A Panel of Experts Facilitate Discussion at APEC meet | Photo via APEC
Incheon, ROK – In a powerful reflection of how aging societies across the Asia-Pacific are grappling with the digital divide and how policy, design, and community engagement can bridge it, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) hosted a workshop to address these emerging challenges.
Held in Songdo, Incheon, a city that has evolved into a global hub for vaccine manufacturing and digital health, the meeting included policy discussions on digital health, one health strategies, community-based integrated care, and mental health support across life stages.
“It is especially meaningful to discuss these pressing health challenges here in Incheon, the starting point of Korea’s global exchange,” said Jeong Eun-Kyeong, Minister of Health and Welfare of the Republic of Korea, in her opening remarks, noting the city’s transformation and growing role in international health cooperation
Workshop organizers said the workshop is part of Korea’s broader push under its APEC 2025 host year to address demographic change and ensure no one is left behind in the digital transition. Sessions featured insights from government officials, think tanks, and innovators across the region, sharing policies and tools to improve digital access, skills, and services for seniors.
“Digital inclusion is not merely a matter of access,” said Dr Hayun Kang, Co-Chair of the APEC Telecommunications and Information Working Group (TIWG) and ICT Policy Researcher at the Korea Information Society Development Institute. “It is about participation, dignity, and equal opportunity.”
The workshop included topics on super-aged societies like Japan and Korea, which face steep challenges — older adults score lowest in digital access and confidence, and AI and digital tools that can improve health, social connection, and public services, but only if designed with seniors in mind.
Likely delegates from the Philippines included the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), which have been active in senior digital literacy programs. Filipino NGO’s working on aging, tech access, and intergenerational programs were invited to share best practices.
The Philippines contributed insights on community-based digital literacy for seniors, diaspora-led tech initiatives that support aging parents back home, and inclusive design challenges in multilingual, low-income settings.
The workshop matters for the Philippines because the country has 9 million senior citizens, many of whom face barriers in accessing digital services. With strong diaspora ties, Filipino families often rely on tech to stay connected across borders. Also, the workshop aligns with national goals to digitize public services, including healthcare pensions, and civic participation.
A panel of experts facilitated the workshop: Dr. Ming Tan, who called for trust-building and user-centric design in Southeast Asia. Assoc. Prof. Catherine Earl (RMT Vietnam) explored how aging intersects with economic inequality, and Jaeyoung Ha (Seoul50Plus Foundation) shared data on generational differences in digital inequality.
“The Health Working Group remains committed to ensuring that no one is left behind as we respond to regional health challenges,” concluded Dr Victor Yosef Melt Campos, Chair of the APEC Health Working Group. “By integrating perspectives from across ministries and sectors, we are building a shared foundation for inclusive, evidence-based health systems that can adapt and respond to future shocks.”
