PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. highlighted the vital role of women-led micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in driving inclusive economic growth across Southeast Asia, as the Philippines pushes stronger support for women entrepreneurs under its ASEAN Chairship.
“If we are serious about inclusive prosperity, we must transform the economic landscape for women,” President Marcos said during the 4th ASEAN Women Leaders’ Summit in Manila on Tuesday, Sept. 29.
The President said more than 60 million MSMEs across ASEAN are owned or managed by women, making them an important part of the region’s domestic economies.
However, the President noted that women entrepreneurs continue to face structural barriers, including limited access to capital and gaps in digital skills.
The Philippines, he said, is advancing measures to improve women’s access to digital financial services and regional markets.
“Under the Philippines’ Chairship, we are accelerating digital financial inclusion and ensuring market integration explicitly benefiting women-led enterprises,” President Marcos said.
He added that removing barriers to women’s participation in the economy would help expand opportunities for women entrepreneurs and strengthen inclusive growth across the region.
The President also called for greater investment in care infrastructure and a more equitable distribution of caregiving responsibilities, noting that unpaid care work disproportionately affects women and can limit their participation in the formal workforce.
By addressing these barriers, the President said ASEAN can unlock greater economic potential and create more opportunities for women to participate and lead in the region’s economy./PN
