SustainAbility 2026 highlights ESG, resilience in Western Visayas

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By Mariela Angella Oladive

Sustainability and environmental, social and governance integration are no longer optional but essential for long-term growth, business and government leaders said as SustainAbility Directions 2026 concluded its two-day summit Feb. 13 at Grand Xing Imperial Hotel.

Organized by Iloilo Business Club Inc. in partnership with the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development, the summit drew more than 170 participants from government, the private sector, academe and civil society to advance regional resilience and inclusive growth in Western Visayas.

IBC President Maria Luisa Segovia said the summit was mounted as sustainability frameworks evolve, with the Sustainable Development Goals set to culminate in 2030 and ESG standards increasingly becoming regulatory and investor expectations.

“ESG is no longer just a trend. It is no longer limited to accounting, profit, and taxes. It includes how businesses affect the environment, people, and communities,” she said.

Segovia said that while ESG reporting is closely monitored among public corporations, awareness remains limited outside Metro Manila, particularly among micro, small and medium enterprises.

“Therefore, this summit also seeks to prepare regional enterprises for that transition,” she added.

The summit highlighted four pillars: Sustainable Built Environment; Sustainable Resource Management; Sustainable Consumption, Production, and Circular Economy; and Sustainable ESGs (Environmental, Social, and Governance).

Segovia said the Sustainable Built Environment pillar was inspired by discussions with architects and urban planners during industry forums.

She said resource management and financing initiatives grew out of IBC’s long-standing advocacy for small and medium enterprises and startups.

Segovia said circular economy principles reflect practices already present in communities and businesses but needing stronger integration and scaling.

In his keynote message, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Regional Development Group Undersecretary Carlos Bernardo O. Abad Santos, represented by DEPDev VI Regional Director Arecio A. Casing Jr., framed sustainability within AmBisyon Natin 2040 and the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028 midterm update.

He said resilience is now embedded as a core development strategy across infrastructure, governance, productive sectors and climate action.

“Growth without resilience is fragile, and resilience without development is unsustainable,” he said.

He cited Western Visayas’ 4.3% growth in 2024, with gross regional domestic product reaching more than PHP 640 billion, driven by urbanization, logistics modernization, renewable energy investments and expanding trade.

He cautioned that climate-related disasters and natural hazards continue to pose significant risks to infrastructure and livelihoods.

“Resilience must be embedded in how and where we build, invest, and grow,” he said, reaffirming DEPDev’s commitment to support coordinated action among government, the private sector and communities.

SustainAbility Directions 2026 featured plenary sessions, keynote addresses and interactive exhibits showcasing sustainable technologies, green enterprises and community-led initiatives.

Organizers said discussions centered on promoting regional resilience, encouraging multisector collaboration, highlighting local innovations and accelerating ESG integration across industries.

ESG frameworks generally refer to how organizations measure and manage environmental impacts, social responsibilities and governance practices, and are increasingly used by regulators, lenders and investors to assess risk and long-term performance.