PH among key players in growth of ASEAN digital economy

Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including the Philippines, are working together to establish a framework that can boost the region's digital economy, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the ASEAN Ambassador Hjayceelyn M. Quintana said on Wednesday.

Negotation for the ASEAN Digital Masterplan 2025 is ongoing ahead of the summit in September, she said.

"What it entails is more of interoperability and more integration," Quintana told ANC.

"It's impactful to the Filipinos, we're very much a digitized population so I think this will encourage more startups, more tech innovators and digital innovators to participate in the regional economy," she added.

Digital Pilipinas Convenor Amor Maclang, meanwhile said, the Philippines' strength is "mass adoption" which could be helpful in terms of new technologies. Digital Pilipinas are among those working with the government with the recent launch of its eGov superapp.

"When it comes to any technology you throw it to the Petri dish that is the Philippines and boom, that's when you see virality globally," Maclang said.

She said the Philippines also has one of the most progressive regulators in the world that paves the way for digitalization.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, for one, approved a framework that allowed 6 digital banks to operate in the country. 

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