MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said that closing the gender gap was “smart economics” that could vastly improve the global economy’s growth by trillions of dollars.
In his intervention during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation’s (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea, Marcos said that investing in women and youth was 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,” Marcos said.
ACTIVE PARTICIPANT Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. attends a session of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Gyeongju. AFP PHOTO / APEC 2025 KOREA VIA YONHAP/ HANDOUT
“Closing the gender gap, as our experience shows, is not only a matter of fairness; it is smart economics,” he added.
The President said 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 (gross domestic product), making this the most critical investment for sustained growth,” he said.
Marcos then called on 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.”
Meanwhile, Marcos said that empowering businesses, especially local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), through access to finance, digital tools, and global markets would later unlock the full potential of the private sector.
“By streamlining rules, investing in digital infrastructure and platforms, and equipping our MSMEs and workforce with the skills and tools they need to compete globally, we can secure our collective resilience and ensure that growth remains inclusive,” Marcos said.
“It is essential that we build sustainable digital infrastructure, nurture a future-ready workforce, and advance open, interoperable digital trade rules that support a vibrant cross-border digital economy,” he added.
Marcos said the Philippines continued to strengthen its framework for public-private collaboration, citing the Public-Private Partnership Code of the Philippines (Republic Act 11966) enacted in 2023, which he called a “landmark legislation” that fosters business confidence and investment.
“This law embodies our commitment to creating an enabling environment where private enterprises can actively contribute to domestic and regional development goals,l he said.
The President also encouraged deeper cooperation with the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) to close investment gaps in energy, digital transformation, and infrastructure.
“We see the business community as our kabalikat, our steadfast partners, in building a more connected and resilient APEC region,” Marcos said.
He added that the Philippines supported the proposed new services agenda and the upcoming “Incheon Plan” under the APEC Finance Ministers’ Process, designed to address emerging challenges through fiscal innovation and climate resilience.
“Together, we can unlock the full potential of our peoples to foster peace, bolster shared prosperity, and build resilience across our region and beyond,” Marcos said.
