The Philippines has emerged as ASEAN’s top tourism economy, leading the region in tourism’s contribution to gross domestic product and ranking among the strongest job creators, according to the 2025 World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Economic Impact Report.
Cebu cemented its rise as a premier meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) destination in Southeast Asia with the official launch of the Cebu MICE Guidebook during the ASEAN Tourism Forum’s Travel Exchange (TRAVEX) at the Mactan Expo in Mactan Newtown.
The Philippines is steering the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN–BAC) toward an action-first agenda, vowing to turn long-standing regional ambitions into measurable outcomes as it assumes the council’s chairship in 2026.
The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), under newly installed president Donald Lim, is repositioning itself as a more outward-looking, action-oriented organization—one that aims to play a deeper role in nation-building while asserting a stronger private sector voice in ASEAN that ultimately benefits Filipinos.
The Philippines is setting a clear tone for its 2026 chairship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), positioning unity, continuity, and people-centered growth at the heart of its regional agenda.
Homegrown lifestyle brand Eelos is carving out a niche in the crowded bag market with multi-use designs aimed at people who move between work, exercise, and travel.
Multi-sector partners are strengthening local defenses against online child risks, with PLDT and Smart donating mobile and connectivity gear to Xavier Science Foundation (XSF) for Project Swipe Safe—an initiative countering online sexual abuse and exploitation (OSAEC).
Shopee is adding Netflix to its paid loyalty program in the Philippines, bundling entertainment with free shipping, shopping discounts, and digital services as it expands ShopeeVIP+ beyond e-commerce.
Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. contributed P9.05 billion to customs collections at the Port of Batangas in the first seven months of 2026, ranking among the port’s top three importers and accounting for more than 6.3 percent of its total collections.