Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro on Monday night unveiled a stronger public-private partnership framework, positioning the business community as a key driver of the province’s economic direction.
Speaking before leaders from various business organizations, Baricuatro said her administration is shifting toward a governance model where industry leaders actively help shape policies, rather than simply respond to them.
The gathering brought together, for the first time in recent years, representatives from major chambers of commerce across Cebu in a single forum aimed at aligning priorities and strategies.
“This is not government calling business to follow. This is the Provincial Government recognizing business as an equal partner in building the future of Cebu,” the governor said.
Baricuatro described the move as a departure from traditional decision-making structures that often left the private sector at the margins of development planning.
She assured participants that businesses would now be involved in crafting programs, identifying opportunities, and setting long-term economic goals, rather than being limited to consultations or ceremonial events.
The governor emphasized that closer collaboration is critical as Cebu seeks to strengthen its competitiveness and attract new investments.
She said unity between sectors would allow the province to respond faster to economic challenges and seize emerging opportunities in regional and global markets.
Baricuatro also acknowledged the need to rebuild trust between government institutions and industry, citing past gaps in coordination.
“Leadership is not about standing alone at the front. Leadership is about bringing people together, creating trust, and giving everyone a reason to believe that the future is bigger than the past,” she said.
During her address, the governor recognized the business community’s role in sustaining economic activity despite disruptions caused by calamities, market instability, and downturns in key sectors such as tourism.
“You carried Cebu through some of its most difficult years. And yet you stayed. You rebuilt. You adapted. You led,” she told the group.
Among the initiatives outlined was the Cebu Provincial Economic Forum 4.0 in May, which will focus on direct business matching and project development rather than purely ceremonial discussions.
The province is also preparing the Cebu International Investment Bootcamp in September to help local enterprises expand into global markets, followed by a Cebu International Investment Summit in 2027 aimed at showcasing Cebu to foreign investors.
Baricuatro said these efforts are intended to create a steady pipeline of opportunities and position Cebu as a strategic investment destination in Asia and the broader ASEAN region.
She also underscored the need for stability and continuity in economic planning, urging stakeholders to set aside political differences in pursuit of growth.
“Politics has no place in progress. What matters is partnership, trust, and shared direction,” she said.
The governor expressed hope that the strengthened alliance between government and industry would sustain Cebu’s momentum and support long-term development. (SBA)
