Getting ready for ASEAN 2026

Last week, I hosted in my home Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo.

- ANGAT LAHAT! JOEY CONCEPCION

He was a special guest at a dinner I organized for First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos. It was a gathering of women entrepreneurs, top industry leaders and heads of business organizations to explore ideas and possibilities ahead of our hosting of the ASEAN 2026 here in the Philippines.

Of course, everyone was starstruck by the diminutive champion. He's barely 5 feet tall, and you would never imagine someone more unlikely to win two gold medals in the men's gymnastics event, but he did. He came from a modest background, but through hard work and the help of good people, he is now a multimillionaire and an icon in sports.

He proved that anything is possible. He was an underdog, coming from a country not traditionally known for its prowess in gymnastics and yet he came home with not just one but two golds. It was nothing short of amazing.

Carlos Yulo exemplifies how far we can go with the help of a mentor. In his case, he had someone like Cynthia Carrion behind him and a team of supportive professionals who gave him expert advice that surely contributed to his win.

We were joined that night by enablers and business organizations who I believe will be instrumental in the future of our country's MSMEs. The next two years, especially, will be important with what could be the biggest event to be hosted by President Marcos during his term: the ASEAN Summit in 2026.