ASEAN, EU leaders call for bold sustainability action in Cebu

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

More than 200 government officials, policymakers, and business executives convened in Cebu on 7 May 2026 for the inaugural ASEAN-EU Sustainability Summit 2026, urging bold, immediate action on sustainable growth, the energy transition, supply chain resilience, and food security.

Held on the sidelines of the ASEAN Leaders’ Summit, the Summit drew ministers, ambassadors, and senior industry executives as Southeast Asia grapples with a worsening energy crisis and mounting economic pressures.

“At a time of global uncertainty marked by energy volatility, supply chain disruptions, and rising costs, this Summit could not be more timely,” said Paulo Duarte, President of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) and a member of the EU-ASEAN Business Council (EU-ABC)’s executive board.

He added: “It reflects a shared recognition across the region that sustainability is no longer optional. It is central to economic resilience, competitiveness, and long-term growth.”

Senior officials attending in person included Philippine Secretary of Finance Frederick Go, EU Ambassador to the Philippines Massimo Santoro, Indonesia’s Deputy Minister for National Development Planning Leonardo Teguh Sambodo, and Secretary Robert Borje, Vice Chairperson and Executive Director of the Philippines Climate Change Commission.

ASEAN Secretary General Dr Kao Kim Hourn, European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela, and EU Ambassador to ASEAN Sujiro Seam delivered video messages calling for quicker progress and greater collaboration on sustainable action.

Delivering the ministerial keynote, Secretary Go underscored the importance of aligning economic growth with sustainability priorities. “Europe and the Philippines have a stable and evolving partnership, built on trade, investment and development cooperation. Today, it is also focused on sustainability, climate and inclusive growth, and we remain committed to deepening our collaboration with the EU and advancing our shared priorities together,” he said.

Secretary Go described the EU-Philippines Free Trade Agreement, currently under negotiation, as the country’s most important economic agreement this year, with both sides aiming to sign the deal in the third quarter. “This is a much-awaited milestone that will strengthen trade, unlock new opportunities for exporters, and deepen our economic partnership with the EU,” he said.

Indonesia’s Deputy Minister Leonardo Sambodo identified the tension between growth and environmental goals as the region’s defining challenge. “The challenge for us is managing twin goals – achieving strong economic growth while reducing emissions. The only viable path forward is cohesive planning that integrates sustainability into every aspect of development,” he said.

Secretary Borje argued the energy crisis could accelerate the shift to greener sources. “What can be seen right now as a challenge can be turned into an opportunity – an opportunity not just for investments to come into the Philippines, but an opportunity that provides co-benefits as we work towards a greener future and greener sources of energy,” he said.

EU Ambassador Santoro called for a stronger connection between climate ambition and financing. “While we are rightly ambitious in setting our targets for climate and environmental action, we do not always synchronise the financial resources needed to implement that ambition. Strengthening the link between ambition and financing is essential to turning policy into real, on-the-ground impact,” he said.

Ambassador Santoro added that cooperation on trade, climate, and disaster risk reduction must not operate in silos. “The current energy situation must become an opportunity to accelerate this integrated approach, including on renewable energy and economic resilience,” he said.

Across four dedicated sessions on the circular economy, supply chain resilience, food security, and ESG reporting, participants stressed the indispensable role of the private sector in converting sustainability commitments into concrete outcomes.

Undersecretary Jonas Leones of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, speaking on the implementation of the Philippines’ circular economy policies, said: “The best lesson there is that the government cannot do it alone. We need investors, the private sector, to really implement and move forward.”

Antonio Del Rosario, President of Coca-Cola Philippines, said that Extended Producer Responsibility — an environmental policy approach that makes producers responsible for the entire lifecycle of their products — can be a key driver of the circular economy across ASEAN. “It can bring together not only government and industry, but also NGOs and the informal waste sector, which plays a significant role in Southeast Asia, including here in the Philippines,” he said.

On supply chain integrity, Rodney van Dooren, Director of Illicit Trade Prevention at Philip Morris International, said: “The legitimate companies contribute most effectively by reinforcing and scaling government-led frameworks, not substituting for regulation or enforcement. As a private sector, our role is to embed integrity into our day-to-day operations and to share relevant information, such as risk indicators and supply chain data, to support government enforcement efforts.”

Cynderella Galimpin, Head of Animal Health for ASEAN, Korea, Australia & New Zealand at Boehringer Ingelheim, warned that slow vaccine approval timelines leave the region exposed when disease outbreaks occur. “We need to act fast when there is an outbreak. Today, regulatory approval timelines for vaccines across Southeast Asia range from one to three years, but when the outbreak is already there, that is too late, as it has already impacted food supply, trade and the economy,” she said.

Closing the Summit, EU-ABC Executive Director Chris Humphrey called on all participants to hold themselves accountable for translating discussions into action. “We need governments, businesses and citizens to take sustainability more seriously in all its aspects, so we can all live a longer life, a healthier life, and look after our planet at the same time,” he said.

The ASEAN-EU Sustainability Summit 2026 was jointly organised by the EU-ASEAN Business Council and the ECCP, and endorsed by the Philippines’ Department of Trade and Industry under the auspices of the Philippines’ 2026 ASEAN Chairship. It is fully private-sector funded, supported by Boehringer Ingelheim, Coca-Cola ASEAN & South Pacific, Philip Morris International, and ACCA Global.