“Economic platforms like APEC can temper hard power dynamics and re-anchor the region in cooperation rather than confrontation”
From the blood-stained trenches of the Korean War to today’s deepening economic cooperation, the relationship between the Philippines and South Korea has matured into a partnership rooted in both shared history and mutual strategic interests.
In the coming days, that alliance will be brought into sharper focus as Korea hosts the 2025 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Gyeongju — an event that should be more than symbolic for Manila.
It’s a test of whether we’re ready to bring substance to the table, and more importantly, assert the kind of economic diplomacy that truly serves national interest.
Held under the theme “Building a Sustainable Tomorrow: Connect, Innovate, Prosper,” this year’s summit could not have come at a more critical time.
The Asia-Pacific region is caught in a complex web of economic volatility, technological disruption, and demographic challenges.
For the Philippines, still in the thick of post-pandemic recovery and geopolitical balancing, the stakes are clear: we either engage with strategic clarity or continue drifting on the periphery of regional conversations.
Korea, our long-time partner, understands the weight of this moment. It is no accident that Gyeongju was chosen as the venue.
Once the capital of the ancient Silla dynasty, it represents a deep reservoir of cultural continuity and national identity — a subtle but powerful message to APEC delegates about the importance of resilience and vision.
Korea’s own APEC journey, which began as one of the forum’s original members in 1989, has been marked by consistency and forward-thinking contributions, including its prior hosting of the 2005 summit in Busan.
Now, 20 years later, it chairs the process again — this time emphasizing AI cooperation and responses to demographic shifts.
These aren’t abstract concerns.
They cut into the heart of the Philippines’ future competitiveness.
Consider the AI agenda. Korea is pushing for an APEC-wide direction on artificial intelligence — building a sustainable investment ecosystem while promoting capacity building.
For a country like ours, with a growing tech-savvy labor force but underdeveloped digital infrastructure, this is an opening we can’t afford to miss.
But will we speak with the urgency and clarity the moment demands?
The same applies to Korea’s other key deliverable: managing demographic shifts.
The Philippines may be demographically younger than most APEC members, but this advantage can quickly turn into liability without investments in healthcare innovation, education, and labor mobility — policy areas specifically highlighted in Korea’s proposal to address demographic transformation across the region.
Korea’s initiative could become a platform for us to shape cooperative policies that prepare our population for the future of work — one defined by automation, aging populations elsewhere, and regional competition for human capital.
Trade and investment also remain key dimensions of this summit. Korea has become one of our most reliable economic partners — among the top five sources of foreign direct investment and bilateral trade, which reached over $16 billion last year.
Korean investments span shipbuilding, energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure.
The prospect of reviving our shipbuilding industry through Korean partnerships is particularly relevant. Subic, once a naval fortress and industrial zone, can rise again if public-private partnerships are forged with real political will and investment transparency.
But none of this will happen if we treat APEC as a photo-op rather than a negotiation table.
APEC, despite its informal nature, has always been an incubator of ideas and a platform for collective action. Its emphasis on consensus makes it one of the few remaining spaces where member economies — regardless of size — can shape agendas without coercion.
The Philippines must use this flexibility to push issues that matter to us: infrastructure connectivity, MSME support, digital inclusion, and renewable energy transitions.
Geopolitically, the region is more polarized than ever. T
he South China Sea remains a flashpoint. Trade wars, technological decoupling, and bloc politics are fragmenting supply chains.
In this climate, economic platforms like APEC can temper hard power dynamics and re-anchor the region in cooperation rather than confrontation.
Manila must recognize this and act accordingly — not as a proxy, but as a sovereign state with clear economic and security goals.
This summit is also a timely chance to show that we are not content with token participation. We must bring positions to the table that reflect national strategy, not improvisation.
Korea, our wartime ally and peacetime partner, has shown how a disciplined, consistent approach to global engagement pays dividends.
The road to Gyeongju is not just diplomatic; it’s developmental.
The outcomes we shape there will echo far beyond press releases and handshakes.
