Business leaders and policymakers are pushing to elevate healthcare as a regional priority under the Philippines’ 2026 ASEAN chairship, as Southeast Asia faces a rising burden of chronic diseases and rapid technological change in medical services.

This was among the key themes discussed during the second session of the US-ASEAN Business Council Roundtable Series on Healthcare on 4 March 2026 at Marco Polo Ortigas in Pasig City. The forum was convened by the US-ASEAN Business Council and the ASEAN Business Advisory Council Philippines.

Participants highlighted the importance of sustained public-private cooperation in developing scalable, cross-border healthcare solutions across the region. Insights from the discussions are expected to feed into a strategic action plan that will be presented ahead of the ASEAN Leaders’ Summit in May.

Need for stronger data governance

The roundtable also explored how digital health technologies and artificial intelligence can help transform healthcare delivery in ASEAN countries. Speakers pointed to the need for stronger data governance, regulatory readiness and innovation to support more preventive, predictive and patient-centered care models.

Rising cases of non-communicable diseases across Southeast Asia were also identified as a key challenge, prompting calls for more coordinated regional responses.

The healthcare forum followed an earlier roundtable on sustainability and food security and is part of a five-part dialogue series scheduled to run until April 2026 in support of the Philippines’ ASEAN chairship, with ASEAN-BAC Philippines serving as a key partner.