Dr. Indra Pradana Singawinata (second from left) meets Dr. Arsenio M. Balisacan (center) in Pasig City, the Philippines. Image courtesy of the Development Academy of the Philippines.

On 10 April 2025, APO Secretary-General Dr. Indra Pradana Singawinata paid a courtesy visit to Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) Board of Trustees Chair, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary, and APO Director for the Philippines Dr. Arsenio M. Balisacan. The meeting at the DAP Building in Pasig City reaffirmed the APO’s commitment to deepening collaboration with the Philippines in addressing emerging productivity challenges through policy reform, capacity building, and technological innovation.

While the dialogue highlighted the transformative potential of AI to accelerate productivity, both leaders recognized that technology alone cannot address the structural productivity issues the Philippines continues to face. These include lagging labor productivity in key sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing, skill mismatches in the workforce, low investment in research and development, and uneven digital infrastructure across regions.

Dr. Singawinata and Dr. Balisacan discussed how APO initiatives can better support the implementation of the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028, particularly in its strategic objectives to modernize production sectors, upskill human capital, and foster regional innovation ecosystems. They explored pathways to strengthen productivity measurement systems, policy design capabilities, and institutional readiness, which are essential foundations for sustained productivity gains beyond technological adoption.

The visit coincided with the Centers of Excellence (COE) Forum: Strengthening the Platform for Enhancing Productivity, hosted by the DAP from 9 to 11 April 2025. The forum convened productivity leaders from APO COEs and relevant NPOs, including those from the Republic of China, India, Japan, Pakistan, and Vietnam. It served as platform for exchanging updates on recent activities, best practices, challenges, and future plans of APO COEs, focusing on enhancing collaboration, identifying improvement areas, exploring emerging trends, and reviewing the APO COE Program strategy and guidelines.

As the Philippines continues to take a leading role in regional productivity advancement, particularly in public sector productivity, this high-level engagement marked a significant step toward strengthening its institutional capacity and resilience. It also demonstrated the APO’s broader strategic shift toward fostering systemic productivity growth that is inclusive, equitable, and sustainable.

By reinforcing policy alignment, mobilizing partnerships, and embedding innovation across all levels of productivity strategy, the APO and the Philippines are poised to collaboratively shape a more future-ready, competitive, and empowered economy.

Productivity leaders convene for the Centers of Excellence Forum. Image courtesy of the Development Academy of the Philippines.