THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Community Vision 2025, is expected to expand market access for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
“The ASEAN Vision 2045 presents greater opportunities for Filipino businesses, MSMEs, and workers. These include improved market access, enhanced digital trade facilitation, and greater support for sustainable and creative industries,” the DTI said in a statement on Thursday.
“Consumers are also set to benefit from stronger product standards, broader access to goods and services, and enhanced regional consumer protection, among others,” it added.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. signed the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future on May 26.
“This pivotal declaration charts the region’s unified direction over the next two decades, reflecting a renewed commitment to fostering a more resilient, forward-looking, and people-first Southeast Asia,” the DTI said.
The declaration aims to help the region navigate digital disruption, climate change, demographic shifts, and evolving geopolitical realities.
“This comprehensive roadmap builds upon previous ASEAN blueprints, adapting to the challenges and opportunities of an increasingly complex global environment,” the DTI said.
“Central to the declaration is the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Strategic Plan 2026-2030. This five-year economic blueprint is designed to position ASEAN as the world’s fourth-largest economy by 2030,” it added.
“Developed through an inclusive and region-wide consultative process, the AEC Strategic Plan drew insights from all AEC sectoral bodies and was enriched by inputs from the ASEAN Community’s political-security and socio-cultural pillars,” the DTI said.
“The plan captures the perspectives of 315 stakeholders from business, academia, civil society, parliaments, and ASEAN’s external partners, who participated in a series of dialogues and technical consultations,” it added.
The Philippines will chair ASEAN next year, which “carries both a significant responsibility and a unique opportunity to influence regional priorities, champion inclusive growth, and ensure ASEAN’s progress directly benefits the lives of everyday people, especially in communities that need it most,” the DTI said. — Justine Irish D. Tabile
