February 3: Why Western Visayas Must Prepare for a 2026 That Won’t Be Business as Usual

By Prof. Enrique N. Soriano

In one Asian family enterprise where I sit as board adviser, we reached a difficult conclusion: the CEO had to step aside.

He was not incompetent. He was not lazy. He was simply unprepared for the level of complexity the business had reached. Costs were rising, suppliers were becoming unreliable, cash was tightening, and customers were changing faster than leadership could respond.

The hardest part? The CEO was the founder’s son.

The board made a painful but necessary decision. A seasoned non-family CEO was appointed to stabilize the organization. At the same time, I began mentoring the son—away from the title and spotlight, and into the hard discipline of leadership, execution, and accountability.

Two years later, the business is stronger. The former CEO has grown in judgment and capability and is now preparing to reassume the role—this time ready.

This experience offers a clear warning now that 2026 is here.

In a recent webinar where I served as moderator and co-speaker together with Mr. Steven Cua, Executive Director of the Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association (PAGASA), close to a hundred business owners and CEOs from the Philippines and overseas confronted a hard truth: the era of forgiving markets is over.

Geopolitics, inflation, supply chain disruptions, high interest rates, rapid technological change, and shifting consumer behavior are no longer future risks. They are already reshaping pricing, procurement, staffing, and expansion decisions.

Whether you manage 20 employees or 20,000, it does not matter. No one will be spared. Size, title, and legacy will not protect unprepared organizations. In this environment, knowledge is power—and complacency is costly.

As Steve emphasized, businesses that will survive and grow now that 2026 is here will not necessarily be the biggest, but those with discipline, focus, adaptability, and the courage to act early.

Most failures will not be dramatic. They will be quiet—caused by lack of focus, creeping inefficiencies, weak supplier relationships, poor cash discipline, and leaders who keep copying competitors instead of rethinking how they create value for increasingly cautious customers.

This is precisely why the business forum on Tuesday, February 3, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon at Sam’s 21 Hotel in Iloilo City is timely and necessary.

I will be flying in from Singapore specifically to share insights from my research and my experience sitting on boards across Asia—working with family-owned enterprises, SMEs, and large organizations navigating uncertainty, leadership transitions, and strategic change.

Joining me are Engr. Fulbert Woo, Regional Governor of PCCI Western Visayas and Mr. Ted Valderrama, Operations Head of Theo’s Restaurant and Angelina’s Bakeshop, who bring grounded, operational perspectives shaped by real market pressure.

This session is not about fear. It is about clarity. It is for business owners and leaders who prefer to learn before a crisis forces hard decisions.

2026 will not be business as usual. The market will not wait for ego, tradition, or family politics to catch up.

The real question is no longer what will happen. It is who is willing to be ready.

For inquiries about the February 3 event, interested participants may contact Sta. Rita Accounting at +63 961 154 9608.