GYEONGJU, South Korea — President Marcos urged Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies to step up efforts to close the gender pay gap, saying empowering women to participate fully in the workforce is both fair and economically strategic.

Speaking during the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting Session 1 here, Marcos said investing in women and youth is vital to ensuring long-term social and economic stability across the region.

“To be truly connected and resilient, we must also strategically invest in our people, especially in women and youth, who are important players in ensuring social and economic stability,” the President said Friday, Oct. 31.

Marcos emphasized that gender equality must be viewed as a driver of economic growth, not merely a social objective.

“Closing the gender gap, as our experience shows, is not only a matter of fairness; it is smart economics,” he said.

The President noted that empowering women to participate fully in the economy could significantly boost global output and resilience.

“Empowering women to participate fully in the economy could add as much as $28 trillion to global GDP, making this the most critical investment for sustained growth,” he said.

Marcos encouraged APEC economies to adopt concrete actions that eliminate barriers to women’s participation in the workforce and promote equal pay policies across industries.

“We encourage actions to alleviate gender pay gaps and enable the full participation of women in the economy,” he said.

The President’s remarks formed part of his broader call for APEC economies to focus on inclusivity and human-centered growth, consistent with this year’s summit theme, “Building a Sustainable Tomorrow.”