The Stratbase ADR Institute’s annual Pilipinas Conference aims to spark ideas and generate discussions on the pressing issues in Philippine society. In its eighth year, Pilipinas Conference 2023 strives to continue the push towards multi-sectoral collaboration and effective policies to address the most urgent social, political, and economic challenges that shape the Philippines and the Indo-Pacific.

In May 2023, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. noted: “We are grappling with both new and traditional threats to our people’s security, nowhere more acutely felt than in the Indo-Pacific region. And the Philippines sits squarely at the heart of the Indo-Pacific region. It is for this reason that I called for evolving our alliance to make it more responsive to present and emerging challenges. It is because national security is no longer simply about territorial defense. Economic security is national security.”

Geopolitical and geoeconomic developments trigger a domino effect that can affect economies and societies around the world. As various threats continue to emerge in the Indo-Pacific, the international community needs to collectively manage and address a wide range of risks that could impede and undermine economic opportunities in the region. Since countries have become dependent on each other for resources, it is necessary for them to forge partnerships and alliances with one another on a global scale.

Economic security plays an important role in state relations. In the September 2023 survey commissioned by the Stratbase ADR Institute, Filipinos are keen for the Marcos Jr. administration to work with like-minded states in strengthening economic security. This includes the United States (74%), Japan (55%), and Australia (46%). The same survey also revealed that 70% of respondents agree that the private sector plays an instrumental role in economic security as it can make goods that are more affordable and accessible to Filipino consumers (64%), create jobs (60%), and expand livelihood opportunities (58%).

In this context, Pilipinas Conference 2023 brought together key leaders from the government, business sector, and the diplomatic community to share their insights on how the Philippines can contribute to achieving not just peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, but also inclusive economic growth.