MORE than 500 business delegates and representatives from over 200 technology companies gathered at the Grand Ballroom of Summit Galleria Cebu for the 2026 Transformation Summit, convened by the Cebu IT-BPM Organization (CIB.O).
The annual event served as a strategic platform for industry leaders, technology innovators, and government officials to address the rapid evolution of the Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) sector, shifting the core narrative from general digital adoption toward full artificial intelligence (AI) transformation.
Navigating the AI Frontier
Opening the event, Summit Chairman Darwin John “DJ” Moises set the stage by emphasizing the strategic need for local IT-BPM operations to move higher up the global value chain.
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival led the local government representation, emphasizing public sector support through civic digitalization, smart infrastructure, and digital literacy initiatives designed to strengthen the local technology ecosystem.
Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) President and CEO Jack Madrid delivered an industry outlook outlining national growth targets, projecting export revenues to reach $43.3 billion by 2028 as the sector scales up AI integration.
CIB.O President Aseem Roy rallied industry leaders to embrace AI-driven operational shifts, emphasizing that Cebu’s continued competitiveness relies on expanding high-value knowledge services.
Strategic Key Pillars
Discussions throughout the day centered on how organizations, academic institutions, and government bodies can navigate the rise of generative AI, predictive analytics, and automated enterprise workflows.
Industry partners and educators outlined updated training frameworks designed to equip local talent with expertise in AI prompt management, data analytics, and automated workflow design.
Technology sponsors and enterprise providers showcased cloud-first architecture, quantum-safe security, and telecommunications API integrations tailored for distributed Visayan operations.
Presenters highlighted the rollout of cloud-native systems, API integration with local telecommunications providers, enterprise cybersecurity frameworks, and reliable power grids to support continuous, high-concurrency AI operations.
Ongoing programs aimed at scaling innovation beyond Metro Cebu into emerging Visayan IT centers were also highlighted. These initiatives seek to create unified talent supply chains and shared digital infrastructure networks to attract next-generation global locators.
In his closing remarks, Executive Director Buddy Villasis joined Summit Chair DJ Moises, CIB.O President Aseem Roy, and IBPAP President and CEO Jack Madrid in reaffirming Cebu’s role as a primary engine for high-value technology services and regional innovation in Asia. (PR)