ASEAN 2026 hosting means Philippines open for business – Concepcion

The Philippine Star

January 18, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — As the Philippines prepares to host the annual ASEAN Summits this year, the leader of the private sector’s ASEAN representation believes that the international event presents an opportunity for the country to prove its readiness to do business with the rest of the world.

“Coming on the heels of a year marked by corruption scandals, ASEAN 2026 offers the Philippines a timely chance to demonstrate our commitment to reform, accountability and good governance,” said Joey Concepcion III, chair of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) for 2026. ASEAN-BAC is the official private-sector voice in ASEAN, mandated to promote regional economic integration and strengthen cooperation between business and government.

A ceremony on Jan. 29 at Malacañang will mark the official handover of the ASEAN-BAC chairship from Malaysia to the Philippines. President Marcos will be witnessing the turnover and delivering the keynote message, elevating the occasion to a state-level event and reflecting the Philippine government’s strong support for and leadership in public-private collaboration.

For Concepcion, who will now be the private sector’s counterpart to President Marcos in leading ASEAN, the year-long event will be an opportunity to show the world that the Philippines is determined to put its house in order.

“We must use this moment to affirm that we do not tolerate theft or misconduct and that we will hold individuals accountable. We should show, convincingly and transparently, that the Philippines is ready to receive and steward international investment with integrity and competence,” he said.

Concepcion shared that many sectors and business groups have expressed their interest in participating and contributing to the regional economic agenda – an unparalleled opportunity, he said, that comes only once in 11 years.

“Each sector recognizes that ASEAN 2026 – and particularly the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit – will convene thousands of global leaders, CEOs and top executives in discussions that will help shape the region’s economic future,” he said.

This year’s theme for ASEAN-BAC is “Navigating Our Future Together: Advancing Prosperity for All.”

The Philippines’ chairship also coincides with the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-BAC and precedes the rollout of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Strategic Plan, the first five-year cycle toward realizing ASEAN Vision 2045.

This year will also mark the participation of ASEAN’s newest member, Timor-Leste.

Concepcion remarked that ASEAN 2026 will be about rebuilding trust and confidence, both domestically and across the region. “We have a workforce that is preparing to meet the needs of future industries, there are skilled and principled public servants still in government and we have a private sector that is aligned with national goals for shared prosperity. We have every reason to be proud hosts of ASEAN 2026.”