(Pasig City, Philippines) \u200b At a high-level launch event on April 29 at Marco Polo Ortigas, the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) and the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) Philippines formally presented the "Advancing ASEAN: A Strategic Action Plan Supporting the Philippines' 2026 Chairship" to the Philippine Government, marking a significant milestone in strengthening public-private collaboration and advancing the country's stewardship of ASEAN this year.
The plan was received by Hon. Ma. Cristina Roque, Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry, on behalf of the Philippine Government, and witnessed by members of the ASEAN Diplomatic Corps and Mr. Y. Robert Ewing, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. of the United States of America to the Philippines. The ceremony underscored the breadth of support behind this initiative and its significance for U.S.–ASEAN relations.
The event comes at a consequential moment: the Philippines' 2026 ASEAN Chairship coincides with the 80th anniversary of Philippines–U.S. diplomatic relations and precedes ASEAN's 60th anniversary in 2027, lending added weight to an initiative already grounded in months of substantive public-private work.
\nFrom Dialogue to Action
Built from five high-level roundtables, the Strategic Action Plan delivers concrete, targeted, investment-ready recommendations across five policy areas: Sustainability and Food Security, Healthcare, Sustainable Supply Chains and Logistics, Digital Economy and Workforce Development, and Artificial Intelligence. The roundtable discussions, convened by USABC in partnership with ASEAN-BAC Philippines, brought together senior government officials, industry leaders, and USABC member companies in meaningful dialogue to support the Philippines' Priority Economic Deliverables and to advance ASEAN's long-term agenda on economic integration, innovation, and sustainable growth.
“The Strategic Action Plan is an effort to contribute not only to problem-solving, but to policymaking, resilience-building, workforce development, and energy security—in other words, to be part of the solution at a systemic level,” said Amb. Brian McFeeters (ret.), Interim President and CEO of USABC.
Mr. Jose Ma. “Joey” Concepcion III, Chairperson of ASEAN-BAC Philippines, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of regional solidarity. “The key to making ASEAN work is strengthening collaboration among countries — not working individually, but working together,” he said.
Strong Signals from the Highest Levels
The launch drew support from the highest levels of Philippine and regional leadership.
In his keynote address, H.E. Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., President of the Republic of the Philippines and 2026 ASEAN Chair, recognized the work of USABC and ASEAN-BAC Philippines and reaffirmed the Philippines' commitment to advancing ASEAN's shared economic future, emphasizing that while governments set the direction, it is the private sector that brings scale, innovation, and speed.
“This is precisely why initiatives such as the Strategic Action Plan are so timely and important. Even amid uncertainty, it is heartening to see governments and businesses come together, not only to respond to challenges, but to shape solutions. It sends a strong signal to the world that ASEAN remains committed to working collectively, and that our partnerships are resilient even in difficult times,” the President emphasized.
Hon. Ma. Cristina Roque, Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry, who received the Strategic Action Plan on behalf of the Philippine Government, expressed the government's commitment to advancing the Plan's recommendations. “At the heart of these efforts is a call for stronger partnerships with the private sector. Their participation is the essential engine that keeps businesses moving amidst global challenges. By aligning government action with the private sector, we ensure our initiatives remain practical, responsive, and provide a stable lifeline for businesses and industries across the region during times of crisis,” \u200b the Trade Secretary said.
H.E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, also delivered a video message, articulating ASEAN's collective vision for the 2026 Chairship and the role of sustained public-private engagement in achieving it. “These efforts will be critical in delivering the Philippines’ strategic agenda and in advancing ASEAN’s vision beyond 2025, including the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community Strategic Plan 2026–2030,” the ASEAN Secretary-General noted.
Mr. Y. Robert Ewing, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. of the United States of America to the Philippines, reaffirmed the United States' commitment to a strong and prosperous ASEAN, noting the importance of the 2026 Chairship priorities in deepening U.S.–ASEAN cooperation.
Hon. Maria Andrelita S. Austria, Undersecretary for Economic and Cultural Diplomacy of the Department of Foreign Affairs, made clear that global turbulence is not a reason to step back from ASEAN's long-term agenda but a reason to accelerate it. "Our response to current shocks must not be separate from our broader work of building a stronger ASEAN community," she said.
Translating Recommendations into Outcomes
A keynote conversation, "Shaping ASEAN's Next Phase: Key Outcomes for the 2026 Chairship," brought the launch's recommendations to life through a substantive exchange among senior leaders from government and the private sector.
Undersecretary Leandro Angelo Aguirre of the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Mr. Patrick Chua, Executive Director of ASEAN-BAC Philippines, and Mr. Tetsuya Watanabe, President of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), joined Amb. McFeeters in a discussion on how the Strategic Action Plan's recommendations can be advanced, from digital economy policy and supply chain resilience to regional cooperation on AI and workforce development.
Closing remarks were delivered by Mr. Michael Tan, Member of the Philippines to the ASEAN Business Advisory Council, who called on government and business to sustain the momentum of the launch and deepen their collaboration in the months ahead.
\nBuilding on a Strong Foundation
The launch builds on USABC's active policy engagement during Malaysia's 2025 ASEAN Chairship, reflecting the organization's commitment to continuity in regional dialogue across successive Chairships. It also reinforces USABC's unique position as the only American organization formally recognized in the ASEAN Charter and its nearly four decades of work advancing U.S.–ASEAN trade, investment, and policy cooperation.
The Strategic Action Plan is part of USABC's broader commitment to supporting the Philippines' 2026 ASEAN Chairship and to advancing a shared vision for a more integrated, resilient, and inclusive ASEAN.
A copy of the Strategic Action Plan is now available at https://www.usasean.org/strategic-action-plan.
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