This message took center stage at the “Global Growth Opportunities in a Fragmented World” panel held on January 20 at the InvestPhilippines Business Pavilion, where World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Nobel laureate Professor Michael Spence discussed how economies can stay resilient as trade patterns, technology, and geopolitics reshape global integration.

In a news release from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the panel emphasized that climate resilience is now tied directly to fiscal stability, investor confidence, and long-term growth. As climate risks intensify — from extreme weather to supply chain disruptions — investors are increasingly factoring a country’s preparedness and adaptation capacity into their decisions.

Okonjo-Iweala underscored that for a highly climate-vulnerable country like the Philippines, resilience must be treated as part of core economic strategy:

“The Philippines must invest in climate-proofing and adaptation, and it can be done in a way that helps drive the economy. Resilience means hope because you can build on it to solve the problems that exist.”

Beyond climate, the discussion examined how developing economies face rising costs from global economic fragmentation, as trade and investment flows become less predictable and more concentrated. The speakers said the most practical response is building “resilient interdependence” — diversifying supply chains and economic partners while maintaining predictable, rules-based trade policies.

What about AI?

Another major theme was AI readiness and the future of work. The panel noted that countries that move early to develop strong skills pipelines, retraining systems, and the ability to spread new technologies across industries are more likely to capture productivity gains from artificial intelligence. Those that lag risk widening gaps in competitiveness and inclusion.

The growing role of services trade and digitally delivered services was also highlighted as a key opportunity area, especially for economies like the Philippines. Realizing this potential, however, will require improved digital infrastructure and efforts to reduce regulatory and trade frictions that increase the cost of cross-border transactions.

The panel pointed to several practical priorities for the Philippines:

The country must treat climate resilience as a competitiveness agenda, integrating adaptation and resilience into infrastructure and investment planning as climate impacts increasingly shape economic outcomes.

It must also build an AI-ready workforce at scale, investing in skills pathways, retraining, and labor mobility frameworks so that technology adoption leads to broad productivity gains rather than displacement.

At the same time, the Philippines should diversify its trade and investment links by widening its base of suppliers, investors, and export markets while keeping policies open and predictable.

Finally, the country can compete through services and digital trade, leveraging its strengths by improving digital connectivity, supporting micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and lowering transaction costs for cross-border service delivery.

The InvestPhilippines Business Pavilion, held alongside the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, brings together public and private sector leaders to showcase Philippine reform momentum, investment opportunities, and regional priorities, including its ASEAN chairship in 2026.

For more information, visit https://wtopm.dfa.gov.ph/

In her final King’s Birthday Party speech, Beaufils pointed to a landmark year that included high-level visits, new bilateral mechanisms, and “cutting edge” partnerships.

Among the highlights: “Our UK Foreign Secretary David Lamy was here a few months ago… launching our Enhanced Partnership joint delivery framework.”

This framework, she said, sets out “the breadth and depth of our engagements and what real life results we will deliver together in the year to come,” spanning climate, science, security, AI governance, cyber security, and trade.

She also cited the inaugural Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) co-chaired by UK Minister Douglas Alexander and Philippine Trade Undersecretary Alan Gepty.

The growing scope of cooperation, from Universal Health Care to organized crime, AI ethics to maritime defense, “is supported by the growth of our embassy in Manila,” Beaufils said.

“There are countless examples of initiatives where our work is making a real life difference – to the people of the UK and that of the Philippines, but also to regional peace and security, and indeed, to the Global Commons,” she added.

With the UK being a staunch supporter of UNCLOS and international maritime law, Beaufils reiterated Britain’s support for Philippine sovereignty.

“We continue to stand with the Philippines in support of sovereignty and territorial integrity and to condemn actions that attempt to challenge international law by force or coercion, and that raise tensions,” she said.

She added: “Indeed – our relationship is not just growing, it is blossoming.” Veronica Uy

This commitment was underscored during the Sustainability Forum 2025: The Green Economies of Tomorrow, hosted by the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI) in collaboration with the German Embassy in Manila on January 31, 2025.

“Germany is a reliable and long-term partner of climate action in the Philippines. Through our global International Climate Initiative (IKI), a wide range of projects have been implemented in the Philippines since IKI was launched in 2008. Currently, ongoing bilateral projects amount to €53.4 million,” said German Ambassador Andreas Pfaffernoschke in his welcome remarks.

“Our commitment not only underscores our dedication to environmental and climate protection but also highlights our ambition to create a resilient, sustainable, and prosperous society for all,” he added.

The forum gathered leaders from government, business, and civil society to discuss the future of green economies, focusing on three key objectives:

• Evaluate the Philippines’ progress in meeting its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement
• Promote sustainable infrastructure and business solutions
• Strengthen the workforce by equipping workers with skills for green jobs

The event featured a keynote address from the Climate Change Commission, which presented the Philippines’ progress toward its climate targets.

A panel on Climate Action, featuring representatives from the Climate Change Commission, Planet 2050, the United Nations Global Compact, and the Asian Development Bank, tackled climate resilience and sustainability policies across different sectors.

The Green Infrastructure and Business Solutions panel, with speakers from the Department of Energy, Palafox Associates, the Philippine Green Building Council, BASF Philippines, and Siemens Inc., discussed best practices in energy-efficient designs, sustainable urban development, and corporate sustainability initiatives.

Meanwhile, the Green Jobs panel brought together ASSIST, the Department of Labor and Employment-Institute of Labor Studies, PV2 Energie Philippines, the Employers Confederation of the Philippines, and Humble Sustainability. Discussions centered on how businesses can drive sustainability through workforce development and the expansion of green job opportunities.

“The strength of the Philippine economy lies in its people, and green jobs are key to securing a sustainable future,” said GPCCI President Marie Antoniette Mariano. “By equipping our workforce with the right skills and fostering business-led sustainability initiatives, we can drive economic growth while advancing climate action.”

The Sustainability Forum 2025 urged businesses, policymakers, and civil society groups to take decisive steps in implementing impactful sustainability initiatives. Veronica Uy

Agriculture Assistant Secretary and spokesman Arnel De Mesa announced the upcoming milestone, noting that the DA is close to finalizing a $1 billion foreign-assisted project with the World Bank.

In line with these efforts, the DA, in collaboration with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and Planters Products Inc., officially launched the Agri-Puhunan at Pantawid (APP) Programin Guimba, Nueva Ecija, on Monday.

The APP program seeks to revolutionize the agriculture sector by providing rice farmers with financial and input support to enhance productivity and sustainability. Under the program, farmers will receive P28,000 in input credits per hectare and P32,000 in financial assistance, payable over four months at a low-interest rate of 2 percent.

Key partners in the program include the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), which will manage loans through Intervention Monitoring Cards; Planters Products, which will ensure access to affordable fertilizers and farm inputs; Philippine Crop Insurance Corp., which continues to offer insurance coverage for farmer-beneficiaries; and the National Irrigation Administration, which coordinates  water releases to align with climate-resilient cropping schedules.

The National Food Authority (NFA) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will act as ready buyers of farmers’ harvests, with surplus sales to private traders helping farmers repay their loans.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., through DA Undersecretary Asis Perez, highlighted the program’s transformative potential during the inauguration. “This program addresses long-standing challenges in the agriculture sector—from access to affordable capital to climate resilience and guaranteed market access. It is a movement toward sustainable development,” said Tiu Laurel.

The APP initiative also supports the shift in the rice cropping calendar to mitigate the impacts of climate change and ensures that farmer-members of agricultural cooperatives across 1.2 million hectares benefit from affordable credit, crop insurance, and higher yields.

Once fully implemented, the program is expected to contribute significantly to food security, raise farmer incomes, and empower rural communities.

This dual-pronged approach of securing foreign financing and launching farmer-centered initiatives underscores the DA’s commitment to transforming Philippine agriculture into a sustainable and resilient sector.

The event, aimed at finding “actionable solutions” to climate-related issues, emphasized the urgent need for policy recommendations to address climate-induced displacement, IOM said in a news release.

High-level participants included representatives from the COP29 Presidency, IOM, Italy, Egypt, the Green Climate Fund, the Asian Development Bank, the European Investment Bank, the World Bank Group, and the UN Department for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs.

With climate change driving displacement and migration worldwide, the roundtable focused on key issues at the intersection of climate and peace, such as water scarcity, food insecurity, and land degradation. The discussions aimed to catalyze practical solutions and inform COP29 negotiations on these critical topics.

“The convergence of climate change and conflict is one of the most pressing challenges of our time, with devastating consequences for some of the most vulnerable people on our planet,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope. “We need to act now to address the root causes of climate-induced displacement and build resilience in affected communities.”

Ambassador Elshad Iskandarov, Senior Adviser to the COP29 Presidency said the forthcoming COP29 Peace, Relief, and Recovery Day in Baku is expected to deliver “concrete outcomes” that will scale up support for countries facing the dual pressures of climate extremes and conflict.

Iskandarov stressed the importance of international collaboration. “The high-level roundtable is a crucial platform for governments, UN agencies, and stakeholders to develop tangible solutions to the complex challenges posed by the intersection of climate, peace, and human mobility,” he said.

The roundtable was expected to yield concrete policy recommendations to inform COP29 discussions and support the launch of the Centre of Excellence on Climate Action for Peace. This new initiative will serve as a hub for knowledge exchange and collaboration, focusing on addressing climate-induced displacement and related challenges such as water scarcity and food insecurity.

The 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 11-22, 2024, and will focus on accelerating climate action in line with the Paris Agreement commitments.