MANILA — A Filipino economist now sits as the new deputy secretary-general (DSG) of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC).
Dr. Aladdin Rillo took office on March 26 as the newly appointed DSG for the period 2018 to 2021.
Guided by the ASEAN Charter, he will support the secretary-general of the ASEAN by providing leadership in the implementation of the AEC Blueprint 2025 and will lead the AEC Department of the ASEAN Secretariat.
Rillo, who succeeded Lim Hong Hin of Brunei Darussalam, will also provide strategic policy advice to support ASEAN’s economic integration agenda.
Prior to assuming the position, Rillo worked as senior economist at the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) in Tokyo, Japan where he designed and administered capacity building training and policy dialogue on development issues.
From 2008 to 2013, he served the ASEAN Secretariat as head of the Finance Integration Division (2008-2010) and director and chief economist of the ASEAN Integration Monitoring Office (2010-2013).
During those periods, he spearheaded the implementation of regional economic surveillance and integration monitoring in ASEAN.
According to his profile page at the ADBI, Rillo obtained his master’s and doctoral degrees in economics from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
Under the ASEAN Charter, the ASEAN secretary-general is designated four deputy secretaries-general from four different ASEAN Member States.
The ASEAN website shows two DSGs are nominated by Member States on a rotational basis for a non-renewable term of three years while two DSGs are openly-recruited based on merit for a three-year term, which may be renewed for another three years.
Rillo is one of the two openly-recruited DSGs. (Joyce Ann L. Rocamora/PNA)
