Two Weeks, One Wedding, a Completely Different Country

I don't know what I expected from the Philippines. At Startup Networks, we're only just starting to explore what innovation and entrepreneurship look like outside the ecosystems we're familiar with in the UK. In many ways, Cebu became our first real stop on that learning curve.

This wasn't a structured investment tour or a carefully planned market study. I was there for a wedding. But sometimes the best insights come when you're not actively looking for them.

I'd heard people talk about Southeast Asia's growth for years. I'd seen the statistics and investment headlines. But Cebu was the first place where I physically felt what rapid development actually looks like.

I was wrong. Cebu blew me away.

What I Actually Saw on the Ground

Let me be specific, because the data alone doesn't capture what it feels like to be there.

We took the time to dive deep. We met local business leaders, toured IT parks, walked through construction sites, and had conversations with founders building companies across the region. We visited venues and vendors for the wedding, and every interaction — from the tech-savvy event planners to the international guests flying in from Singapore, London, and across Asia — reflected a city that operates at a higher level of ambition than its reputation suggests.

Cebu doesn't want to be Manila's understudy. It wants to be its own story. And from what I saw over those two weeks, it's succeeding.

The same spirit of collaboration, innovation, and sheer determination I saw in the wedding planning — pulling together complex logistics across islands with efficiency and creativity — was evident in every business conversation I had. Cebuanos aren't just building a city. They're building a future. And they're doing it with a warmth, energy, and practicality that I found genuinely inspiring.

The Numbers Behind the Transformation

The economic data confirms what your eyes tell you on the ground.

Central Visayas — the region anchored by Cebu — maintained 7.3% GDP growth for two consecutive years, significantly outpacing the Philippine national average of 5.9%. That makes it one of the fastest-growing regional economies in all of Southeast Asia.

What's particularly compelling is the diversification. Cebu's growth isn't dependent on a single industry. Tourism, IT-BPM (information technology and business process management), real estate, manufacturing, shipping, and logistics all contribute meaningfully. When one sector faces headwinds, others compensate. Local business leaders describe this as "the secret to Cebu's sustained growth," and it's exactly the kind of economic resilience that attracts long-term capital.

A PwC Philippines survey released in early 2026 found that 84% of Cebu CEOs expect growth in their respective sectors this year, even as global business sentiment remains subdued. That level of confidence isn't blind optimism — it's grounded in the structural advantages that have been building for years.

The IT-BPM Engine: $42 Billion and Growing

Perhaps the most dramatic transformation I witnessed was in Cebu's technology and outsourcing sector. The Philippines' IT-BPM industry is now a $40 billion export sector employing 1.9 million workers nationwide, and it outpaced global industry growth in 2025. Projections from the IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) forecast $42 billion in export revenues by the end of 2026, with employment approaching 2 million.

Cebu is the largest outsourcing hub in the Visayas region, with more than 160,000 BPO professionals across the city. The sector has evolved far beyond traditional call centres — companies in Cebu now deliver healthcare outsourcing, financial operations, software development, data analytics, and AI-assisted services.

What matters for UK and European founders is the practical opportunity this creates.

Cost advantage. Operational costs in Cebu are 30–40% lower than Manila, while talent quality — particularly in English-language technical and customer-facing roles — remains comparable. For startups building remote teams, offshore development centres, or customer support operations, the arithmetic is compelling.

Talent pipeline. The city is actively developing its workforce for the next decade. Danao City, just north of Cebu, is positioning itself as a new IT-BPM hub, signing agreements with educational institutions to create sustainable talent pipelines. The national industry body is pushing for responsible AI scaling alongside workforce upskilling.

Major employers already there. Amazon established its first Philippine contact service site in Cebu. Fujitsu, Dover Business Solutions, and Kuehne + Nagel have all expanded operations. When companies of that scale commit to a location, they validate the infrastructure, the talent, and the regulatory environment for everyone who follows.

A Skyline You Wouldn't Recognise

If there's one visual testament to Cebu's transformation, it's the skyline. I've visited cities in the middle of construction booms before, but what I saw in Cebu was different — not just in scale, but in intent.

By 2024, Cebu City's condominium stock had reached 93,100 units, with an average of 5,000 new units being completed annually. But these aren't just residential towers. The trend is towards mixed-use developments — buildings that combine residential, office, retail, and recreational space into integrated communities. Mandani Bay Quay in Mandaue City, with its four-tower complex (three residential, one office), is a marker of how the city is thinking about urban development: not as isolated buildings, but as self-contained ecosystems.

What struck me most was the green building movement. Developers are incorporating energy-efficient features, smart home technology, green spaces within urban environments, and pursuing LEED certification. This isn't greenwashing — it's a deliberate strategy to attract international capital that increasingly demands ESG alignment.

For UK founders and investors with exposure to proptech, construction tech, or sustainable urban development, Cebu's building boom is worth paying attention to. The speed of development creates demand for exactly the kinds of tools and platforms that British startups are building.

Infrastructure That Actually Works

I flew into Mactan-Cebu International Airport and was immediately struck by how modern it was. This isn't a developing-world airport experience — it's a genuinely world-class terminal with seamless connections to the city.

The Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) has transformed travel between Cebu City and Mactan Island, cutting journey times and connecting the airport, the economic zones, and the city centre in a way that makes the whole metropolitan area feel integrated rather than fragmented. Port modernisation is expanding capacity for regional and international shipping. The South Road Properties area is being developed as a new government and commercial centre.

For anyone who's spent time in Southeast Asian cities where infrastructure lags behind economic ambition, Cebu's investment in connectivity stands out. It feels like a city that's building the roads, bridges, and digital infrastructure to match the pace of its commercial growth — rather than scrambling to catch up with it.

The Honest Bit: Challenges Cebu Has to Solve

I wouldn't be doing this city justice if I only told the good story. Cebu's business leaders are refreshingly honest about the challenges ahead, and 2025 was a reminder that growth doesn't come without pain.

Natural disasters. The region was hit by earthquakes, typhoons, and flooding in 2025 that damaged infrastructure, disrupted logistics, and strained business continuity. Climate resilience isn't a theoretical concern — it's an operational one.

Energy capacity. Reliable power is critical, and the region's infrastructure is struggling to keep pace with demand. The Cebu Chamber of Commerce formalised the Power Alliance in early 2025, a multi-stakeholder platform coordinating with distributors and generators on embedded generation, transmission upgrades, and affordable electricity. Energy is the constraint that could slow everything else.

AI disruption of BPO. Industry leaders acknowledge that automation and artificial intelligence could reduce headcount in the IT-BPM sector over the medium term. The response — investing in higher-value services, data centres, logistics, and upskilling — is sensible, but the transition is real and the stakes are high for a city where BPO is one of the largest employers.

Urban growing pains. Traffic, housing affordability, and quality of life are all under pressure from the speed of development. Sound familiar? These are the same challenges facing every fast-growing city in the world — but they need solving, not ignoring.

As the Cebu Chamber of Commerce president put it heading into 2026: "What 2025 showed very clearly is that fragmented efforts weaken resilience. The private sector needs to move as one."

That kind of candour is, in itself, a positive signal. Cities that acknowledge their problems honestly tend to solve them faster than cities that pretend they don't exist.

Why This Matters for Startup Networks — and for You

As co-founder of Startup Networks, I'm constantly evaluating emerging markets for our community of founders, investors, and mentors. Cebu now sits firmly on my radar, and here's why it should sit on yours.

Offshore development and operations. For UK and European startups seeking cost-effective development talent, customer support, or back-office operations, Cebu's combination of English proficiency, tech infrastructure, and 30–40% cost savings versus Manila makes it one of the most attractive locations in Southeast Asia. The 8-hour time difference to the UK also works in your favour for async workflows and follow-the-sun support models.

A gateway to Southeast Asian expansion. Cebu isn't just a city — it's a gateway to the Visayas and Mindanao regions, and a practical testing ground before entering the Philippine capital. For startups already operating in Singapore, Indonesia, or Vietnam, the Philippines is the logical next market, and Cebu offers a less saturated, more cost-effective entry point than Manila.

Proptech and construction tech. With 5,000 new condominium units being completed annually and a construction sector that's visibly reshaping the entire metropolitan area, demand for building management software, project management tools, IoT-enabled smart buildings, and green building technology is growing fast.

Tourism and hospitality tech. Visitor arrivals have been recovering strongly post-pandemic, and the tourism infrastructure is increasingly sophisticated. Travel tech, experience platforms, and hospitality management tools all have addressable markets here.

Cross-border collaboration. Cebu's growing ecosystem can benefit from the mentorship and investor networks we've built in London and across Europe. Conversely, UK startups can access Cebu's talent, its market, and its position within the broader ASEAN economy. That exchange works in both directions.

Personal conviction. I now have friends, business contacts, and a deep understanding of Cebu's landscape. I went for a wedding. I came back with an investment thesis. That's not something I say lightly.

What I'll Be Watching

Cebu's business leaders have declared 2026 "a year to thrive" — and after spending two weeks on the ground, I believe them. But I'll be watching a few things specifically.

Whether the Power Alliance can solve the energy constraint before it becomes a brake on growth. Whether the IT-BPM sector successfully transitions toward higher-value services as AI reshapes the industry. Whether the construction boom is matched by improvements in urban liveability — public transport, green space, affordable housing. And whether the extraordinary energy and ambition I felt in every conversation translates into the kind of founder-driven ecosystem that produces globally competitive startups, not just globally competitive service providers.

I think it will. What I saw in Cebu wasn't a city coasting on momentum. It was a city in the act of deciding what it wants to become — and building it, physically, every single day.

The Wedding, for What It's Worth

The wedding was beautiful. But what I'll remember longest isn't the ceremony or the celebration — it's the drive from the venue back to the hotel, watching the lights of a city that refuses to stop building, and thinking: I need to come back here.

I will.

Cebu is experiencing rapid development and growth, exceeding expectations

The Central Visayas region, anchored by Cebu, has maintained 7.3% GDP growth for two consecutive years, outpacing the national average

Growth is diversified across multiple sectors including tourism, IT-BPM, real estate, manufacturing, shipping, and logistics

The IT-BPM sector in Cebu is a major outsourcing hub, offering 30-40% lower operational costs than Manila with comparable talent

Infrastructure development is significant, including a modern international airport, expressways, and port modernization

Cebu's skyline reflects a construction boom with mixed-use and green building developments

Challenges include natural disasters, energy capacity constraints, potential AI disruption in BPO, and urban growing pains

Opportunities exist for UK and European startups in offshore development, proptech, construction tech, and tourism tech

The author believes Cebu is actively building its future and presents a compelling case for investment and collaboration