Speaking at the Davao-Borneo Growth Corridor Forum 2026 at the SMX Convention Center in Davao City Friday, September 18, Duterte said the region should move beyond discussions on infrastructure and investment toward practical partnerships in trade, connectivity and human capital.
Demographics
She outlined four areas for action: moving from proximity to partnership, complementarity to investment, connectivity to economic value, and partnership to action.
Duterte cited the shared history, culture and economic interests of Mindanao and Borneo, saying cross-border cooperation should become an everyday reality rather than remain limited to occasional projects.
She also highlighted the complementary strengths of the two areas, with Mindanao contributing agriculture, tourism and a growing market, while Borneo brings capital, industry and logistics.
On infrastructure, Duterte said roads, ports and airports should ultimately help farmers, traders, manufacturers and workers gain better access to regional markets.
She urged governments to align policies, improve border systems and establish safer routes, while calling on business leaders and investors to form cross-border partnerships and co-invest in infrastructure and services.
Duterte also proposed the revival of legitimate maritime trade through safer sea routes, clearer customs procedures and modern systems that could help bring informal economic activity into the formal sector.
She said the goal should be to create more opportunities for people to work and build businesses within Mindanao while serving markets across the region.
The forum brings together stakeholders from Mindanao, Sabah, Sarawak, Kalimantan and Brunei Darussalam to discuss investment, trade, connectivity, tourism, infrastructure, technology and human capital.
VP Sara Duterte
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