TRADE Secretary Cristina Roque and Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong pushed for regional priorities at the Singapore Business Federation’s Asean Conference 2026 held July 30-31 in Manila.
The event gathered senior government officials, business leaders, policymakers, and small and medium enterprise stakeholders, as well as key partner economies under the theme “Asean’s Future in a Fractured World.”
Roque emphasized the Prosperity Corridors framework, which aims to drive digital integration, market diversification, and economic resilience amid global uncertainties.
Among the priorities she highlighted was the Asean Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), which sets standard rules for digital trade, e-commerce, cross-border payments, cybersecurity, AI and emerging tech, along with the Asean Unique Business Identification Number.
DEFA also wants to standardize cross-border transactions, cutting compliance friction and costs for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which account for 97 to 99 percent of Asean businesses and 85 percent of its employment.
Negotiations for the agreement concluded in May, with the signing set at the the 49th Asean Summit in November.
“With successful implementation, studies estimate that DEFA could help grow Asean’s digital economy to around $2 trillion by 2030,” Roque said, noting that the region is projected to become the world’s fourth-largest economy by 2030.
The Philippines is also advocating for greater regional support for creative industries to help Asean creators, artists, designers and cultural enterprises reach wider markets while preserving the region’s cultural identities.
As Asean Summit chair, the country wants to equip workers and MSMEs with skills to use AI and other emerging technologies responsibly.
Roque also cited the Asean Economic Security Framework, designed to identify economic vulnerabilities, strengthen supply chains and preserve regional openness, alongside the upgraded Asean Trade in Goods Agreement and modernized Asean-China Free Trade Area.
On export growth, Roque said the Philippines has concluded negotiations for the Philippine-Chile Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, the country’s first free trade deal in Latin America.
Philippine exports reached $29.93 billion in the first four months of the year, up 11.1 percent year-on-year, marking 16 consecutive months of positive export growth, Roque said.
