The prestigious ASEAN Health Tourism & Wellness Economy Summit launched on September 4, 2026, at the SMX Convention Center Manila. Serving as an official side event for the regional bloc under the theme “Go Explore, Grow Communities, and Glow Together,” the high-level gathering convened a notable assembly of diplomatic envoys, trade ministers, health pioneers, and corporate investors. The summit was co-presented by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and backed entirely by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The primary objective of the summit is to consolidate Southeast Asia’s fragmented health services, cross-border investment frameworks, and native agricultural supply chains into a unified, high-yield regional health and longevity economy.
The summit commenced with a foundational policy briefing by Dr. Paulo Benito S. Tugbang, Director for Health and Wellness Tourism at the Department of Tourism [1.1]. This opening address was reinforced by regional support statements from DFA Undersecretary and Philippine ASEAN Senior Official Meeting Leader Leo M. Herrera-Lim, PCCI President Perry A. Ferrer, and ASEAN Business Advisory Council Philippines Chairman Jose Ma “Joey” Concepcion III [1.1].
To drive high-value ecosystem investments, Panel I brought together the fiscal and regulatory gatekeepers shaping the local infrastructure landscape. The Philippine Retirement Authority, led by General Manager/CEO Roberto Z. Zozobrado, is leveraging modernized SRRV policies to capture a larger share of the global retirement market. Complementing this strategy, PEZA Deputy Director General Emmanuel Cortero mapped out lucrative tax incentives and developer benefits to pave the way for state-of-the-art health zones and regional sports hubs.
In Plenary II, former Undersecretary Nora Terrado outlined a blueprint to transform the Philippines into the premier global capability hub for digital healthcare. The strategy aims to position the nation as a top destination for international health tech enterprises.
Bridging the gap between consumer demand and local production took center stage during Panel II’s discussion on the wellness value chain. Key insights were shared by BOI Director Francis Peñaflor, DA Undersecretary Cheryl Marie Natividad-Caballero, and PITAHC Director General Dr. Ma. Teresa C. Iñigo. The leaders actively collaborated on ways to directly anchor the country’s medical tourism infrastructure to authentic, indigenous traditional medicine frameworks.
During the “ASEAN Plus Two Roadmap” panel, global benchmarks were established for scaling modern longevity networks. Industry pioneers Dr. Junhyung Park of Triohealix, Inc. and Mr. Satoshi Geng of MedVigilance, Japan outlined how governments can integrate healthcare big data analytics, predictive tracking, and remote patient monitoring into national policy frameworks to drive the future of healthy aging.
Building a Social Safety Net Rooted in Public Health
The summit highlighted how community-led preventative healthcare directly drives economic strength and national productivity. During his prominent keynote speech, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian outlined a policy framework that unites social welfare, public health, and human capital preservation.
“A resilient economy cannot be built on reactive healthcare; it must be anchored on proactive wellness and the systemic protection of human capital,” stated DSWD Secretary Rexlon Ting Gatchalian. “By endorsing HWONFEX 2026 as an Official ASEAN Side Event, the DSWD recognizes that preventative health, nutritional sustainability, and holistic well-being serve as the ultimate social safety net for our people. True social development means shifting from simply managing vulnerabilities to actively empowering our grassroots workforce to thrive. When we bridge public welfare policy with high-value health trade, we build healthier local communities and elevate the entire ASEAN region into a unified, wealthy economic bloc.”
Commercial Momentum & Public Access
Beyond high-level policy discussions, the event drove tangible economic value through all-day Business-to-Business (B2B) Matching channels. This dedicated pipeline effectively translated dialogue into concrete commercial transactions by bridging the gap between international hosted buyers and regional suppliers.
Alongside the private executive sessions, the event opened HilomX (the Philippine Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine eXposition) and the main trade floor to the public. Admission is entirely free to promote widespread, grassroots access to wellness resources.
Wrapping up the event, PCCI Director for Health and Wellness Dr. Hernando B. Delizo presented the final resolutions and a strategic framework designed to guide regional action moving forward. This concluded the high-level policy tracks by turning insights into a structured roadmap.
Event partners and supporters include Institutional Lead Philippine Chamber Of Commerce And Industry (PCCI) and co-presented by Wellness Tourism Association Of The Philippines (WeTAP); in Major Partnership with the Department Of Agriculture, Department Of Agriculture PhilFIDA, Department Of Social Welfare And Development, Department Of Tourism (DOT), Philippine Institute Of Traditional And Alternative Health Care, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW); in Minor Partnership with the Philippine Amusement And Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA), Tourism Promotions Board (TPB); Official Host Venue of the ASEAN Delegation – Newport World Resorts; and Official Culinary & Hospitality Partner – Treston International College.
Moreover, the elite corporate sponsor roster is led by Platinum Sponsors Castle Rock and IAM Worldwide, alongside Gold Corporate Sponsor Biovitalis, Silver Corporate Sponsors Enjoy Health, Glorious Industrial and Development Corporation (GIDC), JC Premiere, Nurture Wellness Village, Surge Fitness, Zen Institute, NaHeal; Summit Sponsors Health Design, Noble Life International, and Philexport; and Wellness Run Partners Birch Tree Fortified, Gardenia, Hobe, Mr. Freeze, Nature’s Spring, and Taytay Municipal Government.
Furthermore, Event Partners supporting this endeavor includes Alliance Of Local Artisans, Food And Other Producers Of The Philippines (ALAFOP), American Chamber Of Commerce Philippines (AmCham), Diago Consultancy, Digital Circles Marketing Services, East West, Exlink Events, Human Resource Educators’ Association Of The Philippines, Inc. (HREAP), IQ Capture, Market Social, Maxwell Leadership Philippines, Naheal, Oikos Sustainable Solutions Inc., Philippine Hotel Owners Association, Inc. (PHOA), Philippine Marketing Association (PMA), Philippine Tour Operators Association, Inc. (Philtoa), United Ube Association, Wellgather, and St. Paul University Quezon City
Media Partners Asian Journal, Balikbayan Magazine, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Standard, Business Mirror, The Manila Times, ANC, the ABS-CBN News Channel, Wheninmanila.com, Asian Dragon Magazine, Good News Manila, Powered to Wellness, Business Traveller Asia-Pacific, Global Travel Media, Islands Philippines, Lead Society/Lead Media News, MICE & Tourism Around The World, Amazing Manila Journal, Travel and Tour World, and Travel Daily Media;
Advocacy Partners Christians For Nation Building Inc. (C4nb), MLAC Institute For Psychosocial Services, Inc., and Rise Against Hunger
Supported By City Of Manila, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), National Parks Development Committee (NPDC), Philippine National Police, Anya Resort Tagaytay, Good Food Farm, House of Gaia, Las Caidas Wellness Resort, and Sonya’s Secret Garden.
