Investors and businesses could gain new opportunities—or face pressure to comply—as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Philippines pushes a regional framework to channel capital into climate-resilient projects.

The SEC said Tuesday that it hosted the first in-person meeting of the ASEAN Taxonomy Board (ATB) this year, under its chairmanship of the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum (ACMF), to promote the faster adoption of sustainable finance standards. 

Officials sought to adopt Version 4 of the Taxonomy, advancing the mitigation co-benefit and Adaptation for Resilience (mARs) Guide, and deepening the region’s sustainable finance ecosystem through stakeholder engagement and capacity-building.

Key outputs include the ASEAN Code of Conduct for External Verifiers in Sustainable Finance, expansion of the ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard Regional Assessment, and the next phase of the mARs Guide—tools intended to make sustainability measurable, actionable, and investable.

The mARs Guide, published in 2025, was designed to direct investments toward projects that protect ASEAN economies from climate-related risks, such as floods, droughts, and extreme heat.

The SEC also hosted a workshop to debate the Guide’s governance, methodology, and proposed next-phase enhancements.

“We see the value of the mARs Guide and have prioritized its development as a key output under the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairship. 

Today, we move mARs beyond highlighting the need for mitigation and adaptation toward delivering a guide that provides clear and practical guidance for ASEAN capital markets,” SEC Commissioner McJill Bryant T. Fernandez said.

“With these objectives in mind, we look forward…to working closely with all of you as we transform this Guide into concrete and actionable outcomes—which will not only unlock more investable opportunities in the region but also ensure a sustainable future for all,” he added.

Established in 2021, the ATB develops the ASEAN Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance, which classifies economic activities to guide capital flows toward sustainable projects across Southeast Asia.