CEBU is seeking to attract a fresh round of investments as the Provincial Government moves to improve the business environment, with officials and business leaders saying investor confidence will depend on infrastructure, efficient government processes and stronger public-private partnerships.
Gov. Pamela Baricuatro said the Province needs to go beyond simply attracting capital and create conditions that allow businesses to expand, generate jobs and contribute to local economic development.
“Come to simply invest in Cebu, grow with Cebu,” Baricuatro said in her message to investors and the business community on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, at the opening of the Cebu Economic Forum 4.0.
The two-day forum participated by foreign delegates from 11 countries was hosted by the Cebu Province.
Baricuatro urged companies to hire locally, train Cebuano workers, develop local talent and partner with local enterprises and communities.
The governor said economic growth should be measured not only through investments, revenues and other economic indicators, but also by how many families benefit from the resulting opportunities.
Business environment
Improving the ease of doing business is among the Province’s priorities, Baricuatro said, noting the need for clearer requirements, faster and more transparent processes and more responsive government institutions.
For investors, the quality of the business environment can be as important as incentives in deciding where to locate or expand, business leaders said.
Reliable infrastructure, institutional coordination and predictable government processes are needed to give companies confidence to commit capital for the long term.
Regan Rex King, president of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the chamber is ready to work with the Provincial Government to promote the province, connect investors with local business partners and push reforms that could improve the ease of doing business.
The chamber also emphasized the need to ensure that incoming investments create opportunities for local suppliers, contractors, service providers, entrepreneurs and workers.
Building on Cebu’s advantages
Cebu already has several factors supporting its investment prospects, including its strategic location, established business community and diversified economy.
The province has significant activities in manufacturing, information technology and business-process management, tourism, agriculture, logistics, construction and other services.
Baricuatro said the Province was also pursuing improvements in infrastructure, mobility, water security and energy development as part of its broader economic agenda.
The challenge, however, is to translate Cebu’s existing advantages into new investments and sustained business expansion.
Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Secretary Philip Lo expressed support for closer coordination among national agencies, local governments and the private sector to help move investment opportunities into viable projects.
He said the National Government, through the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, is ready to work with Cebu on investment, innovation and growth initiatives.
The economic forum brought together government officials, business groups, investors and development partners under the theme “Investing Today, Building Tomorrow.”
For Cebu, the investment pitch is increasingly tied to its ability to provide not only market opportunities but also a more predictable and efficient environment for businesses to operate, expand and create jobs. / KOC