Some of the brands Filipinos pass every day—in malls, in terminals, in their own neighborhoods—did not begin in Metro Manila. They began in a single stall in a Cebu mall, a corner space in an Iloilo shopping center, a small bakery serving one Mandaue barangay. Today those same brands operate hundreds of outlets from Luzon to Mindanao, and several have crossed into international markets. Their founders and operators know something most business conferences can only theorize about: what it actually takes to grow a regional business into a national one.
That experience is the backbone of the Philippine Franchise Association (PFA)’s first-ever Visayas Franchise Conference 2026. Themed “Igniting Growth: Visayas and Beyond,” the conference takes place on July 30, 2026, at Summit Galleria Cebu, held in conjunction with the association’s annual Franchise Negosyo Visayas Expo at the Mountain Wing of SM Seaside City Cebu. PFA is the country’s premier and only internationally recognized franchise association.
What makes this lineup distinct is that many of the speakers are not visiting experts explaining regional expansion from the outside. They are Visayan founders and operators who did it themselves—and whose brands are now household names nationwide.
“The brands that will be on this stage were not born in Makati or Ortigas. They were born in Cebu, in Iloilo, in Mandaue—many of them from a single stall or a single store,” said Mr. Kenneth Lim, Chair of the Visayas Franchise Conference, President of Dessert Factory, and PFA Regional Director for Central Visayas. “That is the message we want every entrepreneur in this room to take home: geography is not the ceiling. What separates a regional favorite from a national brand is not location. It is systems, discipline, and the willingness to build for scale before you actually need it.”
Homegrown Brands, National Footprints
These speakers built their brands in the Visayas and scaled them nationwide. Here is where each takes the stage:
- Plenary 3: Expand Beyond Your Home Region — Mr. Steve Benitez, Chairman & CEO of Bo’s Coffee and current PFA President, opened his first store in Cebu City. He is joined on the panel by Mr. Angelo Jose Gandionco, Chief Operating Officer of Julie’s Bakeshop, founded in Mandaue, Cebu.
- Plenary 2: Franchising the Right Way — Mr. Johnny Que, President of Waffle Time, which started in 1998 in Iloilo City, sits alongside Mr. Terence Neil S. Padrique, CEO and President of The Lemon Co., a former OFW who returned home and opened a three-square-meter lemonade stall in Cebu.
- Plenary 6: Keeping Your Brand Relevant in a Fast-Changing Market — Ms. Alice Liu, President & CEO of Penshoppe / Golden ABC, began with a single Cebu store, and joins Mr. Jay Aldeguer, Founder & CEO of Islands Souvenirs, who turned a Cebu souvenir stall into the country’s leading souvenir retail brand.
What Participants Can Expect
- Six high-impact plenary sessions
- Fifteen renowned industry speakers
- Actionable business insights and growth strategies
- High-value networking opportunities with franchise leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and business decision-makers
- Access to the latest trends shaping the future of franchising and business expansion
“We all know that the hardest branch to open is the second one, and the hardest market to enter is the one right outside your comfort zone,” Mr. Lim added. “We built this conference, so Visayan entrepreneurs do not have to learn those lessons the expensive way.”
Whether you are an established franchisor, aspiring franchise owner, growing MSME, or business leader, the conference offers valuable insights, meaningful connections, and new opportunities for growth and success.
Register Today
Registration is ongoing. For registration and more information, visit www.pfa.org.ph/visayasconference.
This conference is Co-Presented by: PLDT Enterprise; and Powered by: Concepcion Industrial Corporation, GCash for Business, SM Supermalls.
Gold Sponsors: 7-Eleven, Boracay Central, Cabalen, COREnergy, DITO BizBayan, Francorp Philippines, Grainsmart Café, Jollibee Group, Julie’s Bakeshop, Kumon, Mayet Dela Rosa, Mr. Baka Lechon, Phoenix Super LPG, TGP Pharma, Inc., and Uncle John’s; Event Partners: ActionCOACH Phils., Islands Souvenirs, PowerHouse and U-Franchise Sales & Management; Supporting Organizations: Department of Trade & Industry (DTI), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Cebu Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCCI), Mandaue Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI). Media Partners: GMA Network, NET 25 Eagle Broadcasting Corp., Philstar Media Group, Business World, Business Mirror / Philippine Graphics, Asian Journal / Balikbayan Magazine, Philippine Daily Inquirer, INQUIRER.NET, Cebu Daily News (CDN) and SMNI.
