Philippines hopes hosting brings Asean closer to Filipinos
MANILA, Philippines — Resetting the Philippines’ global image is the key priority for this year’s hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit, but for business leaders, dispelling the notion that the event is only for the elite is just as important.
Asean Business Advisory Council (Asean-BAC) chair Jose Ma. “Joey” Concepcion III said another goal is to bring Asean closer to ordinary Filipinos through large-scale job fairs and mentoring programs held alongside the summit’s activities.
“To me, the most important thing is to make it inclusive and make our people feel happy that this is happening,” Concepcion said in a recent press chat with the Inquirer.
These activities fall under the “Trabaho@Negosyo” initiative spearheaded by Concepcion through Go Negosyo, the nonprofit group he founded in 2015. They also align with Asean-BAC’s guiding theme, “Prosperity for All.”
The program formally launches on March 6 at the SM Mall of Asia. It will roll out job fairs and business support activities in Metro Manila and key regional hubs such as Cebu.
Private sector groups, including banks and the Philippine Franchise Association, are expected to participate. Meanwhile, Asean-BAC members will conduct mentorship sessions for small and medium enterprises.
READ: Asean 2026 a ‘reset’ opportunity for Philippines amid corruption mess
As part of the effort to widen public engagement, Concepcion also plans to take Asean business events outside their traditional setups.
He said major discussions, such as the Asean Business and Investment Summit scheduled for Nov. 9 and Nov. 10, will be livestreamed in shopping malls nationwide.
“If they don’t see what’s happening, it’s useless,” he added.
Upgrade from 2017
Concepcion also chaired Asean-BAC in 2017. He said he hopes this year’s approach would mark a stark departure from the country’s previous hosting.
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During the 2017 meetings, events were concentrated at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) complex. Work was suspended in surrounding areas and special nonworking holidays were declared in parts of Luzon to accommodate security measures.
“The general public was really excluded. They could not attend it. They just heard about it,” Concepcion said. “Hopefully, we will not do that kind of thing again … It’s very important that our people don’t misread Asean.”
Erasing corruption mess
Despite the slew of activities lined up for Asean, Concepcion said a central goal remains: help the Philippines turn the page on a multibillion-peso corruption scandal that had not only unsettled business circles but also weighed down the economy.
He said a successful hosting would signal to the international community that corruption and greed do not define the Philippines. He added that the controversy stemmed from “a bunch of congressmen, not all.”
“What we’re hoping is that this Asean will erase what happened in Congress,” Concepcion said.
Asean-related events began with the tourism forum in late January, with the next activities scheduled for March. These start with the Asean Business Environment Forum on March 11.
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Most high-level meetings will take place in the second half of 2026. These include the 49th Asean Leaders’ Summit from Nov. 10 to Nov. 12 at the PICC.
Beyond regional heads of state, Concepcion said he hopes the summit could also draw major global figures, such as US President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. INQ
