Ready and open for business in 2026

I can already tell that 2026 will be an eventful year.

- 

In just a few days - only into the first half of January - we will kick off the year with a significant moment: the official handover of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) chairmanship from Malaysia to the Philippines.

This handover will be, in many ways, the closest thing to a dress rehearsal for ASEAN 2026. Leaders and council members from all 11 ASEAN member-states will gather to witness the transition, and we will welcome them in historic Intramuros, at the heart of Manila. After formal ceremonies, we will give our guests a taste of the Philippines' renowned sunsets in Batangas - a warm, distinctly Filipino welcome that blends history, hospitality and natural beauty.

The excitement around this event has been palpable.

I have been in nearly nonstop meetings with business groups and sectoral leaders who want to know how they can participate and contribute. For many, this is the most important international engagement the Philippines will host this year - an unparalleled opportunity that comes only once every 11 years. Women's groups, digital technology and finance sectors, creative industries, numerous business chambers, the youth, agricultural stakeholders and others are all mobilizing to set the regional agenda. 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.