Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering completes Philippines workshop and preliminary mutual evaluation preparation visit ahead of 2027 assessment

The Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering provided an update on two preparation exercises held in the Philippines as part of its Global Fifth Round mutual evaluation process. It convened its second Regional Mutual Evaluation Preparation workshop in the country for jurisdictions scheduled for assessment over the next two years, and also carried out a Preliminary Mutual Evaluation Preparation visit to support the Philippines ahead of its mutual evaluation, which is due to begin in 2027. The regional workshop, held from 21 to 23 April 2026, brought together 30 participants from seven member jurisdictions and two observer organizations, the Asian Development Bank and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. The program was delivered by the APG Secretariat with expert trainers from Malaysia and the Philippines and focused on practical evaluation planning, including identifying key national stakeholders, prioritizing strategic recommendations, improving inter-agency coordination and developing structured preparation plans. The Philippines-focused preliminary visit was held on 20 and 24 April 2026 and was described as one of the first such visits under the APG Global Fifth Round procedures. Meetings with lead agencies, supervisors, law enforcement, the private sector, legislators and other oversight bodies focused on clarifying roles and expectations, coordinating work on immediate outcomes, and aligning broader AML, CTF and CPF preparation across agencies. The next formal step identified in the update is the Philippines' mutual evaluation, scheduled to start in 2027.