ASEAN Ministers ink framework deal to support region’s digital economy

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MANILA – A safe digital economy for the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been assured following the signing of the ASEAN Digital ...

DIGITAL ECONOMY BOOST. Ministers from the 11 economies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations sign, at a hotel in Pasay City on Saturday (Nov. 14, 2026), the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA). The pact aims to provide a framework that will ensure a secure digital economy for ASEAN, which to date is valued to be around USD1 trillion and forecast to double by 2030. (PNA photo by Joann Santiago-Villanueva)

MANILA – A safe digital economy for the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been assured following the signing of the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) Saturday.

Trade and Industry Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque, in her speech during the signing ceremony at a hotel in Pasay City, said the agreement brings the regional bloc’s economies closer amid trading now done beyond physical borders.

“DEFA is a landmark achievement, not only for ASEAN but for the global digital economy. As the world's first region-wide digital economy agreement of its kind, it places ASEAN at the forefront of efforts to build a more connected, trusted, and inclusive digital future,” she said.

DEFA is among the priorities under the Philippines’ chairship of the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits this year.

Roque said an integrated digital economy for the region, which has around 680 million people, is a plus given the possibility of doubling its estimated USD1 trillion digital economy value to USD2 trillion by 2030.

“But DEFA is not simply about economic growth. It is establishing a rules system and cooperation that will allow our people and businesses to participate more freely in that world. At its core, DEFA provides a common framework for a more seamless, secure, and interconnected ASEAN digital marketplace,” she said.

The agreement covers cooperation on digital trade, cross-border electric commence, and data protection, among others.

Roque said the pact also covers “cybersecurity and online consumer protection to strengthen regional…

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