Around 400 biz leaders to gather at 33rd VABC

CEBU, Philippines — At least 400 business leaders and prime movers across the Philippines will convene at the 33rd Visayas Area Business Conference (VABC) this coming July 25-26, 2024 at the Iloilo Convention Center in Iloilo City.

The two-day event, promoted as the largest business convention in Visayas, features the theme “Empowering Business Innovations for an Enriched One Visayas.” It aims to amplify the voice of the business sector in Visayas, advocate for their causes, and seize opportunities to help micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) thrive.

In a press conference, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Area Vice President for Visayas, and 33rd VABC chairperson Melanie Ng, said the two-day event hopes to map out pressing concerns and identify opportunities in business, particularly in the Visayas along with forging closer ties with developmental partners of business sectors like the local government units (LGUs), non-government organizations (NGOs) and government agencies.

One of the critical issues that may be addressed by the Visayas business community, which consists of 23 local chambers of commerce and industry, is the persistent challenge of ease of doing business.

According to Ng, the post-pandemic economy presents vast and wider opportunities for the Visayan business community. However, “most of the time, we encounter roadblocks like the cost of power, cost of logistics,” among others.

The conference also hopes to bring the three regions’ business sectors to promote digitalization among businesses and highlight the regions’ festivals, cuisine, and craftsmanship, among others.

The event will also honor the entry of Negros Island Region (NIR)  to the Visayas, joining Central Visayas (Region7), Eastern Visayas (Region 8) and Western Visayas (Region 6), Ng said.

The annual convention brings together business and sectoral leaders from across the Visayas. This year, PCCI Iloilo is enhancing the event by incorporating a series of smaller, specialized events and collaborating with government and institutional partners, including the Iloilo Provincial Government, Iloilo City Government, and Bacolod City Government.

The 33rd VABC aims to foster discussions on digital transformation, sustainable development, and meaningful intersectoral collaborations. The goal is to empower businesses to drive positive change within their communities.

The conference will feature notable speakers, including Jose Rene Almendras, Senior Manager at Ayala Corp and 2024 MAP President; Karen Batungbacal, Partner at CEO Adviser, Inc, known as the Mother of the BPO Industry in the Philippines; and Candice Iyog, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer at Cebu Pacific.

The main plenary session will be moderated by Bunny Pages, Chairman and CEO of Pages Holdings, Inc, the company behind national brands like Thirsty and Fruitfull.

Breakout sessions will cover various topics and will be led by Paolo Campos on Strategic Growth, Lee Carlo Abadia on Digital Transformation, Dr. Lance Tan on Innovation, and Neil Arnold Montesclaros on Family Enterprise.

In addition to the main conference, several pocket events are planned. A Golf Tournament will take place on July 24 at Iloilo Golf and Country Club, featuring business leaders from local chambers in the Visayas.

The Iloilo Business Expo (ILOBEX) from July 25-28 will include brand activations, Taste Iloilo—a gastronomy festival by the Iloilo Hotel, Restaurant, and Resort Association (IHRRA)—and the Iloilo Coffee Festival by the Iloilo Coffee Board.

“PCCI Iloilo is humbled to be the host of this premier conference in the Visayas. We want our guests to experience the best of Iloilo, from business to entertainment and food, all staged at the Iloilo Convention Center. This is all for Iloilo and One Visayas,” said PCCI Iloilo President Fulbert Woo.

Meanwhile, Jay Yuvallos, president of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), will present the chamber’s best practices and its leadership agenda. He will also highlight the success of Cebu Business Month (CBM 2024), which unites businesses and creates one strong voice.