Secretary Ivan John Uy and Philippine Ambassador to Thailand Millicent Cruz Paredes at the Opening Ceremony of the 5th ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting in Bangkok

BANGKOK, 20 JANUARY 2025 - Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy led the Philippine delegation to the 5th ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting and Related Meetings hosted by the government of Thailand from 13 to 17 January 2025.

Guided by the theme “Secure, Innovative, Inclusive: Shaping ASEAN’s Digital Future, ASEAN Digital Ministers addressed ways the region can cooperate more closely on trusted digital services, anti-online scam initiatives, e-government services, digital technologies, and digital skills for businesses and communities. The ASEAN Digital Ministers also met with the ministers of Dialogue and Development Partners namely China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the United States, India, and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

At the plenary session, Secretary Uy proudly shared the strides of the Philippines toward achieving a secure, innovative, and inclusive digital transformation, particularly through the eGovPH app platform which provides round-the-clock vital social services to over 10 million users nationwide. “This achievement illustrates how technology can close the digital divide, particularly for marginalized sectors and geographically isolated and disadvantaged communities across more than 7,000 islands in our archipelagic nation.”

Secretary Uy also attributed the improvement in the Philippines’ standing in the United Nations Global Security Index Tier 2 status to the impactful results of the key policies embodied in the Executive Order for the National Cybersecurity Plan for 2023-2028.

As the Guest of Honor, Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra underscored three critical issues that shape ASEAN’s collective digital future: online scams; misinformation and disinformation; and the informative power of artificial intelligence (AI). She urged ASEAN to respond to these challenges: strengthen digital cooperation to create a safe digital ecosystem to protect people and livelihoods; build robust regional mechanisms and work with digital platforms to enforce accountability and empower citizens towards digital literacy; and, lead in shaping global AI governance.  

Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Economy and Society Prasert Jantararuangtong, as Chair, further called for strong collaboration among ASEAN states in advancing the ASEAN Digital Agenda and in working towards a digital future that would benefit all ASEAN member states and the region.

On the meeting’s sidelines, Secretary Uy and Deputy Prime Minister Prasert signed the Philippines-Thailand Memorandum of Understanding on Digital Cooperation. The signing ceremony was witnessed by H.E. Millicent Cruz Paredes, Ambassador of the Philippines to Thailand, officials of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and the Royal Thai government.

The MOU covers cooperation in five priority areas: digital connectivity; e-governance; digital ID system; emerging technologies; and cybersecurity through knowledge exchange, technical expertise, and practices. END