Mindanao’s economic growth is creating opportunities for businesses that can connect technology, data, and supply chains, Globe Business chief commercial officer Darius Delgado said as the company brought its G Summit to Davao, Thursday, September 3, 2026, at the Acacia Hotel Davao.
“Last year, five of Mindanao’s six regions grew faster than the entire Philippines,” Delgado said during the summit, which carried the theme “Orchestrating Intelligence.”
Five of the island’s six regions thus outpaced the national economy, reflecting Mindanao’s growing role in agriculture, trade and other industries, Delgado said.
He said Mindanao produces nearly half of the country’s food and remains a major source of coconut, banana and pineapple products. But the region must capture more value from these products before they leave the island, he said.
Delgado likened Mindanao to its most famous fruit.
“Durian smells like hell but tastes like heaven,” Delgado said, describing it as a fitting metaphor for doing business in Mindanao.
Those willing to come closer, he said, can get past the rough exterior and discover “something extraordinary inside.”
Delgado said misconceptions that Mindanao is underserved or lacks business opportunities no longer reflect the region’s potential.
He also cited the resilience of businesses and communities facing disruptions, including severe weather and earthquakes, saying these challenges have reinforced the importance of businesses working together.
That need for coordination is central to Globe Business’ push for “orchestrated intelligence,” which brings together connectivity, data, cloud, artificial intelligence and other digital capabilities to help businesses make decisions and act faster.
Glenn Estrella, vice president of Globe Business, said bringing the summit to Davao reflects the company’s commitment to customers in the region.
“Bringing G Summit here is a reflection of our commitment to be here for our Globe Business customers,” Estrella said during a press conference.
He emphasized that the company serves businesses of all sizes.
“From SMEs to large,” Estrella said. “Every customer is an important customer.”
Estrella also underscored the challenge of transforming businesses that still rely on numerous legacy systems.
“Transformation is a discipline of execution,” he said.
For Arvin Padayhag, assistant vice president for network and security infrastructure at Davao Light and Power Co. Inc. and Aboitiz Power Distribution Utilities, the region’s digital transformation also depends on the infrastructure that powers it.
“As our cities become smarter and more connected, reliability itself has to become smarter,” Padayhag said.
Davao Light serves a 10,223-square-kilometer franchise area through 29 substations across Davao City and Davao del Norte, with 602,073 customers as of July 2026.
Padayhag said the utility is combining physical investments with digital systems, including smart meters, automated distribution management, asset monitoring, and real-time network intelligence.
The goal is not simply to collect more data or deploy more technology but to turn information into faster, better decisions, he said.
For Globe Business, Delgado said the same principle applies across Mindanao’s interconnected economy, from farmers and cooperatives to truckers, ports, banks and exporters.
“No business grows alone,” he said.
Delgado compared the network of businesses to an orchestra, where each player must work in sync.
The opportunity for Mindanao, he said, is to ensure that businesses can connect, decide, and act together, turning the region’s long-promised potential into sustained economic growth. MLSA
