In a strategic move to strengthen its local economy, Mandaue City in Cebu is undertaking a comprehensive review of its investment code. This initiative, driven by the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), aims to enhance the city's competitiveness, attract new capital, and generate employment opportunities despite broader economic challenges.
Focusing on Local Reforms Amid National Uncertainty
MCCI President Mark Anthony Ynoc emphasized that the review represents a pragmatic shift toward reforms that the local government can directly manage. "With national uncertainties, we have to focus on what we can fix locally," Ynoc stated. He identified the investment code as one of the most powerful tools a city possesses to draw and keep investors.
The overhaul focuses on several key areas that businesses care about most:
- Introducing more business-friendly investment incentives.
- Streamlining and accelerating the permitting process.
- Establishing clearer and more predictable zoning regulations.
- Ensuring closer alignment between local education and industry needs.
The city is working to synchronize its code with national public-private partnership (PPP) frameworks. It is also updating zoning rules within its comprehensive land use plan to give investors definitive guidance on where they can establish and grow their operations.
Targeting High-Growth Sectors and Strengthening Education
The updated investment code is designed to position Mandaue for emerging economic opportunities. Key sectors being targeted include:
Electric vehicle (EV) assembly, which benefits from a five-year window of zero import duties and taxes. Data centers, leveraging the Philippines' strategic geographic location. Logistics and e-commerce hubs, along with higher-value manufacturing operations.
Ynoc also reported growing interest from Taiwanese investors looking to diversify their operations due to regional geopolitical tensions. Potential projects from this interest could encompass resorts, solar power facilities, and polytechnic training centers.
Parallel to the regulatory review, the MCCI is coordinating with Mandaue City College and other institutions to tailor curricula to meet industry demands, particularly in manufacturing, logistics, and technical trades. "We can guarantee jobs if education is aligned with industry," Ynoc asserted, noting that member companies are ready to support training programs and equipment donations to build job-ready skills.
Incentives Aren't Enough: The Need for Holistic Improvement
While updated incentives are crucial, Ynoc cautioned that they alone will not suffice. He stressed that sustained improvements in the ease of doing business, infrastructure, public safety, and regulatory consistency are equally vital. "There has to be continuity," he warned. "Every time policies reset, investors lose confidence."
Recognizing the need for a united front, chambers of commerce across Cebu are now collaborating to present cohesive investment packages during trade missions. This effort aims to showcase local reforms—like Mandaue's code review—as a stable counterbalance to national-level unpredictability.
"If we don't act locally," Ynoc concluded, "we will continue losing investments to our neighbors." The review, announced in December 2025, underscores a proactive, localized approach to economic development in the face of external headwinds.
