THE Philippine Postal Corp. (PHLPost) is preparing to play a more prominent role within the Asean community as the Philippines gears up to assume the regional chairmanship in 2026, top officials said. In a discussion hosted by the Asean Gazette with Michael Alexander Ang, director and board member of The Manila Times Publishing Corp., PhilPost Chairman Attorney Christian Vicente Gargantiel and Postmaster General and CEO Maximo Santa Maria III highlighted the unique opportunities the upcoming chairmanship presents. Santa Maria pointed to recent forums with the Universal Postal Union and the Asia-Pacific regional postal network, which focused on last-mile delivery, technology adoption, and the sharing of knowledge and best practices among postal operators in the region. “We want to leverage the Asean chairmanship to showcase innovation, expand our network, and support sustainable development in underserved communities,” Santa Maria said. He noted that PHLPost, the oldest postal service in Asia at 258 years, has historically served as a hub for training postal personnel and now aims to reassert that leadership role regionally. “The Philippines hosting Asean next year provides an opportunity to showcase and improve our postal network — not only for domestic efficiency but also to strengthen regional collaboration,” he added. Santa Maria said PHLPost intends to share best practices with Asean counterparts, particularly in enhancing services for communities often overlooked in regional development initiatives. Gargantiel elaborated on PHLPost’s structure and operations, noting that as a government-owned and -controlled corporation, it is responsible not only for mail and parcel delivery but also for distributing official communications for government agencies, banks and insurance companies. “While the board sets policies, the postmaster general ensures implementation across regional offices down to letter carriers,” he said. At the heart of PHLPost’s modernization drive is an eight-point strategic agenda aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the Philippine Development Plan, and the Universal Postal Union framework. The agenda focuses on improving operational efficiency, delivering customer-centered services, monitoring corporate performance, ensuring financial viability, adopting digital technologies, building multi-sectoral partnerships, pursuing legislative reforms, and developing human resources. Digitalization is a cornerstone of these efforts. Santa Maria said PHLPost is rolling out a mobile application that enables users to track parcels, make online payments, and present digital identification, including postal IDs, through the app. “These innovations are designed to make services faster, more predictable, and more customer-friendly,” he said. On international operations, PHLPost has addressed disruptions in parcel deliveries to the United States caused by prior changes in US tariff policies. The Philippines was among the first countries to resume sending mail after these disruptions, with officials expecting full restoration of parcel services next year, in coordination with the Bureau of Customs and the Universal Postal Union. Plans are also underway to restore the historic Manila Central Post Office, further integrate e-commerce to promote Filipino products, and strengthen PhilPost’s role in regional logistics and supply chains. Gargantiel said the public can expect “transparency, accountability, reliability, and predictability” under the corporation’s leadership, both domestically and in its interactions with regional partners.