One good decision at a time: Aboitiz sparks hope for New Year

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January 5, 2026 | 12:00am

Notes on the beat

MANILA, Philippines — With the holidays over and a new year starting, it’s now time to ponder what lies ahead.

Take it from tycoon Sabin Aboitiz, president and chief executive officer of conglomerate Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. (AEV), who believes that today’s actions and decisions will shape the future.

“The future is built one good decision at a time, leading up to choosing wisely in 2028,” he said in a message sent to The STAR.

For Aboitiz, who also serves as the lead convenor of the Private Sector Advisory Council, growth will come not from shortcuts, but from trust – trust in institutions, in government and in each other.

“When we invest in people, build sustainably and choose long-term value over short-term wins, the economy follows,” he said.

Aboitiz said that 2025 asked a lot from Filipinos.

The year had been a challenging one for the country and the economy amid global headwinds, calamities, political noise and corruption scandals.

“We felt the weight of rising costs, uncertainty and change. Not to mention the natural disasters,” Aboitiz said.

“And yet, what stands out is not what slowed us down, but what kept us moving: resilience, cooperation and determination. Our spirit remains our strongest economic advantage,” he said.

As a new year starts, Abotiz emphasized the importance of being grateful for “how far we’ve come, hopeful for where we’re headed, and committed to doing our part – no matter how big or small – to move the country forward.”

The Aboitiz Group, with its over 100 years of business history and major investments in power, banking, food, infrastructure, land and data science, continues to define what great transformation is, not just through innovation, but also through its people’s growth and well-being.

AEV is in a continuous process of capacity-building, specifically in artificial intelligence adoption and data literacy across all its departments.

On its transformative journey to becoming the Philippines’ first techglomerate, AEV is committed to advancing business and communities through its environmental, social and governance or ESG-driven initiatives, having received numerous recognitions for its strong corporate governance and sustainability efforts.

As a member of the board of the Global Compact Network Philippines, AEV continues to champion the alignment of corporate purpose with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The group also continues to set benchmarks in governance excellence by demonstrating how purpose, innovation, and accountability work together to strengthen the country’s investment climate and institutional resilience.