The Philippines, as Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) 2026, through the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), announced on Thursday that the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) will meet with representatives from the ASEAN Business Advisory Council, the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia, and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
In a press briefing, DTI Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty said the AEM Retreat is taking place at “an unprecedented time,” when the global economy faces myriad and complex challenges, including geopolitical tensions, climate risks, supply chain disruptions, technological transformation, and conflict in the Middle East.
“The ASEAN Economic Ministers Retreat is an important platform and meeting in the ASEAN Economic Community. It provides Ministers with an opportunity to convene in a more informal setting to exchange views and discuss how we can further strengthen regional economic integration,” Gepty said.
The AEM will meet with the bloc’s private sector through the ASEAN Business Advisory Council to “hear their insights and concerns that need to be addressed at the regional level so that our policy intervention is responsive and aligned with the realities on the ground.”
Many of the improvements made in the region’s business environment, from trade facilitation to digitalization and supply chain connectivity, have been shaped by the perspectives and recommendations coming from the business community, Gepty said.
The AEM will confer with the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia, whose primary role is to provide research, policy analysis, and evidence-based recommendations to support the development of the ASEAN Economic Community, regional resilience, and sustainable growth.
The AEM’s meeting with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will focus on how ASEAN can strengthen the bloc’s partnership in implementing “ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future.”
As a regional development bank with deep institutional knowledge, ADB can act as a financing and advisory partner to ASEAN, providing advisory support, dedicated financing for key initiatives, and the technical assistance needed, all aligned with ASEAN’s strategic priorities, Gepty said.
“This partnership is particularly timely as 2026 marks the first year of implementing ASEAN 2045 and coincides with the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairship, allowing us to begin shaping the trajectory of its implementation together with our partners,” Gepty said.
The theme of the Philippines’ 2026 ASEAN Chairship is “Navigating Our Future, Together.”
