With the economy in Cebu on a vigorous upswing, Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc., (AIC), the infrastructure arm of the Aboitiz Group, is doubling down on its commitment to help shape the province’s future along with the rest of the private sector through bold, transformative, and collaborative infrastructure that help fill current gaps.

Such commitment was made by Cosette V. Canilao, AIC president and chief executive officer (CEO) in a message she delivered at the Cebu Business Investment Forum at NUSTAR on Wednesday, 9 July 2025.

Said Canilao, “We believe infrastructure is not just a physical enabler but a foundation for inclusive growth. We must invest now, intelligently and collaboratively, so Cebu can lead as a resilient, connected, and competitive region.”

Surging ahead

Enthused Canilao, “Cebu is surging ahead. With a P1.01 trillion GDP in 2023, Cebu accounts for nearly 75 percent of Central Visayas’ output.”

She pointed to tourism, manufacturing, IT-BPM (information technology-business processing management), and real estate as among the major drivers of Cebu’s economy.

“Tourist arrivals in Cebu topped 3 million in 2024, while the IT-BPM sector in the province employs 15% of the national workforce. Cebu’s population is expected to reach 3.8 million by 2030,” Canilao noted.

One model Infrastructure public-private partnership (PPP) in Cebu highlighted by Canilao was the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA), the country’s first successful airport PPP project.

Fully operated by Aboitiz InfraCapital, through its subsidiary, Aboitiz InfraCapital Cebu Airport Corporation (ACAC) since 2024, MCIA has delivered real economic impact through improved capacity, connectivity, and job creation.

Asia-Pacific’s Best Airport

Recently, MCIA was named Asia-Pacific’ s Best Airport in the 5-to-15 million Passengers Per Annum Category by Airports Council International, and the 7th Most Improved Airport in the World for 2025 by international consultancy Skytrax. Acknowledged were MCIA’s significant upgrades in passenger experience, Infrastructure, and service excellence.

In 2024, MCIA welcomed 11.3 million passengers, a 13% increase over the previous year. This growth was driven by both domestic and international traffic as more passengers took to the skies last year.

Completing AIC’s transformative infrastructure ecosystem in Cebu are AIC Economic Estates MEZ2 ( Mactan Economic Zone 2) Estate in Lapu-Lapu City, and the West Cebu Estate (WCE) in Balamban, Cebu.

The 63-hectare MEZ2 Estate hosts 44 locators with 14,000 employees. Strategically located a few minutes away from MCIA, MEZ2 Estate features a self-sufficient industrial-anchored estate with dedicated utility stations.

Shipbuilding Capital of the Philippines

For its part, the 540-hectare West Cebu Estate (WCE), dubbed the Shipbuilding Capital of the Philippines, hosts 17 global enterprises and employs over 14,000 skilled Filipinos across medium to heavy industries. WCE was recognized as Asia’s Best Industrial Development at the 18th Asia PropertyGuru Property Awards.

MEZ2 and WCE are both 5-star BERDE (Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence)- District Certified developments in Visayas and Mindanao, setting a new benchmark for sustainable industrial developments in the Philippines.