Economy

The ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) is gearing up to transform Southeast Asia’s digital landscape. Targeted for signing in Manila this November on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit, the pact signals a major leap in regional economic integration.

Economic ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are set to confront two mounting external risks—escalating Middle East tensions and new US tariffs—when they gather for upcoming talks expected to probe the region’s exposure to global volatility.

A Thai stevia processing company is studying a potential USD30-million investment in the Philippines, signaling growing investor interest in the country’s role in the fast-expanding natural sweetener market.

The Philippine government has begun repatriating overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from several Middle East countries through chartered and commercial flights as tensions in the region continue to disrupt travel routes.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has rolled out a fully automated Electronic Certificate of Payment (e-CP) System aimed at simplifying compliance and accelerating the processing of motor vehicle imports, a move welcomed by major industry groups that rely heavily on predictable customs procedures.