-
The Procurement and Supply Institute of Asia launched a nationwide ethics and supply chain integrity program on October 8, 2026, at PASIAWorld 2026
-
Chairman Charlie Villaseñor said the program is needed to build the institutional trust investors look for, as the Philippines and its Southeast Asian neighbors compete for capital
-
PASIA has lined up at least eight volunteers to assess companies and professionals, and it will seek global funding for training and certification
The Procurement and Supply Institute of Asia (PASIA) launched a nationwide ethics and supply chain integrity program on October 8, 2026, at the opening of its PASIAWorld 2026 conference at the SMX Convention Center Manila.
PASIA Chairman and CEO Charlie Villaseñor announced it in his opening address, which also covered inflation, geopolitical disruption and how artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the procurement profession.
Villaseñor called ethics “the cornerstone of our profession.” He said the vision is “to establish a nationwide culture and network of ethical leaders, professionals and organizations.”
He tied the program to investor confidence, noting that the Philippines and its Southeast Asian neighbors compete for capital partly on the strength of institutional trust. “Investments are not going to come here to the Philippines if they don’t trust us,” he said.
To get it started, PASIA’s board has lined up at least eight volunteers, including retired executives, to help assess companies and professionals. The association also plans to seek funding from global organizations to develop training and certification under the program.
Rising costs, supply shocks seen lasting three to five years
Villaseñor said the Philippines is facing steep cost pressure. Philippine inflation rose from 1.7% in September 2025 to 7.1% in September 2026, he said.
He blamed global disruption, citing the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, which he said damaged oil refineries and energy infrastructure. This set off a “bullwhip effect,” he said, in which rising costs and supply disruptions spread across industries.
Villaseñor estimated that global supply chains will need three to five years to stabilize. He warned that shortages can quickly threaten jobs: “No stock, no production. No production, no sales. No sales, no revenue. No revenue, start firing people.”
The Philippines also faces a concentration risk. Villaseñor said semiconductors and microchips make up 68% of Philippine exports, and Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam are moving faster than the Philippines in building specialized export industries.
For shippers, buyers and logistics providers, his outlook points to several more years of cost pressure and supply uncertainty. That makes supplier risk management and contingency planning a priority.
AI takes over routine procurement work
Villaseñor described AI as “augmentation” rather than replacement. Automation is taking over most of procurement’s operational work, such as turning purchase requests into purchase orders and expediting. These tasks have historically taken up about 80% of staff time. Procurement professionals are now freed for strategic work such as category management and building supplier alliances.
He cited event technology sponsors as examples: Anaplan for planning, Coupa for procurement and FarEye for AI-driven transportation management.
PASIA is in its 24th year and has served 538 customers. Villaseñor said it was recently recognized as the top supply chain association in Asia, and the group plans a bigger event for its 25th anniversary in 2027.
PASIA and its business process outsourcing arm, Transprocure, earn 40% of revenue from the Philippines and 60% from Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Villaseñor said this mix protects the business from domestic economic shocks, with the Philippines serving as its operations back office.
PASIA’s government partners include the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Health and the Government Procurement Policy Board. It also does private-sector work.
Villaseñor disclosed that he has been senior supply chain advisor to the U.S. Department of State since January 6, 2026. His work there focuses on digitalizing the health sector’s supply chain.
PASIAWorld 2026 ran until October 9 and featured SupplyCon, an exhibit held for the first time. On the second day, Jan De Leon, senior leadership and business development at the Association for Supply Chain Management, presented survey findings on the industry’s outlook for 2027.
