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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider The Stock Market devider SEC urges ASEAN shift to sustainable finance implementation

SEC urges ASEAN shift to sustainable finance implementation

Published Feb 25, 2026 02:38 pm
SEC Commissioner McJill Bryant T. Fernandez joins fellow ASEAN capital market regulators at the Joint Meeting of the Working Committee on Capital Market Development and the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum.
SEC Commissioner McJill Bryant T. Fernandez joins fellow ASEAN capital market regulators at the Joint Meeting of the Working Committee on Capital Market Development and the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum.
Commissioner McJill Bryant T. Fernandez, together with Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Lyn I. Javier, leads the 2026 ASEAN Taxonomy Conference (photo courtesy of the BSP).
Commissioner McJill Bryant T. Fernandez, together with Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Lyn I. Javier, leads the 2026 ASEAN Taxonomy Conference (photo courtesy of the BSP).
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has called for the shift from framework development to active implementation of regional sustainability goals as it assumes its role as the 2026 Chair of the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum (ACMF).
During a joint meeting of the ACMF and the Working Committee on Capital Market Development (WC-CMD), the commission spearheaded discussions on advancing regional initiatives under the ASEAN Economic Community Strategic Plan 2026-2030.
The agenda focused on the progress of the ASEAN Taxonomy, disclosure standards, sustainable finance, and capital market infrastructure.
SEC Commissioner McJill Bryant T. Fernandez said that the region has reached a pivot point following the ACMF Deputies’ Meeting in late January.
He noted that the focus must now move toward creating tangible market impact rather than just establishing guidelines.
Fernandez said the joint meeting serves as a platform to ensure that policy directions are aligned across various working groups to produce coordinated outcomes throughout Southeast Asia.
The proceedings were co-chaired by Fernandez alongside Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia Director General Sou Socheat and Monetary Authority of Singapore International Department Executive Director Dawn Chew.
The session also integrated feedback from the Joint Sustainable Finance Working Group-Industry Advisory Panel, which provides private sector perspectives on regional finance initiatives.
As part of the week’s events, the SEC and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) hosted the 2026 ASEAN Taxonomy Conference on Feb. 10.
Supported by the Sustainable Finance Institute Asia (SFIA) and the Asian Development Bank, the conference explored how the regional taxonomy can mobilize adaptation finance for climate-vulnerable economies.
Fernandez highlighted the partnership between the SEC and the BSP as a model for how financial regulators can collaborate to address climate risks that cross national borders. He noted that such cooperation is essential to translating shared priorities into concrete market actions.
The conference also featured the launch of the SFIA’s All-Countries Common Equivalence Platform for Taxonomies. This digital tool is designed to help market participants compare multiple taxonomies, addressing concerns regarding the fragmentation of green standards.
Local issuers, including representatives from BDO Unibank Inc. and Alternergy Holdings Corp., shared insights on how aligning with these taxonomies has strengthened transparency and investor confidence in their respective sustainable finance issuances.
By leading these high-level discussions, the SEC reaffirmed its commitment to transforming regional frameworks into market-ready solutions intended to deepen capital market integration across the ASEAN bloc. (James A. Loyola)

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