ICTSI PH HR sets 2026 priorities

The Philippine HR Conference 2026 brought together Human Resources leaders from all 10 ICTSI terminals for the first subregional HR meeting, held January 12–14 at Visayas Container Terminal in Iloilo. 

The meeting aligned HR priorities and coordinated efforts across terminals. Robin Cruickshanks, ICTSI Global Corporate HR vice president, emphasized the importance of consistent, collaborative HR leadership within the subregion. 

Marge Cuadera, ICTSI Philippine HR lead, organized the meeting with support from Pamela San Jose of ICTSI Global Academy and Sarah Baral. Participants reviewed 2025 practices and identified key programs for 2026. Global Corporate HR representatives Cate Fajardo and Mario dela Cruz provided updates on compensation, benefits and recruitment, offering guidance on initiatives HR teams can implement at the terminal level. 

A lynchpin of the meeting was the cascading of management's 2026 strategic outlook from Christian R. Gonzalez, ICTSI executive vice president and global corporate head. Global Corporate HR presented the outlook, which identified seven organizational priorities: financial performance, service consistency, safety, culture building, customer service, operational understanding, and talent development. HR leaders examined these priorities to determine how the PH HR group can effectively support goals across all terminals. 

Mr. Cruickshanks reinforced HR's people-centered mission: "HR isn't just about policies. It's about people. Our job is to listen, to care, and to help people succeed so the business can succeed." 

The discussions culminated in a unified PH HR identity for 2026. HR leaders committed to three core roles: strategic partners with strong HR and business capabilities, culture builders who uphold ICTSI values and workplace standards, and talent development champions who drive succession planning and employee growth. 

This commitment is embodied in BOLD PH HR: Build the PH HR organization, be On the ground, Lead with the business, and Drive a high-performance culture. On the final day, the group presented these identity and support initiatives to Cruickshanks, signaling a new era of coordinated HR practice across Philippine terminals. The shared framework advances business objectives, strengthens workplace culture and safety, and develops the next generation of ICTSI leaders in the Philippines.