Pasay city: The Philippine government is committed to working closely with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and development partners to build a more connected, resilient, and prosperous ASEAN through sustainable infrastructure development, the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) said. DEPDev Undersecretary and ACSI chairperson Joseph Capuno made the commitment during the ASEAN Committee on Sustainable Infrastructure (ACSI) meeting held on March 12 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.
According to Philippines News Agency, DEPDev aims to leverage the country's chairship of the 2026 ASEAN Summit to advance the sustainable infrastructure agenda. The ACSI plays a critical role in advancing regional cooperation on sustainable infrastructure. DEPDev said the PICC meeting focused on the Sustainable Infrastructure Action Plan (SIAP) 2026-2030.
Present at the meeting were the delegations from Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Timor-Leste, Vietnam, and the ASEAN Secretariat. The heads of delegation from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Thailand attended the meeting virtually. External partners of ASEAN, including the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the European Union, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, and UN-Habitat, were also present.
Recognizing the role of sustainable infrastructure in enhancing regional connectivity, the SIAP aims to expand the network of sustainable infrastructure among ASEAN member states. This vision aims to boost economic competitiveness, strengthen regional integration, promote resilience, and improve people's lives. Covering six strategic measures, the SIAP will anchor regional collaborations and partnerships to successfully achieve the goal of responding to current and emerging trends in infrastructure.
SIAP is aligned with the ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan (ACSP). Adopted in 2025, the ACSP outlines the region's long-term vision to strengthen physical, institutional, and people-to-people connectivity in support of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045. Capuno expressed support for the proposed Multi-Year Program on Enhancing Sustainable Infrastructure Development and Cooperation in ASEAN, which aims to forge stronger partnerships with external partners to bridge the gap between planning and implementation, turning connectivity goals into tangible outcomes.
