Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc. (AIC), the infrastructure arm of the Aboitiz Group, reaffirmed its mission to build smart and inclusive infrastructure during the 2025 Innovators Summit held in Iloilo City. The summit brought together changemakers, policymakers, and development leaders from across the Philippines on July 31.
Speaking at the event, AIC President and CEO Cosette V. Canilao stressed the need for collaboration to drive meaningful innovation in infrastructure development.
“Infrastructure is not just what we build—it’s what it enables,” Canilao said in her keynote address. “In the Philippine context, the most radical act is not launching a startup or adopting AI. It’s collaboration.”
She underscored that true innovation requires aligning the interests of stakeholders—including government, investors, regulators, and communities—and breaking operational silos.
As an example of successful multi-sector collaboration, Canilao cited the Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc. bulk water supply project in Davao City. The initiative, in partnership with the Davao City Water District (DCWD), delivers 300 million liters of safe water daily to over one million Davaoeños. The facility draws water from the Tamugan River, helping to preserve aquifers and ensure continuous supply.
Canilao noted that similar water infrastructure solutions are urgently needed in Iloilo City, where demand already exceeds supply.
“Here in Iloilo, this kind of long-term planning and collaboration is not optional—it is urgent. And we at AIC are again offering our capital and expertise to solve this crisis through our proposed partnership with Iloilo City,” she said.
AIC’s innovation strategy also leverages technology to improve service delivery across its portfolio, which spans water, airports, economic estates, and digital infrastructure. The company uses smart meters, underground fiber, and digital payments across its estates, and applies digital tools in airport operations to enhance passenger experience, ease congestion, and reduce carbon emissions.
Currently operating the Mactan-Cebu, Bohol-Panglao, and Laguindingan international airports, AIC is pushing for regional connectivity through sustainable infrastructure upgrades. Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the country’s first airport under a public-private partnership, is now fully operated by Aboitiz InfraCapital Cebu Airport Corporation.
Canilao concluded by urging summit participants to adopt a systems-thinking approach and prioritize problem-solving through early partnerships.
“If we want a better country, we have to build it together. So to all of you—founders, students, government officials, corporate leaders—this summit is not just a chance to learn; it’s an invitation to lead,” she said.
