MANILA, THE PHILIPPINES, 20 October 2026 – The ASEAN Green Jobs Forum (AGJF) 2026 was successfully held from 19 to 20 October in Manila, the Philippines, under the theme “Building Green Skills, Creating Green Jobs: Advancing a Just and Inclusive Workforce.” Hosted by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) of the Philippines, with the support of the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC), the Australia for ASEAN Futures Initiative (Aus4ASEAN Futures) and the German Government-funded project funded Regional Cooperation on Labour Market Policy and TVET for a Twin Transition in ASEAN (RECOTwin) project, the Forum brought together around 300 participants onsite and online from across ASEAN.
Representatives of ASEAN Member States (AMS), development partners, employers’ and workers’ organisations, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, the private sector, civil society organisations and policy research institutions shared experiences and practical approaches to advance green job creation, strengthen workforce readiness and support a just and inclusive green transition.
H.E. Francis N. Tolentino, Secretary of Labor and Employment of the Philippines, underscored the importance of moving from commitment to implementation: “Last October, our Labour Ministers adopted the Joint Statement on Actionable Plan for Green Jobs, endorsing the ASEAN Framework and Action Plan for a Just and Inclusive Transition to Green Jobs 2025–2030. The plan is on paper. This Forum is where we begin to make it real.”
Building on the momentum of the 2024 and 2025 Forums hosted by the Ministry of Human Resources of Malaysia, AGJF 2026 focused on advancing implementation of the Framework and Action Plan. The Forum ‘s discussions centred on three interconnected priorities: creating and transforming jobs; preparing ASEAN’s workforce; and strengthening regional cooperation.
Participants highlighted the importance of transforming existing jobs and enabling new green economic activities through strategic investment, enterprise innovation, digitalisation and support for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and transitioning sectors. Workforce readiness will require demand-driven skills development, stronger industry-TVET collaboration, accessible reskilling and upskilling, and lifelong learning. Regional cooperation can complement these efforts through labour-market intelligence, green TVET and skills recognition, decent work and social protection, meaningful social dialogue, and peer learning across ASEAN.
“Millions of jobs across agriculture, energy, manufacturing, and services can be transformed through targeted skills development, technology integration, and supportive public policy,” said Police Lieutenant Colonel Wannapong Kotcharag, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Thailand, and Chairperson, ASEAN Senior Labour Officials’ Meeting (SLOM).
The Forum also underscored the importance of connecting skills development with economic and employment opportunities. H.E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, emphasised: “Skills, without investment and enterprise demand, may not lead to employment. And investment, without a capable and adaptable workforce, may not achieve its full economic and social value.”
Partnership will remain important as ASEAN advances implementation of the Framework and Action Plan. H.E. Tiffany McDonald, Australia’s Ambassador to ASEAN, said: “Australia and ASEAN are committed to strengthening cooperation to accelerate the region’s transition to renewable and green energy, in a just and inclusive manner. By investing in skills and strengthening cooperation, we can support our shared vision for a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region.”
Building on AGJF 2026, ASEAN will continue to advance implementation of the Framework and Action Plan through regional cooperation, knowledge exchange and peer learning, while supporting Member States in preparing workers and enterprises for a just and inclusive green transition.