The Philippines needs to improve its connectivity and supply chain linkages in a bid to regain its leading role in the region, President Marcos said.

During the Philippine economic briefing in San Francisco on Thursday, Nov. 16 (Manila time), Marcos emphasized that if the country were to regain its leading role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) pre-Covid, connectivity and supply chain linkages must be improved.

He told business leaders in the meeting that the government is working to address the shortfall in physical connectivity, in line with the ASEAN’s efforts to increase connectivity within the region.

“So for our part, that’s what we’re doing and that brings us now beyond just the pure economic considerations because now there are political and diplomatic considerations, because these partnerships are now essential,” Marcos said.

“The economy is well— I know we’ve heard it many times but I think today we can absolutely— without fear of contradiction, we can absolutely say that the economy is truly global and we must again, view all that we do in that context," he added.

The President stressed that it is the reason why conferences and summits such as the Philippine economic briefing with public and private sectors coming together are important, noting that partnerships and alliances—political, diplomatic, and economic— have stabilizing effects.

Marcos was also asked how the investment on digital connectivity and infrastructure could affect the lives of Filipinos.

In terms of spending, he explained that there is a clear delineation about the government’s responsibility and what is assigned to do as against the role played by the private sector.

Citing digital infrastructure, a school or a village for example, Marcos said that with much improved connectivity, students and the public would be able to use the internet resulting in financial transactions convenience and increased productivity.

“And that is what we’re really going for because when we look to successful economies that have had to pick themselves up after war for example, and the Covid was kind of a war so, we have to pick ourselves up from that,” Marcos told the meeting participants.

“It is productivity, it’s an increase in productivity and that’s what we’re trying to achieve. Infrastructure— the physical infrastructure, a better— a more efficient transport system, a cheaper transport system, all of these will increase the productivity of every single Filipino worker,” he added.

Marcos is in San Francisco to participate in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit. He will be traveling to two more cities—Los Angeles and Honolulu—after his engagements in San Francisco.