World-class convention center to rise in Cebu

A world-class convention center will rise in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu which could serve as venue for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit to be hosted by the Philippines in 2026.

- Helen Flores

President Marcos led yesterday the capsule-laying ceremony for the P1.5-billion Mactan Expo Center, a two-level stand-alone convention center inside the 30-hectare Mactan Newtown township being developed by Megaworld Corp., a subsidiary of the Alliance Global Group Inc. (AGI).

Marcos personally thanked AGI chief executive officer Kevin Tan for administration acting swiftly when officials were considering a venue for the 2026 ASEAN summit.

"This, the story that Kevin told you earlier, is absolutely true. We came back from Jakarta and we were thinking ahead, that we are going to host the ASEAN in (a) few years' time and that we had to-we have to come up with a good place in which we can host it," Marcos said in his speech.

"And I did not realize that when he went to the bathroom - he did not really go to the bathroom - but he went to talk to his people already, that's why it was - it's always good to work with people like Kevin, who do not waste any time," the President said.