Cebu Chamber pushes design as competitiveness advantage

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) positioned design as a strategic driver of business competitiveness rather than an aesthetic consideration, as it capped Cebu Business Month (CBM) 2026 with the “Good Design. Good Business. Summit.”

Speaking at The Studio in Oakridge Business Park, CCCI president Regan King, emphasized that business performance is increasingly shaped by deliberate design decisions—from how companies create value and serve customers to how organizations build systems, workplaces, and business models capable of adapting to long-term economic change.

The summit, the final major event of this year’s Cebu Business Month, highlighted design as a competitive advantage amid shifting global sustainability standards and growing interest in circular economy principles.

“For a long time, design was treated as the final layer of the business process,” King said. “Today, it is recognized as a strategic discipline that influences performance, competitiveness, and long-term value creation.”

The chamber linked the summit to its “LEAD AMUST have IMPACT” agenda, which seeks to strengthen Cebu’s competitiveness through leadership that is intentional, future-ready and impact-driven.

While capital, technology and market access remain essential growth drivers, King argued they are insufficient without well-designed systems and enterprises capable of sustaining economic value over time.

The discussion also reflected the growing prominence of the circular economy, which emphasizes designing products, infrastructure and business systems for durability, adaptability and resource efficiency rather than focusing solely on waste management or environmental compliance.

According to King, circularity begins at the design stage, influencing how businesses generate long-term economic, environmental and social value.

The summit featured international and local experts, including representatives from WOHA Architects, landscape architect Paulo Alcazaren, and The Regenesis Project, who presented projects integrating environmental sustainability with commercial viability through design-led approaches.

The afternoon sessions shifted focus to the business sustainability of the design profession itself, highlighting the need for architects, designers and creative professionals to build financially viable firms that can retain talent and strengthen Cebu’s broader innovation ecosystem.

King said sustaining the region’s creative industries is becoming an economic imperative, warning that failure to develop a robust design ecosystem could weaken Cebu’s long-term competitiveness.

Closing this year’s Cebu Business Month, the chamber framed design as the link between leadership, investment, innovation and connectivity, arguing that the quality of business design ultimately determines whether those factors translate into sustained economic value.

“Good design is good business,” King said, adding that responsible business practices increasingly form the foundation of a circular economy and future competitiveness. — (FREEMAN)