Overview

3 March 2026 | 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM | Ayala Triangle Gardens Tower 2, Paseo de Roxas, Makati City

As mandated by the GCNP Constitution and By-laws, the Annual General Assembly is convened on the first Tuesday of March each year. It gathers all participant organizations to review and report on the past year’s accomplishments and to conduct the election of the Board of Trustees. Beyond governance functions, the Assembly serves as a strategic platform to brief participants on national and global developments that may influence business operations and sustainability strategies.

This year’s Assembly centred on a defining moment for Philippine business: the country’s 2026 ASEAN Chairship. Participants were called to move beyond commitment and into action, positioning the private sector as a credible force in shaping a more sustainable and inclusive region.

Message from Distinguished Guests

Hon. Maria Cristina Aldeguer-Roque, Secretary, Department of Trade and Industry

DTI Secretary Maria Christina Roque, represented by Chief of Staff Mr. Jeremiah Reyes, underscored the strategic significance of the Philippines’ 2026 ASEAN Chairship as an opportunity to shape regional conversations on trade, sustainability, supply chains, and responsible growth. Structured public-private coordination is being prepared through the National Organizing Committee and in close collaboration with the ASEAN Business Advisory Council, with governance and execution as priorities to ensure that ASEAN 2026 delivers tangible outcomes for Philippine enterprises.

GCNP participant organizations were called upon to move beyond commitment and into concrete action. With global sustainability standards tightening and ESG performance increasingly influencing capital flows, procurement decisions, and supply chain partnerships, Philippine businesses must be positioned to compete. The department reaffirmed its support for this transition, particularly for MSMEs, which comprise 99.5% of Philippine enterprises, through expanded access to finance, capacity building, and market access programs. Responsible business practices must extend beyond large corporations and reach smaller enterprises across industries and supply chains.

Mr. Arnaud Peral, United Nations Philippines Resident Coordinator

United Nations Resident Coordinator Arnaud Peral, an honorary member of the GCNP Board of Trustees, opened his message by recognizing the outgoing 2025 Board of Trustees: Chairperson Ma. Victoria Tan, Vice Chairperson Yayu Javier, Secretary Melissa Vergel de Dios, Treasurer Dr. Hian Ho Kua, VP for Marketing Ginggay Hontiveros-Malvar, and VP for Recruitment Anna Lagon, with special congratulations to Ms. Tan, Ms. Javier, and Dr. Kua for nine years of service to the network.

The recognition was followed by a reflection on the state of global challenges: progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals remains insufficient, not for lack of commitment, but for lack of collective will, at the global, regional, and national levels. Two compounding pressures were identified: the diversion of resources toward military expenditures amid rising fear and conflict, and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, which is disrupting industries and prompting difficult questions about the future of work, particularly for younger generations.

Despite these challenges, confidence was expressed in the Philippines. Human-centric skills and the capacity for genuine connection remain irreplaceable, and the country’s strong social cohesion, deep family networks, and characteristic warmth position it as distinctly well-suited to navigate the uncertainties ahead.

Mr. Jose Maria “Joey” A. Concepcion III, Founder, Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (Go Negosyo); Chair, ASEAN Business Advisory Council 2026

ASEAN-BAC Philippines Chair Mr. Joey Concepcion spoke on the significance of the Philippines’ 2026 ASEAN Chairship, underscoring the importance of making it an inclusive event under the theme “Prosperity for All.” With another 11 years before the Philippines holds this role again, the need to put the country’s best foot forward and ensure the chairship delivers meaningful outcomes was emphasized.

The role of the private sector in driving inclusive growth was central to the remarks. ASEAN 2026 must extend its benefits beyond large corporations and reach micro, small, and medium enterprises, which remain the backbone of the Philippine economy. Businesses were called upon to help scale up MSMEs and create enough opportunities at home, so that economic aspiration no longer requires Filipinos to work abroad. The private sector has both the power and the responsibility to make that difference.

2025 Network Updates

Ms. Ma. Victoria Tan, Outgoing Chairperson of the Global Compact Network Philippines, presented the network’s accomplishments over the past year. The network grew to 79 participants as of March 2026, welcoming 17 new members in 2025 across industries ranging from professional services and education to electronics and consumer lending, reflecting broadening private sector interest in responsible business.

On programmes, 2025 marked GCNP’s inaugural participation in two globally offered accelerator programmes: the SDG Innovation Accelerator for Young Professionals and the Target Gender Equality Accelerator. These complemented the continuing SDG Ambition and Climate Ambition Accelerators. Notably, PLDT was selected to represent the Philippines at the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit SDG Innovation Pitch Showcase in New York, presenting a solution developed through the SDG Innovation programme on safeguarding connectivity during climate disasters.

The network’s flagship event, the Sustainability Summit 2025, was held on November 12 at Makati Diamond Residences under the theme “Forward Faster.” The summit drew over 140 sustainability professionals and earned a 95.6% satisfaction rate. Three Forward Faster Peer Learning Sessions were also conducted throughout the year, covering Climate Action, SDG Finance and Investment, and Gender Equality and Living Wage, with Globe, Nickel Asia Corporation, BPI, Morination Agricultural Products, Manila Doctors Hospital, Megaworld Corporation, and Unilever Philippines serving as knowledge partners.

At the regional level, GCNP launched its first-ever impact stories initiative, with six stories selected from participant submissions by Aboitiz, Ayala, D&L, Globe, PTC Group, and SM Investments. These will be featured on the ASEAN ESG Impact Case Hub, developed collaboratively with other ASEAN country networks. GCNP was also represented at the Asia and Oceania Leadership Roundtable on Strategy, Policy and Impact side events of the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit in New York.

Partnerships formed in 2025 included alignment with the UN Country Team on the Forward Faster initiative, engagement with ARISE Philippines under the UNDRR Sendai Framework, participation in the Private Sector Dialogue at the High-Level Conference of Middle Income Countries, collaboration with Ocean Centres Philippines, involvement in a methane reduction in rice production project with the International Rice Research Institute and the UN Environment Programme, and new partnerships with the ASEAN Circular Economy Business Alliance and the Basel Institute on Governance. Following the network updates, Outgoing Board Treasurer Dr. Hian Ho Kua presented the financial position of the network.

Network updates and the 2026 programme offerings deck can be viewed here.