ASEAN

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco advocates for a unified visa system among ASEAN countries to boost tourism and national security ahead of the Philippines hosting the ASEAN summit in 2026. Philippine officials are also working towards finalizing a comprehensive trade pact with the EU by 2027, aiming to deepen economic integration within ASEAN and strengthen bilateral relations with member nations like Malaysia and Singapore.

This is an AI-generated summary based on recent coverage.
Last updated at August 2, 2025.

Recent stories about ASEAN

IMF raises Philippines' 2026 growth forecast to 5.9%, up from 5.5% in 2025

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has maintained its 2025 growth forecast for the Philippines at 5.5 percent but revised upward its projection to 5.9 percent for 2026, slightly below the government's target range of 6-7 percent.
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Car sales in PH set to top half a mil by yearend

The Philippine auto industry is forecasting a record-breaking year with car sales expected to exceed half a million units by the end of 2025.
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Philippine shares rise 1.68% to 6,462.25

Philippine shares rose significantly on Wednesday, rallying back to the 6,400 mark as investors followed buoyant US markets and awaited updates from bilateral talks between the Philippines and the United States.
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Philippine CEOs see low AI ROI despite high adoption

According to a recent IBM study, while many Philippine CEOs recognize the importance of artificial intelligence (AI), only 23% report seeing expected returns on their investments.
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Malaca帽ang optimistic on US-Philippines trade talks

Malaca帽ang expressed optimism on Tuesday that ongoing negotiations between the Philippines and the United States regarding the paused 17-percent reciprocal tariff on Philippine exports would yield a positive outcome.
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Lazaro meets ASEAN officials, foreign ministers in KL

Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro met with ASEAN officials and foreign ministers from various countries during her first overseas trip as top diplomat since assuming the position last week.
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Marcos directs SEC to streamline processes under CMEPA

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. directed the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to streamline its processes and slash transaction costs to support the implementation of the Capital Markets Efficiency Promotion Act (CMEPA), which took effect on Tuesday.
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Philippine growth forecast revised downward due to global uncertainties

The Philippine economic team revised its growth forecasts for this year and the next three years due to heightened global uncertainties, including escalating tensions in the Middle East and potential US tariffs.
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Philippine ag trade deficit narrows by 12% to $859M in April

The Philippines' agricultural goods trade deficit narrowed by 12% year-on-year in April to $859.04 million, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
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Philippines, US discuss tariff relief in ongoing trade talks

The Philippines is maintaining ongoing communication with US officials regarding tariff rates and policies, according to Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro.
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