ERIA Supports ASEAN High-Level Forum on Unlocking the Silver Economy

Pasay City, 3-4 June 2026: The ASEAN High-Level Forum on Unlocking the Silver Economy was held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City. Hosted by the Government of the Philippines as part of its ASEAN Chairship 2026 through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the event was co-supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), and ERIA.

The forum explored the challenges and opportunities of the silver economy for ASEAN, including the contributions of older persons to the region's economic development. A key outcome of the forum is the development of an ASEAN framework and roadmap for the silver economy, one of the deliverables under the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community pillar during the Philippines' ASEAN Chairship in 2026.

In his remarks, ERIA President Tetsuya Watanabe underscored the potential of the silver economy as a driver of sustainable and inclusive growth in the region.

'Preparing for ageing is one of the defining long-term strategic tasks facing ASEAN. The sooner the region acts, the stronger, more resilient, and better prepared ASEAN will be in the decades ahead,' he said.

Since 2018, ERIA has conducted longitudinal studies on ageing and health in the Philippines and Viet Nam, generating evidence to support policymaking on active and healthy ageing in the region. Through the Financial Sustainability of Integrated Care for Older Persons in ASEAN (FISCO) initiative, ERIA has also examined the long-term financial sustainability of integrated care systems for older persons across ASEAN, drawing lessons from East Asia and modelling future policy scenarios.

The forum featured plenary and panel discussions, with ERIA leading two sessions under the theme 'Making the Silver Economy Work: Investment, Technology, and Financing'. Presentations were delivered by representatives from ASEAN Member States, national and local governments, and international organisations, including the ASEAN Centre for Active Ageing and Innovation (ACAI), UNESCAP, UNFPA, the Global Coalition on Aging (GCOA), the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC), AgeTech, Nurse and Craft, the Private Pension Administrator, and ERIA.

The first panel, led by Dr Aladdin D. Rillo, Managing Director for Policy Design and Operations at ERIA, focused on strategies for mobilising investment, financing, and innovative technologies to enhance service delivery, empower older persons, and strengthen their economic and social participation. During the session, Mr Narihiro Hirai, Chief Manager for Healthcare at ERIA, presented selected findings on employment and financing in later life, drawing on evidence from the Longitudinal Study on Ageing and Health (LSAH) in the Philippines and Viet Nam.

The second panel was moderated by Dr Liem Nguyen, Programme Manager for Social Welfare at ERIA, and featured case studies on promoting the silver economy in ASEAN Member States and Japan. Presentations highlighted a wide range of initiatives implemented by national and local governments, private-sector organisations, and international development partners.

The 2-day forum brought together around 100 delegates from ASEAN Member States, international organisations, academia, and the private sector. ERIA remains committed to supporting the Philippines' leadership and collaborating with partners across the region to advance the ASEAN framework and roadmap for the silver economy.