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The Philippine Star
February 16, 2026 | 12:00am
Asean Business Advisory Council chair Jose Ma. Concepcion III speaks at the 10th joint economic briefing in Makati on Feb. 12.
MANILA, Philippines — As this year’s host of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Philippines should be inclusive to inspire the region’s citizens and let them know they can “move up in the chain of prosperity,” according to ASEAN Business Advisory Council chair Jose Ma. Concepcion III.
“The goal of ASEAN will not work if we cannot reach the last micro entrepreneur, and give help and inspiration to them,” Concepcion said on Feb. 12. “This ASEAN hosting has to be inclusive; we have to inspire people and make them know that they are part of the entire business community, no matter how small they are.”
“The bottom line is to make growth inclusive,” he told business leaders, state officials and members of European business chambers at the 10th joint economic briefing at Makati Shangri-La.
Concepcion plans to livestream the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in malls nationwide to bring high-level discussions closer to the masses.
At the forum, Concepcion launched nonprofit Go Negosyo’s Trabaho@Negosyo mall-based program, which combines a job fair with free entrepreneurship mentoring.
“Our biggest challenge now is to scale up micro, small and medium enterprises so they can contribute more to the Philippine economy; it is the way to create the path of prosperity and we can make it more vibrant if we make it inclusive,” Concepcion said.
