The driving force behind an inclusive, prosperous Asean

When I was first asked to represent the Philippines in the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC), I knew I had to say yes.

- ANGAT LAHAT! JOEY CONCEPCION

When I was first asked to represent the Philippines in the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC), I knew I had to say yes. As someone who has long advocated for MSMEs through Go Negosyo, I saw ASEAN-BAC as a natural extension of my mission — this time, on a regional platform. The opportunity to serve not just the country but also to help uplift the lives of millions of entrepreneurs across Southeast Asia was a responsibility I could not turn down.

Beyond this, there was also the fact that my father, Jose "Joecon" Concepcion Jr., was instrumental in putting the private sector to work to achieve ASEAN's goal of peace and harmony in the region by helping each member-nation become prosperous.

From the recollection of the prominent Filipino industrialist Ricardo Guevarra, Joecon was first looped into the initiative by businessman Ramon del Rosario. Sure, there were bigger names in business back then, but Dad was widely known as someone who had the sense of purpose and dedication the group needed to achieve their vision of a regional private sector organization. Dad's reputation also preceded him. They knew that once Joecon was committed to the cause, he would follow through. As people sometimes jokingly noted, the trick isn't getting him to act; it's getting him to quit.

The group of businessmen from the ASEAN nations would meet every six months in a different ASEAN capital, and Joecon would be counted on to be there every time that he became known as Mr. ASEAN. While it was a private sector organization, the members made sure to loop in the economic ministers to monitor the inevitable conflicts. The objective was to identify each country's economic strength and then orient the region's collective efforts towards these individual points.