As the country assumes chairmanship of the ASEAN 2017, the Philippine Board of Investments (BOI) will be hosting five significant events namely the 13th ASEAN Electronics Forum, 2017 ASEAN Electric and Hybrid Vehicles Summit, ASEAN Inclusive Business Summit, ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Investments’ Linking ASEAN MSMEs with ASEAN and Global MNEs, and the ASEAN Printing Industry Forum.

These events are all linked to the ASEAN Economic Community’s (AEC) “inclusive, innovation-led growth”, one of the six thematic priorities relative to the Philippines’ chairmanship of this year’s ASEAN Meetings. Under this priority theme, the Philippines is poised to champion the MSME mandate in ASEAN and further leadership in areas of key economic interests.

“With the substantial progress of AEC comes greater interest and confidence in the prospects and opportunities for businesses, both big and small,” said Trade Secretary and BOI Chairman Ramon Lopez adding that high on the Philippines’ hosting agenda for the economic pillar are deliverables geared towards instituting an enabling environment that allows MSMEs to develop and internationalize through policies that ease the cost of doing business and through support activities that nurture their continuous growth.

“ASEAN is cognizant of the need for more inclusive participation in the process of community building, to ensure that the benefits of integration are fully realized and shared by everyone in the region,” Secretary Lopez said.

ASEAN50 vis-à-vis BOI@50

Year 2017 also marks ASEAN’s 50th Founding Year, which happens to be the BOI’s 50th Founding Year.

“As the agency marks its 50th Founding Anniversary in September of this year, we remain committed and is one with ASEAN in attaining inclusive, innovation-led growth,” said Trade Undersecretary and BOI Managing Head Ceferino Rodolfo adding that the agency is implementing industry development and investments promotion programs and thrusts in a bid to attract more innovation-driven investments that will allow participation of MSMEs in global value chains, generating more quality jobs and contribute in inclusive economic growth.

13th ASEAN Electronics Forum, June 20, 2017, Sofitel Philippine Plaza
The ASEAN Electronics Forum (AEF) is a venue for establishing linkages among the ASEAN government and private stakeholders in the electronics sector and discussing possible opportunities for collaboration among the ASEAN members to enhance electronics integration in the region. The event is dovetailed with the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries of the Philippines’ Philippine Semiconductor and Electronics Convention and Exhibition. The last AEF was held September 30, 2011.

2017 ASEAN Electric and Hybrid Vehicles Summit, June 29-30, 2017, Philippine World Trade Center
The Summit brings together key electric and hybrid vehicle (EV) industry players from ASEAN Member States. With the theme “Strengthening Partnerships for Greener Transport in ASEAN and Beyond”, the summit is the first regional conference for ASEAN in the electric and hybrid vehicles industry hosted by the Philippines.

To be held at the World Trade Center, the Summit aims to provide ASEAN industry players and stakeholders with valuable insights from global and local experts, business leaders on the growth and development prospects for the industry via a series of exclusive keynote presentations, expert panel discussions, and business-to-business meetings and interviews.

The Summit is complemented with the staging of the ASEAN EV Technology World.

ASEAN Inclusive Business Summit, September 6, 2017, Marriott Hotel
The ASEAN Inclusive Business Summit highlights the role of businesses in achieving national and regional development goals, as well as the role of governments in creating an enabling environment to allow Inclusive Business (IB) models to thrive. The Summit will provide an overview of the IB landscape in ASEAN and showcase examples of successful IB models in partnership with local and/or national governments in the region.

The Summit comprised of two sessions. In collaboration with ABAC, the first session, an inspirational segment of the summit, will serve as the building block to the ASEAN Business Awards while the second session will serve as a venue for discussing the policy framework creating an enabling environment for IB models to thrive which is expected to provide inputs for the Leaders’ Statement and Strategic Action Agenda on IB.

ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Investments’ Linking ASEAN MSMEs with ASEAN and Global MNEs, October 19, 2017, Manila Hotel
The Focused and Strategic (FAST) Action Agenda on Investment, an initiative of the Philippines and one of the key deliverables for its ASEAN2017 chairmanship, is seen to further push greater linkage of the regional trade bloc’s MSMEs with ASEAN and global MNEs.

The FAST Action Agenda on Investment has four components which focuses on investment promotion, facilitation, protection, and liberalization. Under investment promotion, a project component is to link ASEAN MSMEs with ASEAN and global MNEs and help them grow and expand through specific projects for collaboration.

As an activity under this project, BOI in partnership with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) will conduct a Business Conference in Manila on October 19, 2017 where business meetings will take place between ASEAN MSMEs and ASEAN and global MNEs.

ASEAN Printing Industry Forum, November 21-22, 2017, Sofitel Philippine Plaza
The Forum gathers printing industry stakeholders from the ASEAN Member States (AMS). The first day will have AMS present their Country Report highlighting the performance of their respective printing industries—the strengths, weaknesses, challenges, opportunities, and threats and outlook for the next 20 years. The second day will cover technical reports on best practices on training of printing personnel, total quality management, and technology and trends. There will also be business-to-business meetings among industry players of AMS for possible collaborative projects. The highlight of the forum is the signing of an agreement among AMS on the next steps to move forward each AMS’ printing industry and the ASEAN printing industry as a whole.

About ASEAN and the Philippines’ Chairmanship of ASEAN2017

The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) is a region of significant economic and strategic importance, located in the heart of Asia and centered on important trading routes between Europe and Asia and the Pacific. It is composed of 10 Southeast Asian nations. The five founding members, which established ASEAN in 1967 were Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand; Brunei Darussalam (joined in 1984), Vietnam (1995), Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) and Myanmar (both joined in 1997) and Cambodia (joined in 1999).

The Philippine Chairmanship bears the theme: “Partnering for Change, Engaging the World”. The theme captures the Philippines’ resolve to have the ASEAN Community, tread by a sense of togetherness and common identity, takes its rightful place in the global community of nations. The theme is also in line with the current administration’s and the region’s pursuit to enhance cooperation with global partners. The theme aims to highlight ASEAN as a model of regionalism and a global player, with the interest of the people at its core.

The Philippine Chairmanship focuses on six thematic priorities, which encompass political, economic and socio-cultural aspects: A people-oriented and people-centered ASEAN (ASCC); Peace and stability in the region (APSC); Maritime security and cooperation (APSC); Inclusive, innovation-led growth (AEC); ASEAN’s resiliency (ASCC); and ASEAN: A model of regionalism, a global player (APSC).