stronger public-private collaboration to accelerate MSME digital adoption and expand upskilling and reskilling programs aligned with industry demand.
Herminio Bagro said ASEAN’s policy environment must keep pace with rapid digital expansion.
“The opportunity now is to turn commitments into interoperable rules, strengthen digital infrastructure, and align workforce development with industry demand so businesses can scale and growth translates into quality jobs across the region,” he said.
ASEAN-BAC Philippines senior adviser Josephine Romero said inclusive digitalization and workforce readiness are key to sustaining growth.
“Inclusive digitalization and workforce readiness are not just economic priorities—they are the foundation for ensuring that ASEAN’s growth is broad-based and durable,” she said.
Organizers said insights from the roundtable will feed into a strategic action plan ahead of the ASEAN Leaders’ Summit in May. The series will conclude with a session on artificial intelligence on April 14.
