February 13, 2026
PMAC 2026 highlights “Silver Economy” as the next inclusive growth frontier
The National Health Commission Office (NHCO), Thailand, in collaboration with the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), the Institute for Population and Social Research (IPSR), Mahidol University, the Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE), and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), organized the PMAC 2026 side meeting on “Silver Economy: Turning Ageing into Opportunity.” The event took place on 26 January 2026 at the Centara Grand Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand, and brought together more than 100 participants from various countries. The session aimed to showcase policies, innovations, and best practices from across Asia that advance the silver economy, as well as to generate recommendations to strengthen its development and reduce inequalities.
Dr. Amphon Jindawattana, Former Chair of the Social and Community Reform Committee, the National Reform Council and Former Chair of the Older Persons and Aging Society Sub-committee, the Senate emphasizes that a human-centred economy promotes business development that serves not only markets but also people and society. Referring to the late King Rama IX’s Sufficiency Economy Philosophy, he noted that economic development should be grounded in this approach. With the right mindset, everyone can become a driving force for social development and the creation of a value-based economy at every stage of life, supported by appropriate policies, measures, regulations, and systems.
Dr. Tipicha Posayanonda, Deputy Secretary-General of National Health Commission, Thailand highlighted emphasized that advancing the silver economy requires a fundamental mindset shift from perceiving older persons as a burden to recognizing them as valuable resources. She further introduced Thailand’s four-pillar framework, adopted through the 18th National Health Assembly Resolution on the Silver Economy, which focuses on employment and income security, equitable access to services, age-friendly environments, and the reduction of ageism through participatory public policy processes.
From concept to real innovation
Dr. Emi Kiyota, Director, Centre for Environment and Ageing Well-ENgAGE, National University of Singapore stressed that ageing policy must move beyond healthcare to include the built environment, promoting co-design with older persons, community spaces that create meaning and social participation, and universal design that benefits people of all ages.
Mr. Yasuhisa Suganuma, Member of Shizuoka Prefectural Assembly demonstrated that preventive, community-based health programmes that detect frailty early and extend healthy life expectancy are low-cost, scalable and critical for enabling older persons to remain economically and socially active.
Ms Rosukon San Juan, Co-founder & Business Development Director of Go Mamma explained that the silver economy requires senior-friendly business models built on trust, dignity and service design that responds to real needs, and that government standards and certification are crucial for scaling age-friendly markets.
Mr. Edren M. Llanillo, Founder and Executive Director Padyarescue Inc. showed that youth engagement in community health services can strengthen intergenerational solidarity, improve older persons’ wellbeing and become a scalable model when supported by local government and sustainable livelihood pathways.
Scaling impact through policy, finance and partnerships
Dr. Pataraporn Lawongphan of the National Economic and Social Development Council highlighted that the main challenge is not policy formulation but scaling up implementation, as more than half of older persons who want to work are unable to do so because of health constraints. She underscored early health investment as an economic strategy and called for innovation ecosystems, skills development programmes, flexible employment, and regulatory reform.
Dr. Stefan E. Germann, CEO of Ursimone Wietlishbach Foundation and Member of the Board of Directors of BlueEarth Capitalargued that pension funds and impact investment are the “sleeping giant” that can unlock large-scale financing for the silver economy, provided that governments create enabling policies and risk-sharing mechanisms that attract private capital while delivering social returns.
Dr. Emiko Masaki, Principal Health Specialist, Asian Development Bank (ADB) highlighted that scaling successful models requires strong evidence, multisector partnerships, implementation capacity and development financing, and that equity must be embedded in policy design from the outset.
Mr.Eduardo Klien, Regional Representative to HelpAge International emphasised that political will, long-term national strategies, community ownership and financially sustainable models are the critical conditions for scaling silver economy initiatives from pilot projects to nationwide systems.
The session put forward three strategic priorities for developing a sustainable silver economy:
(1) promoting impact investing, particularly through mechanisms such as pension funds, to achieve both financial returns and measurable social outcomes for older persons;
(2) advancing an intergenerational approach to reduce generational divides and harness the complementary strengths of all age groups; and
(3) strengthening public–private partnerships to support policy integration and scaling up implementation.
The session underscored that a fundamental mindset shift, life-course investment in health and skills, inclusive and age-friendly environments, innovative financing, and whole-of-society partnerships are essential to transform the silver economy from pilot initiatives into a sustainable and scalable system.
The poster of the side meeting
