MAP seeking to drive regional sustainability, digitalization agenda as PHL chairs ASEAN

THE Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) said it is seeking to play a key role in pushing sustainability and digital integration when the Philippines chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year.

At the MAP Inaugural Meeting 2026 on Monday, MAP President Donald Patrick L. Lim said the group’s “most ambitious” plan for the year is “to position MAP as a dynamic force in national development and ASEAN leadership.”

He said MAP will actively provide input to help define the business agenda for ASEAN on trade, sustainability, and digital integration.

“By strengthening cross-border dialogues, business missions, and partnerships, we can expand our influence and position MAP as a key contributor in the region,” he said.

“The Philippines today does not have a very positive image. I think ASEAN right now is a very good opportunity for us to take the leadership across multiple fronts,” he added.

Mr. Lim said another focus area for the group this year includes future-proofing through innovation, technology, and next-generation leadership.

“The challenges we face are systemic, interconnected, and require coordinated action across sectors, institutions, and ideological divides,” he said.

“When we act together, we multiply our strengths, and therefore our first direction is to strengthen unity and broaden cooperation within MAP and beyond its walls,” he added.

“This year, we will formalize the Partnerships for Nations Program, a platform to expand collaboration with government agencies, local government units, academic institutions, civil society organizations, and the private sector,” he added.

“The world is changing at a pace that would have been unimaginable a generation ago. Artificial intelligence is reshaping industries, automation is transforming the nature of work, and digital platforms are redefining how commerce, communication, and community function,” he said.

“Those who fail to adapt will be left behind. Not gradually, but swiftly and irreversibly,” he added.

He cited a need to encourage investment in platforms that enable Filipinos to collaborate, learn, and transact seamlessly.

“We will advocate for policies that expand digital infrastructure and digital literacy across the marketplace, ensuring digital access for all to bridge the divide so that opportunity is not limited by geography or income,” he said.

On next-generation leadership, Mr. Lim said MAP will institutionalize structured mentorship programs that will pair seasoned members with young professionals.

“Our responsibility is not to prepare them for a future that may never come, but to empower them to lead today,” he added. — Justine Irish D. Tabile