MORE than 70 business leaders, policymakers and sustainability advocates from across the Visayas have drawn up a roadmap to fast-track sustainable development in the region, with concrete initiatives ranging from promoting ESG (environmental, social and governance) adoption among enterprises to facilitating green investments and cross-border partnerships.
The action plan was a key outcome of the 2nd Cebu-Visayas Business & Sustainability Conference, co-presented by Olacon Events, the Italian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines and the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI).
The roadmap sets out four immediate priorities. These are ESG practices among Visayas-based enterprises; facilitating green investments and public-private partnerships; launching knowledge-sharing platforms in collaboration with global chambers; and organizing business missions and sectoral follow-ups to ensure continuity of discussions.
“These partnerships formed here today will shape the region’s business landscape for years to come,” said Jay Yuvallos, CCCI president, noting that the conference underscored the chamber’s role in building an economy where “sustainability and prosperity go hand in hand.”
Held at Asmara Urban Resort and Lifestyle Village on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025, under the Regional Development Conference Series, the forum brought together leaders in various sectors such as Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival, ACEN senior vice president Tony Valdez, Securities and Exchange Commission director Rachel Esther Gumtang-Remalante and other leaders in government, finance and industry.
Discussions centered on integrating sustainability into business strategy, tackling challenges in urban water management, green construction, ESG compliance and smart manufacturing as pathways to long-term growth.
Adding an international dimension, four European chambers — the German-Philippine Chamber, French Chamber, Spanish Chamber and Dutch Chamber — took part in the dialogue, signaling rising global confidence in Cebu and the Visayas as a hub for sustainable trade and investment.
CCCI said the roadmap is only the beginning, with follow-up sectoral dialogues and business missions expected in the coming months. The chamber urged members, calling on enterprises to actively engage in the growing sustainability movement. (KOC)