The 35th North Luzon Area Business Conference (NLABC)

LOOK: The 35th North Luzon Area Business Conference (NLABC) formally commenced on June 3, 2026 at the Bulwagang Kanlahi, Diwa ng Tarlac Convention Center in Tarlac City, anchored on the theme ’North Luzon Now: Stronger in Inclusivity and Sustainable Prosperity.’ The event gathered leaders from government and the private sector, reflecting a shared commitment to resilience, inclusive growth, and sustainable regional development.

The opening message and overall direction of the ceremonies were led by PCCI North Luzon Area Vice President Atty. Maria Amalia Tiglao-Cayanan, who also serves as Chairman of the 35th NLABC, setting a clear and purposeful tone for the conference. This was followed by a Message of Support from Mayor Susan Yap of Tarlac City, who reaffirmed strong local government support for business growth, investment promotion, and regional cooperation. Moreover, PCCI Chairman Jude Aguilar emphasized the importance of stronger chamber collaboration, MSME empowerment, and sustained public-private partnerships as key drivers of long-term, inclusive prosperity.

The keynote address was delivered by PCCI President Ferdinand A. Ferrer, who spoke on ’Resilience, Growth and Opportunity: Navigating Global Headwinds ’ Building the Luzon Economic Corridor,’ highlighting the need to strengthen regional economic linkages and enhance competitiveness. He emphasized that in an increasingly volatile global environment, North Luzon must position itself as a resilient and investment-ready hub by deepening connectivity across industries, accelerating infrastructure development, and enabling the efficient movement of goods, services, and talent across the Luzon corridor. He likewise underscored the importance of innovation, digital transformation, and MSME upgrading as key drivers of inclusive and sustained growth across the region.

Meanwhile, welcome remarks were given by PCCI Region 3 Regional Governor Cristy Tuzon, who underscored regional unity and the shared commitment to advancing North Luzon’s development agenda. The Conference Overview was presented by 35th NLABC Conference Director and PCCI Tarlac President Aileen Chan, who outlined the program flow and highlighted the key priorities of the conference.

Overall, the opening ceremonies reinforced a shared direction among participants and established a strong foundation for the discussions lined up for the conference, which focus on food security, investments, and good governance.

The 35th NLABC is organized by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), with PCCI Tarlac serving as the official host chamber of this year’s conference, in partnership with the Provincial Government of Tarlac.