Following its successful hosting of the ASEAN Travel Exchange, Lapu-Lapu City’s newest icon is set to welcome the region’s most distinguished leaders for the 48th ASEAN Leaders’ Summit this May.

History has a way of coming full circle. Exactly 505 years after Ferdinand Magellan first stepped onto Philippine shores, a new landmark has been unveiled in Lapu-Lapu City that aims to bring the world back to Cebu—this time, on our own terms.

On March 16, 2026, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. officially inaugurated the Mactan Expo. This isn’t just another glass-and-steel box; it’s the architectural heartbeat of Megaworld’s 30-hectare Mactan Newtown township.

More Than Just a Meeting Space

The Mactan Expo is a masterclass in "Tropical Modernism." Eschewing the sterile aesthetic of traditional convention centers, this venue features surfaces embedded with local shells and indigenous textures that celebrate Cebuano craftsmanship. While it’s a pillarless giant capable of holding 3,000 people, it remains intimately connected to its surroundings via a veranda that opens directly toward the pristine Mactan Newtown Beach.

"The Mactan Expo serves as an important platform... a strong example of how the government and the private sector can work together—from start to finish—to deliver something meaningful and successful."

— Kevin L. Tan, CEO of Alliance Global Group

Why This Matters Now

This isn't just a "build it and they will come" project; the world is already arriving.

• The Global Debut: Fresh off hosting the ASEAN Travel Exchange (TRAVEX), the Expo is already proving its operational mettle.

• The Main Event: This May, it will serve as the official stage for the 48th ASEAN Leaders’ Summit, welcoming heads of state from across Southeast Asia.

• The Cultural Anchor: Positioned adjacent to the upcoming Mactan World Museum, the Expo is the cornerstone of a plan to cement Cebu as the Philippines' premier "MICE" (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) destination.

At a Glance: The Mactan Expo

By blending a beachside atmosphere with high-stakes international diplomacy, Megaworld is doing more than opening a building—they are defining a legacy for the region.

MEGAWORLD TO BUILD P1.5-B CONVENTION CENTER NEAR THE BEACH IN MACTAN

The 2,500-seating capacity Mactan Expo Center will further boost Cebu's MICE tourism industry

CEBU CITY, Philippines, July 18, 2023 - Property giant Megaworld is building a two-level standalone convention center inside its 30-hectare The Mactan Newtown township in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu

Set to rise just across the newly opened Belmont Hotel Mactan along Newtown Boulevard, the P1.5-billion Mactan Expo Center will offer almost a hectare of MICE space (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions).

The ground level will feature a convention hall that can accommodate up to 2,500 people for theatre-type set-up, and 1,600 people for banquet-style set-up. The convention hall can also be divided into three smaller halls that can accommodate around 700 to 900 persons per hall for theatre-style, and 500 to 600 persons per hall for banquet-style layout.

The main convention hall will have its own expansive foyer and pre-function areas. The ground level will also have two drop-off areas, service kitchen area, cafes, and an event showroom, where expo center clients can check sample event set-ups and arrangements.

At the mezzanine level, the expo center will have two meeting rooms for smaller and intimate events. Each meeting room can accommodate up to 100 persons for banquet-style layout and around 150 persons for theatre-style layout. Both meeting rooms may be combined into a single venue.

The mezzanine level will also have its own pre-function area, as well as an outdoor balcony and storage rooms.

With its minimalist design that illuminates at night, the Mactan Expo Center's façade will be complemented by interiors inspired by Cebu's local culture, festivals, arts, flavors, nature scenes, and icons. Design elements will be mostly sourced locally.

"We hope to build another iconic landmark not just for Mactan but for the entire province of Cebu.

This convention center will be a unique standalone structure that will help boost the province's booming MICE industry," says Kevin L. Tan, chief strategy officer, Megaworld.

The Mactan Expo Center will have two passenger elevators, two escalators, and a service elevator. It will also have its own 100% back-up power, and will have WiFi access in most areas.

The convention halls and meeting rooms will be equipped with fixed video screens, as well as state-of-the-art audio and visual systems and video conferencing technology.

The Mactan Expo Center will be compliant to the requirements of the Philippine Green Building Council (PGBC) as it integrates several sustainability features into the structure, such as the use of low emissivity façade glass, low flow water fixtures, and having its own rainwater recycling facility as well as a sewage treatment plant and materials recovery facility.

Currently, the township where the Mactan Expo Center will be built, already has two hotel properties being operated and managed by Megaworld Hotels & Resorts, the country's largest developer of 100% Filipino homegrown hotel brands. These include the 547-room Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown and the 550-room Belmont Hotel Mactan.

"Our hotel properties within The Mactan Newtown will be ready to handle the accommodation requirements of the Mactan Expo Center. And one thing everyone should look forward to the Mactan Expo Center is the fact that it will just be a few steps away to the beach," says Cleofe Albiso, managing director, Megaworld Hotels & Resorts.

Construction of the Mactan Expo Center will commence this year, and is expected for completion by 2025.

Because of this, MREIT prepares to declare dividends within the month of October in line with the REIT plan.  Subject to necessary Board and regulatory approvals, the company is looking into declaring dividends of at least P0.24 per share. 

“The is just the initial tranche of dividends that we intend to declare for the current fiscal year 2022. Considering MREIT’s strong performance to date, as well as our improved outlook on office demand and the infusions of additional assets, we are confident of our ability to meet, if not surpass, our dividend projection for the year as indicated in our REIT plan. We thank all our investors for the trust and confidence to MREIT,” says Kevin L. Tan, president and CEO, MREIT, Inc. 

MREIT earlier announced its plan to double its portfolio size by 2024, and to reach 1-million square meters in floor size by 2030. By next year alone, around 100,000 square meters of prime office assets will be injected into MREIT. 

The company also announced its plan to inject more assets from Uptown Bonifacio in BGC aside from the assets coming from Eastwood City, McKinley Hill, and Iloilo Business Park. According to the report released by Leechiu Properties in June, BGC still commands the highest rental rates among major business districts in the country.

Backed by its access to Megaworld’s extensive office portfolio, MREIT aspires to be one of, if not, the largest office REIT in Southeast Asia because of the company’s long runway for growth.