Alsons Dev’s Poblacion Market Central Hosts Mindanao’s First Indigenous Peoples Trade Expo

 

The inaugural Mindanao Indigenous Peoples Trade Expo (MIPTEX 2026) brings together key stakeholders in advancing Indigenous enterprise, cultural preservation, and sustainable economic opportunities across Mindanao.

The first Mindanao Indigenous Peoples Trade Expo (MIPTEX 2026) brought together more than 80 Indigenous creatives, entrepreneurs, community leaders, government agencies, and development partners at Poblacion Market Central from October 26 to 30, promoting Indigenous enterprise, cultural heritage, and sustainable economic opportunities across Mindanao.

Carrying the tagline “Gawang Mindanao IP, Gawang Pinoy,” the five-day expo highlighted Indigenous heritage, strengthened discussions on Indigenous wealth management, and explored opportunities for sustainable, community-led economic growth.

Co-led by the New Zealand Embassy Manila, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), MIPTEX is supported by local and international partners, including the New Zealand Embassy, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and private sector organizations such as Alsons Development and Investment Corporation (Alsons Dev) and its corporate foundation, Alcantara Foundation.

Messages of solidarity during the MIPTEX 2026 opening program reflect the support of key government, diplomatic, development, and private partners. Pictured (L-R) are New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines Catherine McIntosh, NCIP Secretary Nancy Catamco, MinDA Executive Director and Undersecretary Janet Lopoz, Alsons Dev President and CEO Miguel Rene Dominguez, UNDP Resident Representative Christophe Bahuet, and CAMP Asia Country Director Buyoung Cho.

Beyond providing a marketplace for Indigenous products, MIPTEX focused on strengthening entrepreneurs’ business capabilities, promoting responsible trade, and highlighting the importance of protecting traditional designs and cultural expressions from unauthorized use. Activities included brand development and investment sessions, business mentoring, financial education, and discussions on Indigenous-to-Indigenous trade and community wealth management.

Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte joins the opening of MIPTEX 2026, recognizing the expo’s role in uniting Indigenous artisans, entrepreneurs, and partners together.

The expo also showcased Mindanao’s living cultural traditions through live weaving demonstrations, a youth painting competition featuring natural pigments, and the Hulagway Fashion Gala, which featured traditional and contemporary Indigenous apparel and textiles such as Inabal, T’nalak, Yakan, and Dagmay.

Sessions on sustainable enterprise and community wealth management with BPI Foundation, BangKo, GCash, and Grab explored how Indigenous businesses can create lasting benefits for their communities, including support for education, healthcare, and ancestral domain protection.

MIPTEX 2026 features learning sessions, the Hulagway Fashion Gala, and booths showcasing Indigenous creations from across Mindanao, highlighting the craftsmanship, creativity, and rich traditions of the region’s communities.

Miguel A. Dominguez, President and CEO of Alsons Dev, emphasized the importance of private sector partnerships in supporting Indigenous communities and expanding economic opportunities.

“As private sector partners, our role is not to lead or dictate, but to listen, support, and build bridges. We are committed to fostering commercial environments where Indigenous identity is honored, intellectual property is safeguarded, and economic returns directly uplift families and communities,” Dominguez said.

Alsons Dev supports MIPTEX 2026 as part of its commitment to promoting Mindanao’s rich culture, arts, and heritage. By helping provide a platform for Indigenous creativity and enterprise, the company seeks to bring greater visibility to the region’s cultural assets and support the continuation of these traditions for future generations.

First in SOX: Alsons Dev Brings The Mind Museum’s Mind Rover Museum-on-Wheels to Avia Estate

 

Alsons Dev, in partnership with Bonifacio Art Foundation, Inc. (BAFI) and the Conrado and Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation Inc. (CLAFI), brings The Mind Rover to Avia Estate, giving public school students in Sarangani an immersive, hands-on science learning experience.

On February 25, 2025, Alsons Development and Investment Corporation (Alsons Dev) partnered with Bonifacio Art Foundation, Inc. (BAFI), the organization behind The Mind Museum, to bring The Mind Rover to Avia Estate, Alsons Dev’s 121-hectare township in Alabel, Sarangani. This initiative makes the multi-awarded, globally recognized science museum experience accessible to public school students at no cost.

Through the Conrado and Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation (CLAFI), the corporate social responsibility arm of the Alcantara Group, the Avia Estate leg welcomed around 200 students from IP-integrated schools (IS) in the Sarangani Province such as Datal Basak IS and Lebe IS in Maasim; Malandag Central Elementary School, Pulatana IS, and Malungon National High School in Malungon; Policarpo H. Millona Central Integrated School and Lun Padidu National High School in Malapatan; and Paraiso IS and Sofan IS in Alabel.

During their visit, the students explored interactive exhibits in the Mind Rover representing The Mind Museum's five unique galleries: Atom, Life, Earth, Universe, and Technology. They also enjoyed special screenings of Mind S-Cool TV, a family-friendly show that makes science and the arts fun and engaging.

To make the most of their learning experience, the students also toured the Alabel Public Safety and Security Complex, home to a Fire Substation, Community Police Assistance Center, and Emergency Operations Center built and donated by Alsons Dev to the Alabel LGU. While waiting, the students enjoyed reading CLAFI's Flalok Big Books, a collection of illustrated folklore of the Blaan Indigenous Peoples in Sarangani Province and General Santos. These books preserve traditional Blaan stories, originally passed down orally, by presenting them in written and illustrated forms that reflect Blaan culture.

Through this initiative, Alsons Dev strengthened the company’s commitment to empowering Sarangani communities by making transformative learning experiences more accessible and by advocating for education as a cornerstone of community development.

The Mind Rover Avia Estate leg, the first of three stops in the SOX Region, was made possible by BAFI and 2Go with local partners Alsons Dev and CLAFI, with the support of the Malungon, Malapatan, and Alabel LGUs, Sarangani Energy Corporation, Department of Education - Sarangani Division, and NutriAsia.