PCCI Chairman Emeritus George T. Barcelon recently attended a joint activity organized by the business advisory councils of APEC and ASEAN along with the Asia-Pacific Financial Forum (APFF) hosted by ASEAN-BAC Philippines. In his remarks, Chairman Emeritus Barcelon emphasized the importance of digital adaptation as key to ensuring financial health and building a strong and resilient financial system. Specifically, he stated how digitalization can contribute not only to the empowerment of MSMEs through higher financial literacy but also to the enhancement of digital protection through more reliable data for credit scoring and combating fraud.
The event, conducted in hybrid format in response to the government’s directive to reduce in person meetings in recognition of the current oil crisis, also tackled disaster and pandemic risk financing as well as energy and green transition in the lead up to the 13th ASEAN Finance Ministers’ and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting in April.
Chairman Emeritus Barcelon was joined by Finance Secretary Frederick Go as speaker together with ABAC Finance and Economics Task Force Chair and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Institute for Global Financial Affairs President Mitsuhiro Furusawa.