THE DAVAO City Investment Promotion Center (DCIPC) said the Davao-Borneo Economic Growth Forum will bring in more investments to Mindanao and cross-border trade with BIMP-EAGA.
DCIPC will hold the forum on Sept. 19, 2026, at the SMX Convention Center in SM Lanang. It is part of the second year of “Davao Global Connect,” an annual investment flagship program established in 2025 during the Kadayawan festival.
“This year, Davao Global Connect, on its second year, will be focusing particularly on the Davao-Borneo Economic Corridor,” Matias Regis Jr., DCIPC technical adviser for special concerns, told reporters on the sidelines of a DCIPC meeting on Wednesday at Seda Abreeza.
The event will run back-to-back with two other major economic summits: the Davao Agri-Trade Expo on Sept. 17 and the ASEAN Innovation Summit on Sept. 18.
The forum aims to gather approximately 500 local and international delegates to discuss cross-border trade, economic trends, and industrial partnerships within the Brunei-Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).
“The purpose of the event is to gather thought leaders within the BIMP-EAGA region and the Davao-Borneo corridor to discuss investment trends, economic trends, cross-border agreements, and possible collaborations on specific industries,” the official noted.
DCIPC expects more than 70 percent of participants to represent foreign delegations.
“We are discussing right now with the embassies, the consulates, and the honorary consulates to help us identify international businesses that could participate in the event,” the representative added.
Invitations are also being extended to delegates from the United States, Australia, Japan, South Korea, China, and European countries.
Key priority sectors for investment and collaboration include agribusiness, tourism, property and mixed-use development, halal industry, logistics and connectivity.
Local government units from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to Regions 9, 10, and 11 have also been invited to join the discussions.
“Our goal is, number one, so that there are clear investments coming in for Davao and Mindanao. Second is to have actual tangible partnerships with local and international businesses; there will be a signing of MOUs and MOAs later in the afternoon,” he said.
The official confirmed that preparations remain seamless ahead of the September event, and reported positive feedback from diplomatic channels and international partners.
