DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The Ateneo de Davao University Islamic Studies Department (AIS) and M&T Consultants, Islamic Co. (M&T) continue to strengthen collaboration in promoting Islamic finance education, research, capacity development, and stakeholder engagement in Davao City and the broader Davao region. Building on the momentum of the Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) jointly conducted in January 2026 in Davao, both institutions convened a series of engagements on May 25, 2026 aimed at deepening dialogue, expanding partnerships, and identifying strategic opportunities to advance the Islamic finance ecosystem in the region.
As part of these continuing efforts, AIS organized an exploratory meeting with M&T that brought together representatives from various offices of Ateneo de Davao University. The meeting was co-hosted by the Al Qalam Institute (AQI) and held at the AQI Conference Room within the university campus. The engagement was attended by officials and representatives from the School of Arts and Sciences, Finance Department, Economics Department, and the Ateneo Internationalization for Mindanao Office. AIS was represented by its Chairperson, SCL. Sultan U. Ubpon, while AQI was represented by its Officer-in-Charge and Deputy Executive Director, Kennedy Lloyd Angon.
During the meeting, Mr. Hamodi Lao Tiboron, Founding Managing Partner of M&T, shared the firm’s work in Islamic finance advisory, governance, research, training, and ecosystem development. Discussions centered on the growing opportunities for collaboration between academia and industry in supporting the advancement of Islamic finance in the Philippines, particularly in Mindanao where demand for greater financial inclusion, ethical finance solutions, and halal economy initiatives continues to grow.
Participants explored potential areas of collaboration including faculty development, student internship deployment, joint research projects, executive and professional education programs, short courses, conferences, community engagement initiatives, and other activities that would contribute to strengthening Islamic finance knowledge and practice. The discussions were likewise aligned with Ateneo de Davao University’s Fortiores 2030 strategic framework, particularly Strategic Commitment No. 5 on the integration of Teaching, Research, and Community Engagement (TRC) and Strategic Commitment No. 6 on strengthening Local and International Partnerships (LIP).
The engagement also served as a continuation of the stakeholder consultations initiated through the January 2026 FGDs and KIIs jointly facilitated by AIS and M&T. These earlier consultations gathered insights from various sectors regarding the opportunities, challenges, and priorities for Islamic finance development in Davao and Mindanao, laying the groundwork for broader institutional and community engagement.
Following the university meeting, a multi-stakeholder consultation was conducted in the afternoon at the Bajada Suites Board Room, bringing together representatives from the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Davao Region, local government units, the religious sector, Shari’ah lawyers and counselors, academe and madaris, and the business community.
Among the notable participants were Deputy Mayor Michael A. Mohamad, Aleem Jamal S. Munib, Executive Program Director of the Davao City Madrasah Comprehensive Development and Promotion Unit, Mohammad Ismael Daquio of Jamiat Davao, Inc., Nur-Ain Albani of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), and Marianne Esther Aniceto-Guinomla of Guinomla Law Firm, alongside other stakeholders.
The consultation provided a valuable platform for participants to exchange perspectives on the current state of Islamic finance awareness and implementation in the region, discuss existing opportunities and challenges, and identify collaborative actions that could contribute to financial inclusion, ethical finance, entrepreneurship development, investment promotion and broader socio-economic empowerment. Participants also shared insights on how academic institutions, government agencies, religious organizations, legal practitioners, businesses, and community leaders can work together to create a more enabling environment for Islamic finance development.
A recurring theme throughout the discussions was the importance of multi-sectoral collaboration. Participants emphasized that the sustainable growth of Islamic finance requires not only technical expertise and regulatory support but also stronger public awareness, research, human capital development, and stakeholder coordination.
The engagements reflect the shared commitment of AIS and M&T to foster meaningful collaboration among academia, industry, government, and community stakeholders in support of the Philippine Islamic finance agenda. Through sustained engagement, research initiatives, capacity-building programs, and strategic partnerships, both institutions seek to contribute to the development of a more inclusive, ethical, and sustainable financial ecosystem for Davao, Mindanao, and the Philippines as a whole.
As discussions move toward more concrete initiatives, AIS and M&T remain optimistic that these engagements will translate into impactful programs, research collaborations, and capacity-building opportunities that will benefit students, professionals, institutions, and communities while contributing to the long-term growth of Islamic finance in the country.
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