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MANILA — Over a thousand business delegates from the regional and international network of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PICC) is set to converge at the Manila Hotel on October 13-14 for the biggest and most highly anticipated business conference in the country.
Now on its 52nd year, the Philippine Business Conference & Expo is the flagship annual event of PCCI, which brings together the country’s foremost business leaders, policymakers, economists, and development partners to forge a shared agenda for economic progress. This year’s conference is anchored on the theme that revolves around “Raising the Bar: Empowering Business for a Resilient Future“.
PCCI President Ferdinand “Perry” A. Ferrer emphasized that the 52nd PBC&E convenes at a pivotal moment for the Philippines and wider region.
“The global business environment continues to be shaped by rapidly evolving geopolitical dynamics, which heighten economic instability and introduce persistent uncertainty for trade and investment. Our theme this year is a direct and timely response to these imperatives,” Ferrer said.
The conference will feature plenary discussions on key priority sectors – which include energy and power, agriculture and food, infrastructure development, connectivity and digital trade, workforce empowerment, ASEAN connectivity, and a special forum with the next-gen of future leaders. (ASEAN stands for the 11-member strong Association of Southeast Asian Nations. )
“We have lined-up very engaging sessions and equally notable speakers who will share their insights on how to “raise the bar” to elevate the competitiveness and productivity of MSMEs, ensuring they can participate meaningfully in the opportunities created by new investments, such as the Luzon Economic Corridor,” 52nd PBC and Expo Chairman Butch Guerrero pointed out.
The conference will be formally opened by Vice President Sara Duterte.
A key highlight of the grand event is the presentation of a set of policy recommendations that emanated from the PCCI local chamber consultations and the 2026 Economic Security and Competitiveness Agenda (ESCA), a consolidated, small and medium enterprises (SME)-driven advocacy and reform agenda designed to ensure that Philippine enterprises can participate meaningfully in corridor-driven growth, covering agriculture and food security, energy security, digital trade and e-commerce, and semiconductors and electronics.
The agenda outlines a set of six cross-sectoral reform priorities intended to convert infrastructure investment into broader economic participation.
These public-private dialogues were conducted with the support of Center for International Public Enterprises (CIPE). (/)