MANILA, Philippines – On Sept. 15, the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) and the Office of the U.S. Executive Director at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) successfully co-hosted Partners’ Night for the second consecutive year, marking the official kickoff of activities leading to the ADB’s 13th Business Opportunities Fair (BOF).
The engagement commenced with consultations between USABC member companies and ADB sectoral teams on procurement, digitalization, healthcare, infrastructure and transportation, and energy, with participation from the U.S. Government, ADB’s Philippines Country Office, and the Private Sector Operations Department.
The reception welcomed around 80 distinguished participants, including senior Philippine government officials, representatives of multilateral and development institutions, members of the diplomatic community, and private sector leaders. Building on the success of last year’s inaugural Partners’ Night, this year’s gathering further strengthened dialogue and collaboration, underscoring the sustained engagement of U.S. companies in advancing sustainable development and shared prosperity across the region.
In her opening remarks, Abigail Demopulos, Alternate U.S. executive director to the ADB, said, “We are committed to helping our U.S. private sector partners achieve tangible results and realize their goals with the Asian Development Bank. Being on the ground, making connections, and showing a long-term commitment to the Asia region is absolutely vital for U.S. companies.”
Florina “Binggay” Vistal, USABC’s chief representative in the Philippines, underscored USABC’s commitment to advancing collaboration with the ADB. She remarked, “This collaboration is not only about dialogue— it is about aligning strengths and working together. Our member companies bring expertise, innovation, and long-term commitment, and they are eager to complement ADB’s work across its member countries in addressing shared challenges and pursuing new opportunities.”
The Partners’ Night, made possible through the support of USABC member company Astrophysics, served as a prelude to the 13th ADB Business Opportunities Fair taking place from Sept. 16 to 18, 2025. As one of ADB’s flagship platforms, the BOF fosters knowledge-sharing, procurement, and collaboration across sectors. Hosting Partners’ Night for the second consecutive year underscores the shared commitment of USABC and ADB to sustaining momentum in U.S. private sector engagement.
