Conglomerate Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV) is seeking stronger public-private partnerships (PPPs) to accelerate sustainable development, citing Cebu as a key driver of national progress.

AEV president and CEO Sabin Aboitiz said Thursday that forging more PPPs would help usher in improvements in ease of doing business, government services such as PhilHealth, food security, and regional infrastructure, including the modernization of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

Speaking at the Cebu Business Investment Forum in Cebu City on 9 July 2025, Aboitiz declared, “Now, more than ever, Cebu can lead again — not just in numbers, but in how we do things. The private sector is ready. Aboitiz is ready. Our new governor is on a mission, and we’re ready to go on that mission with her. Let’s build something that lasts. Something that outlives us all,” said Aboitiz, who also heads the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC).

Major investments

Aboitiz cited the group’s major investments in Cebu, including energy facilities under AboitizPower, the Mactan Economic Zone 2 Estate in Lapu-Lapu City which is focused on industrial and commercial growth, and the West Cebu Estate in Balamban, the country’s shipbuilding hub developed through a joint venture with Japan’s Tsuneishi, which is also now diversifying into other industries.

Both Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA)-registered estates are self-sufficient communities offering complete infrastructure, utilities, and workforce support, driving local development and enhancing the Philippines’ industrial competitiveness.

He also highlighted UnionBank’s strong regional footprint, supported by subsidiaries CitySavings Bank and Petnet.

Cebu is part of Aboitiz’s identity

“Cebu isn’t just our roots — it’s part of our identity. You can’t talk about Aboitiz without Cebu. And I’d like to think you can’t talk about Cebu’s progress without mentioning Aboitiz,” he said.

The PSAC head cited the Group’s partnership with Tsuneishi in Balamban, which transformed a small coastal town into the global shipbuilding center that it is today, creating thousands of jobs and economic opportunities.

Beyond infrastructure, Aboitiz shared how the Group, through Aboitiz Foundation, is investing in carbon sequestration in Cebu, through the CarbonPH program, advancing environmental sustainability and local livelihoods.

As PSAC head, Aboitiz stressed that such high-impact investments only work through close collaboration between business and government. “That’s where PSAC comes in,” he said. “When President Bongbong Marcos created PSAC, his vision was clear: bring the private sector to help speed things up, to bring the corporate way of doing things — fast, nimble, no-nonsense.”