UA&P Political Economy students host conference on digital economy and cyber power
On May 13, 2026, students from Mr. Kritzman Caballero’s Comparative Political Economy class—headed by Keith Tagabucba and Megan Alfonso—hosted a forum titled “Digital Economy and Cyber Power: EU and ASEAN in the Fifth Industrial Revolution.”
The discussion held in Dizon Auditorium featured three talks. SPG faculty member Dr. Paolo Lim opened the session with an introduction to the European Union and its standard of data protection through policy and practice. Following that, Atty. Neil Simon S. Silva, lecturer from the UP College of Law, then framed the difficulties of regulating digital activity and innovation within ASEAN and the Philippines.
The third segment focused on the relationship between the EU and ASEAN, and their roles in reconciling the political economy and digital power, as emphasized by Mr. Francisco Ashley L. Acedillo, former Deputy Director General of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA).
Lt. Col. Jannette Chavez-Arceo, a Philippine Army reservist officer and cybersecurity consultant, concluded the forum by bridging together the ideas and what they mean for politics in the digital age.
The forum served as a space for conversations and comparisons on the approaches of the European Union and ASEAN in navigating governance of the digital space, and “ultimately encouraged deeper reflection on how states and regions can balance innovation, regulation, security, and cooperation in the digital age,” according to Rafaelle Arceo, a third-year MA Political Economy student.
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