THE Philippines’ Asean 2026 chairmanship presents a great opportunity not just for local exporters but also for overall economic growth, an industry leader said Wednesday at the Manila Times Economic Outlook Forum.
“The Philippines can push for faster implementation of Asean trade facilitation measures, stronger MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) participation in regional trade, practical cooperation on supply chain resilience, and clearer pathways for digital and green exports,” Philippine Exporters Confederation (Philexport) President Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. said during his speech at the forum.
He emphasized the need for institutional capacity, policy continuity, and coordination across agencies.
Exporters “feel the cost of inefficiency every day — at ports, in permitting processes, in infrastructure delays. Streamlined approvals, digital procurement, and clear accountability mechanisms benefit exporters and investors alike,” Ortiz-Luis said.
He proposed three strategies to improve bilateral partnerships within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in ways that would truly matter to exporters: Move from broad cooperation to more targeted, sector-driven collaboration; address the real barriers to trade; and strengthen supply chain resilience.
Exporters benefit most when partnerships are precise and practical. He said this means deeper bilateral and regional cooperation in priority sectors where Philippine exporters are competitive and scalable.
These sectors include electronics, agribusiness, other products, renewable energy components, creative industries, and services including digital health care and tourism.
Ortiz-Luis said real trade barriers now are no longer tariffs but regulatory friction. “Differences in standards, customs, procedures, rules of origin, and documentation continue to show trade.”
To address this, he called for a stronger commitment to mutual recognition agreements in operable digital trade platforms and predictable border procedures.
On supply chain resilience, Ortiz-Luis cited that the Philippines positioned itself as a reliable node in regional value chains “by building partnerships based on complementarity rather than competition.”
“Recent disruptions have shown the risk of over-concentration. Asean’s strength lies in diversification,” he added.
Ortiz-Luis said Asean’s shared priorities — sustainability, green and digital initiatives, maritime security, artificial intelligence, and youth engagements — were not separate from trade.
“They are trade enablers. Sustainability and green growth are no longer optional. Export markets increasingly demand traceability, low-carbon production, and ESG compliance.”
He highlighted the importance of digitalization within Asean, saying that cross-border e-commerce, paperless trade, digital customs, and
AI-enabled logistics “can significantly reduce export costs, especially for MSMEs” and urged the Philippines to be “an active champion of this effort.”
Ortiz-Luis said practical and resource-oriented cooperation within Asean would boost export competitiveness and would only happen “when government and business move in sync, when policies reflect commercial realities, and industry is involved early in regional initiatives.”
The balance between non-interference and rules-based governance must also mature, he said.
“Predictability matters. Transparent rules, persistent enforcement, and credible dispute resolution mechanisms build confidence.”
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority show that the country’s exports in 2025 hit a record high of $84.41 billion, up 15.2 percent from $73.27 billion in 2024. Electronics remained the leading export, followed by machinery and transport equipment, wiring harnesses, bananas, and coconut products. Chynna Grace Ong
