The Philippines is steering the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN–BAC) toward an action-first agenda, vowing to turn long-standing regional ambitions into measurable outcomes as it assumes the council’s chairship in 2026.
Rather than adding another layer of declarations, the Philippine-led ASEAN–BAC will zero in on deliverables: policy papers with teeth, targeted recommendations to ASEAN leaders, and flagship events designed to move conversations toward implementation.
Legacy initiatives—meant to outlast the chairship year—will also be a priority, signaling an intent to embed reforms rather than merely spotlight them.
Jose Ma. “Joey” Concepcion III, who will lead ASEAN–BAC Philippines in 2026, said close coordination between government and the private sector remains central to advancing deeper ASEAN economic integration, with a focus on outcomes that resonate beyond boardrooms and into everyday economic life across the region.
The agenda aligns with ASEAN’s broader theme, “Navigating Our Future, Together,” and is reinforced by ASEAN–BAC’s complementary banner, “Advancing Prosperity for All.” The pairing reflects a subtle shift: growth is no longer framed solely in terms of scale, but in how widely its benefits are shared across member economies.
The Philippines’ chairship will be formally marked at Malacañang Palace on January 29, underscoring the political weight behind the private sector’s regional role. Concepcion, who previously chaired ASEAN–BAC in 2017, took over the 2026 role following turnover ceremonies in Kuala Lumpur last October.
AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes, representing Malaysia’s 2025 chairship, is expected to attend.
With ASEAN economies facing uneven recovery and intensifying global competition, the Philippines’ push for tangible outputs suggests a recognition that credibility now rests on execution. For ASEAN–BAC, influence may increasingly be measured not by access, but by impact.
