MANILA, Philippines – Pumirma ng kasunduan ang dalawang major investor groups mula sa Estados Unidos at Southeast Asia na sumusuporta sa key priorities ng Pilipinas sa trade, digitalization, at food security bilang kasalukuyang chairman ng Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Pinirmahan noong Marso 3 ni Herminio Bagro III, Philippines chief representative ng US-ASEAN Business Council at Jose Ma. Concepcion III, chairman ng ASEAN-Business Advisory Council, ang memorandum of understanding na nagtatatag ng coordinated platform para sa engagement sa pagitan ng pribadong sektor at pamahalaan ng Pilipinas na tugma sa chairmanship theme ng Manila na “Navigating Our Future, Together.”
“The Philippines assumes the ASEAN chairmanship at a pivotal moment for the region,” sinabi ni Bagro sa joint statement ng US-ABC at ABAC.
“As ASEAN moves from frameworks to implementation, the private sector must be a reliable partner in delivering measurable outcomes—particularly in sustainability, health, digital transformation, and supply chain resilience,” dagdag pa.
Para naman kay Concepcion, ang leadership ng Pilipinas sa ASEAN ngayong taon ay oportunidad para ipakita na ang negosyo at pamahalaan “can move from dialogue to delivery.”
“Through this partnership with USABC, we are building a structured platform where private sector solutions directly support national priorities and regional integration. This is about ensuring ASEAN remains competitive, resilient, and future-ready,” ani Concepcion.
Kasalukuyang hawak ng Pilipinas ang rotating chairmanship ng 11-member regional bloc na binubuo ng Pilipinas, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, at Timor-Leste.
Pangungunahan ng Pilipinas ang mga summit ng ASEAN leaders sa Mayo at Nobyembre, at ministerial meetings, kabilang ang annual expanded regional security forum na kasama sa dialogue ang mga partner gaya ng US, Japan, China, Australia, Russia, at South Korea.
Noong nakaraang linggo ay nagdaos ng unang session ang USABC at ASEAN-BAC Philippines sa kanilang roundtable discussion series, na tumutok sa sustainability at food security.
Lumahok dito ang senior government officials, US companies, development experts, at policy advisers para suriin ang intersection ng food systems, environmental sustainability, at public health sa ASEAN areas.
“Food security and sustainability are often treated as separate policy conversations, but the private sector sees them as deeply connected,” sinabi ni Bagro.
Bilang katuwang ng pamahalaan, sinabi ni Concepcion na sisiguruhin ng mga grupong ito na ang critical issues na ito ang magiging strategic priorities kasabay ng paggiit na ang business solutions ang makatutulong sa paglago ng ekonomiya sa rehiyon.
Ang mga susunod na sesyon ay tututok naman sa sustainable supply chains at logistics, digital economy at workforce development, at artificial intelligence. RNT/JGC
