ICC Philippines

27/08/2026

₱𝟳.𝟳 𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗢𝗡. That's what Philippine exporters left unclaimed in UK tariff savings last year — simply because eligible goods weren't claimed under the UK's Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS). 🇵🇭🇬🇧

If you export coconut products, tuna, bananas and pineapples, garments, or electronics to the UK — this is money that should already be yours. 92% of Philippine product lines qualify for zero tariffs under DCTS. The gap isn't access. It's awareness.
Know the scheme. Claim what's yours.

🔗 Full story from SunStar Cebu 👇

PHILIPPINE exporters missed out on preferential tariffs on 92 million pounds (about P7.7 billion) worth of eligible exports to the UK in 2025, showing that the

25/08/2026

International Chamber of Commerce Secretary-General John W.H. Denton sat down with ICC Philippines to talk trade, tech, and what's next for Filipino businesses. Here's what stood out:

📄➡️💻 Going digital by 2028 — ATA Carnets, the customs pass for temporary trade goods, are ditching paper for good.

🎪 A win for PH business events — Faster digital clearance could make Manila, Cebu & Clark more competitive as MICE destinations.

📈 Already working — 19,000+ digital carnets issued and 23,000+ border transactions in June alone.

🌏 ASEAN, but stronger — As this year's ASEAN Chair, PH is pushing for more resilient supply chains — without closing off trade.

⚠️ A rule worth protecting — A 25-year-old WTO policy shielding digital trade from taxes is at risk, and Filipino freelancers & MSMEs have the most to lose.

Read the full interview on our LinkedIn page. 🔗 https://bit.ly/4wXXI7e

Download the full interview in PDF: https://tinyurl.com/96754237

15/08/2026

𝗜𝗖𝗖 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗙𝗭𝗢

ICC Philippines Chairperson George Barcelon and the Chamber's leadership team welcomed a high-level delegation from the World Free Zones Organization (WFZO), led by Chairperson H.E. Dr. Mohammed Al Zarooni, for a courtesy and exploratory meeting on August 14.

WFZO is the international organization for cooperation on free zones and special economic zones, connecting over 1,600 members across 142 countries. The meeting opened conversations on how the Philippines' business community can strengthen its ties with the global economic zone ecosystem — supporting our growing role in trade and investment as ASEAN's importance on the world stage continues to rise.

ICC Philippines looks forward to exploring how this engagement can benefit Filipino businesses and zones in the months ahead.

IN THE PHOTOS:
From the ICC PH — Chairperson Barcelon, Directors Benedicta Du-Baladad and Enchong Formoso, Director General Neri Kasten
From the WFZO — Chairperson Al Zarooni, CEO Dr. Matthew Stephenson, and Chief Adviser Nasser Al Madani

13/08/2026

𝗜𝗖𝗖 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗢𝗧 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗗𝗶𝘁𝗮 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗮-𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘆 🇵🇭

ICC Philippines Chairperson George Barcelon, together with Marketing and Tourism Commission Chair Enchong Formoso and the ICC PH Secretariat team, paid a courtesy visit to Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay at the Department of Tourism - Philippines Head Office in Makati City.

The visit opened the door to closer collaboration — from boosting MICE tourism and joint trade exhibitions, to storytelling-driven destination marketing and stronger public-private partnerships that put the Philippines on the map as a premier travel and business destination.

Thank you, Secretary Dita, for the warm welcome — we look forward to working together!

10/08/2026

ICC Philippines paid a visit to the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) in Singapore on August 7 to discuss closer ASEAN cooperation with the International Chamber of Commerce.

The ICC Philippines delegation, led by Chairperson George Barcelon together with Vice Chair Jude Aguilar, Directors Benedicta Du-Baladad and Michael Tan, Director General Neri Kasten, and Deputy Director Claire Gamboa, met with SBF CEO Kok Ping Soon, Chairman Mark Lee, and Assistant Director Eunice Tan.

The conversation centered on a proposed ASEAN Business Caucus under ICC, with Barcelon presenting a formal letter confirming ICC Philippines' support for the initiative and its interest in joining as a founding partner.

Grateful for the warm reception at the SBF office and for a productive exchange on strengthening ASEAN's voice within the ICC network.

10/08/2026

ICC Philippines met with ICC Academy leadership in Singapore on August 7 to explore a new partnership.

ICC Academy was represented by Christine Lim, Global Head, and Rainer Evans, Senior Business Development Manager. ICC Philippines was represented by Chairperson George Barcelon, Board Directors Benedicta Du-Baladad and Michael Tan, Vice Chairperson Jude Aguilar, Director General Neri Kasten, and Deputy Director Claire Gamboa.

The conversation covered ICC Academy's globally recognized trade and finance certifications, its growing network of partnerships across Southeast Asia, and how that expertise could connect with ICC Philippines' network of banks, conglomerates, SMEs, and academic institutions.

Both teams see an opportunity to bring world-class trade and executive education closer to home — and to position the Philippines as a hub for trade education in the region.

More to come as discussions continue.

21/07/2026

𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗜𝗖𝗖 𝗔𝗿𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝘄?

Great turnout at the ICC Philippines Arbitration and ADR Commission's webinar on the 2026 ICC Arbitration Rules Amendments and Developments, held last July 17 at the BA Securities Hall, McKinley Hill, Taguig.

The event opened with remarks from ICC Philippines Chairperson George Barcelon, along with a special video message from International Chamber of Commerce Secretary General John Denton, who was in town that morning meeting with ICC Philippines Board leadership and sent his well wishes to participants before catching his flight.

Our speakers and panelists then broke down the key changes effective since June 1:

✅ Stronger disclosure rules — when in doubt, arbitrators must disclose

✅ Terms of Reference no longer mandatory — more flexibility, less red tape

✅ Expedited Procedure threshold raised to $4M — plus a new "Highly Expedited Arbitration Provision" (HEAP) for disputes that need to move fast

✅ Early Determination Mechanism now formally in the rules — a real tool against frivolous claims

The panel discussions got into the practical side too: when speed-focused procedures like HEAP make sense (think IP and tech disputes) versus when complex cases still need the full process, and how case management conferences will now carry the weight the ToR used to.

Grateful to our speakers and panelists, and to Atty. Victor Lazatin, Chair of the ICC Philippines Arbitration and ADR Commission, for the insightful closing remarks on keeping international dispute resolution predictable and efficient.

Thank you to everyone who joined us — online and in person! 🙌

20/07/2026

ICC Philippines welcomed International Chamber of Commerce Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO and External Engagement Manager Ben Thomson to our office in McKinley Hill, Taguig City, on July 17.

Chairperson George Barcelon led the discussion with SG Denton, joined by Vice-Chair Jude Aguilar, Directors Benedicta Du-Baladad, Michael Tan, and Lorenzo Formoso, and the ICC Philippines Secretariat led by Director General Neri Kasten.

The visit was an opportunity to discuss the Philippines' ASEAN Chairmanship year, the regional impacts of the Strait of Hormuz closure on food security, the ICC Travel & Tourism Initiative, and the potential ICC-ASEAN Caucus — a proposed mechanism to strengthen collaboration between ICC and ASEAN-BAC across successive chairmanships.

We thank SG Denton and Mr. Thomson for taking the time to engage directly with ICC Philippines leadership, and look forward to building on these discussions in the months ahead as the Philippines continues its ASEAN Chairmanship.

14/07/2026

📅 SAVE THE DATE! Here's a sneak peek at what's in store for the ICC 2026 Arbitration Rules Webinar happening this Friday, July 17.

The ICC 2026 Arbitration Rules introduce significant changes that will reshape the way commercial disputes are handled. Whether you're a lawyer, in-house counsel, business executive, or contracts professional, this webinar will help you understand what these updates mean in practice.

Hear directly from members of the ICC International Court of Arbitration alongside some of the Philippines' leading arbitration practitioners as they discuss the most important changes, including:

⚖️ Program Highlights
• Overview of the ICC 2026 Arbitration Rules
• Abolition of the Terms of Reference (TOR) and what it means for arbitration proceedings
• Highly Expedited Arbitration Provisions (HEAP) and the expanded expedited procedure
• Early Determination Mechanism for resolving unmeritorious claims more efficiently
• Interactive panel discussions with leading international and Philippine arbitration experts

🎟️ Registration is FREE, but slots are limited.

📲 Click on https://tinyurl.com/y8zynamc or send the ICC Philippines secretariat a direct message to reserve your slot.

Join us as we explore how these landmark updates will shape the future of commercial dispute resolution.

06/07/2026

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱?

​The rules for dispute resolution just changed. If you are handling contracts for a business, you cannot afford to miss this.

​The 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗜𝗖𝗖 𝗔𝗿𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀 (which are now in force!) introduce major, mandatory shifts designed for speed and efficiency. Imagine resolving a dispute in just three months with a 90-day express track! These changes directly impact how you draft agreements and manage business risk.

​If you do not understand the "Highly Expedited Arbitration Provisions," you are risking a strategic disadvantage that your competitors are already preparing for.

​This is your final notice to get caught up. ICC Philippines is offering a 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗴—your definitive guide to navigating this new reality. Do not be the counsel caught playing catch-up when a crisis hits. Your competition will be there.

​🗓 𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗡: 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟭𝟳 (𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆)
🕐 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘: 𝟭:𝟬𝟬 𝗣𝗠
💸 𝗖𝗢𝗦𝗧: 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘!

​Register instantly by scanning the QR code, or message the ICC Philippines secretariat right now to secure your spot. Whether you are in-house, government, or a private practitioner, this is required learning.

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