HWONFEX ASEAN Handshake: (Center) Wanda Tulfo Teo, Former DOT Secretary and Wellness Tourism Advocate; Macky Beltran-Soriano, Managing Director of HWONFEX; (L-R) Jerome Tumambing, Officer-In-Charge, Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC); Dr. Hernando Delizo, Director for Health and Wellness of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Clinica Manila; Catherine Turvill, Chair for Health and Wellness of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and President of Nurture Wellness Village; Dr. Prem Jagyasi, Internationally acclaimed consultant, speaker, and global authority on medical tourism, wellness resorts, and healthcare marketing; Dr. Honey Carandang, National Scientist and Founder of MLAC Institute for Psychosocial Services, Inc.; Ebb Hinchliffe, Executive Director of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (AmCham Philippines); Brigadier General Fatima Claire S. Navarro, Surgeon General of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP); Dr. Janice A. Saraza, MD, Officer-in-Charge of the Health Services and Wellness Department of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR); Dr. Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis Jr., President and CEO of the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT)
HWONFEX 2026: ASEAN Health Tourism and Wellness Summit Advances Regional Health and Wellness Economy | MANILA, Philippines — The HWONFEX 2026, featuring the ASEAN Health Tourism & Wellness Economy Summit, brought together regional policymakers, diplomatic representatives, business leaders, investors, and healthcare experts at the SMX Convention Center Manila, highlighting opportunities to strengthen Southeast Asia’s growing health tourism and wellness economy.
Held as an Official ASEAN Side Event under the theme “Go Explore, Grow Communities, and Glow Together,” the summit was co-presented by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and endorsed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The event focused on strengthening cooperation across healthcare, wellness, tourism, investment, technology, agriculture, and social development, with discussions aimed at building stronger connections throughout Southeast Asia’s health and wellness value chain.
HWONFEX 2026 Highlights ASEAN Health Tourism Opportunities
The summit opened with a policy-focused session featuring Dr. Paulo Benito S. Tugbang, DOT Director for Health and Wellness Tourism, alongside DFA Undersecretary Leo M. Herrera-Lim, Philippine ASEAN Senior Official Meeting Leader; PCCI President Perry A. Ferrer; and ASEAN Business Advisory Council Philippines Chairman Jose Ma. “Joey” Concepcion III.
The discussions examined opportunities for closer public-private cooperation in developing health tourism infrastructure, attracting investment, expanding healthcare services, and strengthening regional economic partnerships.
Unlocking Investments in Health and Wellness
Panel I examined investment opportunities and policy mechanisms that could support the development of health and wellness infrastructure in the Philippines.
Roberto Z. Zozobrado, General Manager and CEO of the Philippine Retirement Authority, discussed the Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV) and its potential role in attracting international retirees and supporting the growing global senior-living and wellness market.
Meanwhile, Emmanuel Cortero, Deputy Director General of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), discussed investment incentives and opportunities related to the development of health zones and sports-related facilities.
Positioning the Philippines as a Digital Health Hub
The summit also explored the growing intersection of healthcare and technology.
Former Undersecretary Nora Terrado, during Plenary II, presented a strategic roadmap focused on strengthening the Philippines’ digital health capabilities and its role as a global services hub for international healthcare technology companies.
Connecting Wellness, Agriculture and Traditional Medicine
Panel II examined the relationship between health tourism, local agriculture, traditional medicine, and investment.
Speakers included Board of Investments Director Francis Peñaflor, Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Cheryl Marie Natividad-Caballero, and PITAHC Director General Dr. Ma. Teresa C. Iñigo.
The session explored opportunities to connect local agricultural production and traditional health practices with the expanding wellness and medical tourism sectors while emphasizing standards, sustainability, and market development.
Advancing Healthcare Through Technology
Panel III brought an international perspective to healthcare technology and longevity.
Dr. Junhyung Park, Director of Triohealix, Inc., and Satoshi Geng, CEO of Japan-based MedVigilance, discussed healthcare big data, predictive analytics, and remote patient monitoring.
The discussion highlighted how digital technologies can support preventive care, improve patient monitoring, and contribute to more integrated healthcare systems across ASEAN and beyond.
DSWD Links Preventive Health to Social Development
A central theme of HWONFEX 2026 was the connection between public health, social protection, and economic resilience.
Delivering the keynote address, DSWD Secretary Rexlon Ting Gatchalian emphasized the importance of preventive healthcare, nutrition, wellness, and human capital development in strengthening communities.
A resilient economy cannot be built on reactive healthcare; it must be anchored on proactive wellness and the systemic protection of human capital, Gatchalian said.
He also highlighted the importance of connecting social welfare policies with health, nutrition, and economic opportunities at the grassroots level.
“True social development means shifting from simply managing vulnerabilities to actively empowering our grassroots workforce to thrive,” Gatchalian said.
HWONFEX 2026 Builds a Platform for Regional Collaboration
The HWONFEX 2026 ASEAN Health Tourism & Wellness Economy Summit highlighted the growing convergence of healthcare, tourism, technology, agriculture, investment, nutrition, fitness, and social development across Southeast Asia.
By bringing together government agencies, business organizations, investors, healthcare professionals, and international experts, the event provided a platform for dialogue on developing health and wellness opportunities that can benefit both industries and communities.
