ABOITIZ INFRACAPITAL AT 2025 INNOVATORS SUMMIT. (From left) JCI Philippines NSDD Reynard Francisco, JCI Philippines National President Engr. Felix Vinson Chua, AIC President & CEO Cosette V. Canilao, – PCCI Iloilo President Engr. Fulbert C. Woo, and PCCI Iloilo Corporate Secretary and 2025 Innovators Summit Program Chairman Francis Gerona at the 2025 Innovators Summit held at the Grand Xing Imperial Hotel in Iloilo City. The event was co-presented by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce & Industry Iloilo and JCI Philippines as part of a multi-sector effort to accelerate sustainable solutions for national development.
Innovation is no longer just about flashy technology or startup hype—it’s about building systems that work for everyone. That was the message Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc. (AIC) brought to the 2025 Innovators Summit, as the infrastructure arm of the Aboitiz Group reaffirmed its mission to deliver smart, inclusive projects that uplift communities and fortify resilience.
From economic estates to water systems, digital connectivity, and airports, AIC has been closing service gaps and creating long-term value for Filipinos nationwide.
“Infrastructure is not just what we build—it’s what it enables,” declared AIC President and CEO Cosette V. Canilao in her keynote address on July 31. “In the Philippine context, the most radical act is not launching a startup or adopting AI—it’s collaboration. True innovation means getting government agencies to coordinate, aligning investors, operators, regulators, and the public. It means breaking silos.”
One example she highlighted was Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc.’s bulk water supply project in partnership with the Davao City Water District (DCWD). Drawing from the Tamugan River, the facility delivers 300 million liters of safe, treated water daily—around the clock—to over one million residents, while helping preserve local aquifers. The project’s success, Canilao stressed, is rooted in the teamwork of local and national government, regulators, and host communities.
But the work doesn’t stop in Davao. Canilao pointed to Iloilo City’s looming water crisis, where demand already outpaces supply. “Long-term planning and collaboration here are not optional—they are urgent,” she said. “We are ready to bring our capital and expertise to the table to help solve this.”
Beyond water, AIC is weaving technology into every layer of its operations. Across its economic estates, the company uses smart meters, underground fiber, and digital payment systems. In its airport portfolio—including Mactan-Cebu, Bohol-Panglao, and Laguindingan International—AIC applies digital tools to cut congestion, elevate passenger experience, reduce emissions, and centralize monitoring for greater transparency and safety.
Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the country’s first successful airport public-private partnership, is now fully managed by Aboitiz InfraCapital Cebu Airport Corporation—proof of the company’s capability to operate world-class transport hubs.
Canilao closed her address with a challenge to summit participants: think bigger, act faster, and partner sooner. “If we want a better country, we have to build it together. This summit is not just a chance to learn—it’s an invitation to lead.”