THE Philippines will host the Asean Finance and Central Bank Deputies’ Meeting–Working Group and related meetings from Feb. 9 to 13, 2026, in Panglao Island, Bohol, bringing together senior finance officials from Southeast Asia.
The five-day meetings will be jointly led by the Department of Finance and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, which serve as co-chairs of the Asean Finance Track’s AFCDM-WG.
Officials from the 11 Asean member states are expected to discuss key priorities such as financial services integration, regulatory cooperation, capital market development, financial inclusion, and ways to strengthen economic resilience amid global uncertainty.
The AFCDM-WG serves as a platform for senior officials to coordinate finance and central bank initiatives, guide sectoral bodies, and advance key goals under the ASEAN Economic Community agenda.
During the meetings, the DOF will co-chair the 84th Meeting of the Asean Working Committee on Financial Services Liberalization and the second meeting of the Asean Working Group on Finance–Health Collaboration. The BSP will co-chair the Asean Working Committee on Capital Account Liberalization. The meetings will end with the AFCDM-WG session on Feb. 13, co-chaired by the DOF and BSP.
As part of the Philippines’ Priority Economic Deliverables for its 2026 Asean Chairship, the co-chairs will seek approval of three initiatives. These include promoting sustainable and resilient Asean capital markets, advancing financial health as a regional priority, and strengthening cross-border payments.
The initiatives aim to deepen capital markets, include financial well-being in policy discussions, and improve regional payments through interoperable, transparent, and well-regulated systems aligned with the G20 Roadmap.
The Asean Finance Track will also continue efforts to liberalize financial services within the region and with dialogue partners. This includes implementing commitments under the Asean Framework Agreement on Services and preparing for the transition to the Asean Trade in Services Agreement, as well as supporting Timor-Leste’s accession process.
Officials said these efforts support Asean’s broader financial integration goals by encouraging cross-border investment, improving market access, and increasing regulatory transparency while maintaining financial stability.
Panglao Island was chosen as the venue for its accessibility and modern facilities, offering an ideal setting for policy discussions among Asean policymakers, regulators, and development partners. / KOC