The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), spearheading the ASEAN Committee on Business and Investment Promotion (CBIP), convened the ASEAN Business Environment Forum 2026. Held in strategic partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the forum serves as a critical platform for synchronizing economic strategies across the region.
Under the theme “From Policy to Performance: Making ASEAN Work for Business,” the event gathered a diverse coalition of regional policymakers, global development partners, and private sector leaders. The primary objective was to bridge the gap between high-level regulatory frameworks and the day-to-day operational realities of businesses within the ASEAN bloc.
DTI Secretary Cris A. Roque opened the forum with a call to action, urging member states to move beyond legislative intent and focus on measurable outcomes.
“It is no longer enough to have pro-business policies on paper,” Secretary Roque stated. “We must translate these policies into concrete outcomes that empower our entrepreneurs and drive sustainable economic growth. Our success will be measured by how seamlessly a business can operate across borders.”
The forum identified three strategic pillars essential for enhancing the region’s investment climate:
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Regulatory Reforms: Streamlining bureaucratic processes to eliminate “red tape” and reduce the cost of doing business.
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Public-Private Collaboration: Establishing stronger feedback loops between governments and industry leaders to ensure policy relevance.
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Digitalization: Leveraging technology to create transparent, paperless, and efficient administrative environments that appeal to global investors.
As ASEAN continues to navigate a complex global economy, the 2026 Forum underscores a collective commitment to creating a more integrated, transparent, and business-friendly ecosystem. By focusing on performance-driven metrics, the CBIP and ADB aim to solidify ASEAN’s position as a premier destination for international investment.
