The financial services landscape is changing quickly. Digital payments and fintech are reshaping how Filipinos manage their money; technology is creating new ways for businesses to reach consumers, while economic pressures and changing expectations are influencing how people make financial decisions.
For Palawan Group, keeping pace with these changes means looking beyond technology and numbers to understand the people behind them. This was the focus of the two-day Palawan Marketing Summit 2026, held in Pasig City, where industry experts, marketing mavericks, and Palawan leaders came together under the theme “Build to Scale: Shaping the Future.”
Now in its second year, the summit builds on Palawan’s inaugural Marketing Summit in 2025, which explored AI, customer experience, and innovation as forces shaping the future of financial services. This year’s discussions took the conversation further, bringing together perspectives on fintech, financial inclusion, regulation, the economy, consumer behavior, technology, and the evolving Filipino market.
More than simply looking at what is changing, the summit asked a bigger question: How can businesses turn these shifts into better decisions, stronger customer relationships, and sustainable growth?
A financial landscape in transition
Participants listen and engage during the Palawan Marketing Summit 2026, as speakers share insights on emerging trends, changing consumer behavior, and the evolving financial services landscape.
The first day examined the forces reshaping financial services, including fintech and digital payments, financial inclusion, regulation, and the Philippine economic outlook. While more Filipinos are gaining access to digital financial services, traditional channels continue to play an important role in how people manage their finances.
The discussion opened with Lito Villanueva, Chairman of FinTech Alliance.PH and RCBC Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation and Inclusion Officer, who explored emerging trends in fintech, innovation, and national priorities. His insights set the stage for a broader conversation on how technology is reshaping financial services and driving greater financial access and inclusion across the country.
That transformation, however, also depends on the environment in which digital finance operates. Atty. Bridget Rose M. Mesina-Romero, Director of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ Payments Policy & Development Department, discussed policy and regulatory developments in digital payments, while Kristine D. Orlina, Deputy Director of the BSP’s Financial Inclusion Office, looked at the state of financial inclusion in the Philippines.
Data presented during the summit showed that digital payments accounted for 57.4% of retail payment volume in 2024, alongside continued growth in account ownership and online financial activity. But the discussions also highlighted that financial inclusion goes beyond access to an account or digital platform. Trust, ease of use, financial literacy, and access to relevant financial services remain important in helping more Filipinos participate meaningfully in the financial system.
Taken together, the discussions underscored the need for the financial services industry to balance innovation with accessibility, trust, and responsible growth. They also reflected how technology, policy, and inclusion are increasingly interconnected as the country’s financial ecosystem evolves.
The conversation then widened to the economic environment shaping businesses and consumers. Marco Miguel Javier, Strategist and Vice President for Economics & Market Research at BPI Global Markets, examined the macroeconomic trends shaping business in 2027, while Patrick Tuohy, Global Head of Sales and Marketing at Goldstrom, provided a perspective on developments in the gold market, including the trends and risks influencing the asset.
These perspectives offered a broader view of an industry navigating not only technological change, but also economic, regulatory, and market shifts.
For Karlo M. Castro, President and CEO of Palawan Group, these developments reinforce the importance of staying grounded in customers’ needs while preparing the organization for a changing environment. “Building to scale is not simply about growing bigger. It is about building the right capabilities to respond to a changing market and, ultimately, create greater value for the Filipinos we serve. The better we understand our customers and the environment around them, the better positioned we are to build for what comes next.”
The Filipino consumer is changing, too
If the first day examined the forces shaping the financial services landscape, the second day turned the focus to the people at the center of it—the Filipino consumer.
Research presented during the summit offered a closer look at how Filipinos are making choices in an increasingly digital and dynamic environment. Lance Katigbak of Boston Consulting Group shared key findings from the Filipino Consumer Today study, while Karl Magpayo of Social Weather Stations provided insights into the usage, attitudes, and imagery associated with Palawan brands.
The discussion went deeper into the financial behaviors behind these choices, with Eva Claravall of Kantar sharing findings from focus group discussions and UAI studies on pawning and e-wallet customers. These complemented Kantar’s broader consumer research, which highlighted how Filipinos respond to financial pressures through “pagtitipid, pagtulong, pagbabalanse and paghahanda” – balancing immediate needs while preparing for what comes next.
The conversation then shifted to where consumers spend their time and attention. John Yamsuan, Associate Director for Consumer Insights at NielsenIQ Philippines, shared insights on Filipino media consumption, while Chay Mondejar-Saputil, Head of Channel Partnerships at ByteDance | TikTok Philippines, explored the growing attention economy and what brands need to do differently to remain relevant.
The discussion also looked ahead to the next generation of consumers and the growing role of technology. Jonathan Yabut, Founder and Managing Director of JY Consultancy & Ventures, explored Gen Z and the use of AI in generational marketing, while Donald Lim, President of the Management Association of the Philippines and Chief Digital Marketing Strategist at Mansmith and Fielders, examined how AI, data and technology are shaping the future customer.
Taken together, the discussions highlighted a consumer who is becoming more digital and discerning, while remaining influenced by financial realities, family, trust, media habits and the way technology is changing how people discover and engage with brands.
For Bernard V. Kaibigan, Chief Marketing Officer of Palawan Group, understanding these shifts is essential to staying relevant in a changing market. “The consumer is changing, and we have to change with them. Data and technology help us understand these shifts, but what matters is how we turn those insights into more relevant products, services, and experiences. At the end of the day, it is about making decisions that create real value for our Sukis.”
From insight to action
Across the two days, one message stood out: understanding change is only the beginning. What matters is how businesses turn what they learn into action.
For Palawan, “Build to Scale” means staying attuned to the market and the people it serves while strengthening the organization for a changing financial landscape. As technology reshapes how Filipinos access information and financial services, the summit reinforced the importance of keeping innovation grounded in real needs and building experiences that are relevant, accessible, and trusted.
Bringing together perspectives from financial services, business, technology, and consumer research, the Palawan Marketing Summit 2026 connected the bigger shifts shaping the industry with the realities of Filipino consumers. Building on last year’s conversation around technology, innovation, and customer experience, the summit took a broader look at what it means to build for a changing financial landscape while keeping people at the center of that journey.
As the landscape continues to evolve, Palawan remains committed to listening, learning, and building with purpose—keeping its Sukis at the heart of the journey forward.
