The power of dialogue

In every summit, panel, or fireside chat I have been privileged to join recently, one lesson has echoed louder than any keynote: dialogue is power.

- LITO VILLANUEVA

Dialogue builds trust between regulators and innovators. Dialogue bridges competition into collaboration. Dialogue turns policy papers into living roadmaps and technical systems into lifelines for real people.

Recently, three themes from these vibrant conversations — payments, APIs and financial health — have been embedded in my mind. They keep me up at night, not in anegative way, but in an inspired way. Philippine finance depends on keeping dialogue alive and continuously learning from these insightful discussions and fruitful chats.

At the World Trade Organization Committee on Trade in Financial Services (CTFS) Thematic Session on Payments Interoperability and Remittances held in Geneva, Switzerland, we saw how the Philippines’ rise in digital payments rests on three cornerstones: QR Ph, which brought cashless adoption to merchants; InstaPay, which made small transfers instant; and PESONet, which gave large-value transactions faster settlement cycles. Together, they enabled our country to move from coins and bills to clicks and scans.

This is not a local story alone. In Southeast Asia, digital payments are projected to surpass $1.1 trillion by 2025. By 2030, the Philippine digital economy is expected to reach $1 trillion, unlocking vast opportunities for businesses and households alike.

But here is what we have learned: building robust digital payment systems is not just a technical achievement. It is a national mission. Every Filipino deserves a financial lifeline that is safe, inclusive and trusted.