Pinoy businesses get fresh shot at regional expansion

CEBU, Philippines — Philippine companies are being offered a fresh opportunity to use the ASEAN market as a springboard for regional growth as the ASEAN Business Awards 2026 opens nominations to start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises and large corporations.

The awards come as businesses across Southeast Asia seek to strengthen cross-border supply chains, accelerate digitalization and position themselves for a more integrated regional economy.

For Philippine companies, the program offers more than a platform for corporate recognition. It provides a route to showcase businesses capable of competing beyond the domestic market — from emerging enterprises to established groups with regional ambitions.

Philippine business leaders have historically featured prominently among the awards’ highest honors. Past Legacy Award recipients include Henry Sy Sr., John Gokongwei and Jaime Zobel de Ayala.

But the program has increasingly widened its focus beyond established conglomerates, recognizing companies in areas ranging from agri-food and retail to sustainability, inclusive business and small-business development.

The 2026 awards place particular emphasis on businesses that can contribute to ASEAN’s economic resilience through stronger regional value chains, innovation and inclusive growth.

The Priority Integration Sector Excellence Award, for example, targets established market leaders and high-growth SMEs that demonstrate strong business performance, resilient cross-border value chains and meaningful integration in sectors considered critical to the region’s economic future.

Eight categories are covered—agriculture and agri-food; human capital and business services; manufacturing and industrial technology; infrastructure, connectivity and supply chains; omni-channel and retail trade; artificial intelligence and digital transformation; creative economy, culture and tourism; and energy and renewable energy.

The breadth of the categories reflects the changing competitive landscape in Southeast Asia, where investment and growth are increasingly being driven by digital technology, advanced manufacturing, logistics, renewable energy and the movement of goods and services across borders.

The awards also reserve a dedicated category for SMEs, recognizing companies with strong market performance, financial health and the potential to become regional or global competitors.

The SME Excellence Award covers growth and innovation, employment and corporate social responsibility, putting smaller companies alongside larger businesses in the broader effort to strengthen ASEAN’s economic base.

For Philippine enterprises, the opportunity comes as the country seeks to deepen its participation in regional value chains and take advantage of ASEAN’s growing economic integration.

The awards’ focus on digital transformation, semiconductors, agri-tech, creative industries and green technology also mirrors sectors expected to play a larger role in determining the region’s competitiveness.

The underlying message is increasingly commercial rather than ceremonial: businesses that can scale across borders, build resilient supply chains and innovate are likely to have a greater role in shaping ASEAN’s next phase of growth.

Nominations and applications for the ASEAN Business Awards 2026 are now open to eligible businesses across the region.