Manila, Oct. 29 -- The Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) on Wednesday strengthened international trade and cooperation in the face of rising global uncertainty.

This comes as DEPDev Secretary Arsenio Balisacan sought improved trade and partnership during the 2026 Autumn Economic Forum (AEF).

In a statement, Balisacan stressed that economies must not retreat from integration but instead boost resilience through continuous trade and investments.

"We cannot assume that the conditions underpinning past growth will return. But the answer is not to retreat from integration. It is to reduce over-dependence and build our capacity to adapt," Balisacan said.

In particular, the chief economist mentioned key drivers of gr...