Cebu business groups link up with Fil-Aussie chamber

CEBU, Philippines - Two of Cebu’s big business organizations, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) and the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) have formalized its tieup with a group of Filipino businessmen in Australia.

A 12-men delegation composed of members of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Australia Philippines (CCIAP) recently visited Cebu to ink a collaboration deal with the business sector here, to promote trade and commerce in both countries, especially from Cebu and Queensland, Australia.

Led by Filipina-Australian CCIAP president Connie da Cunha, the group aims to foster closer trade exchanges in business to business level in the form of chamber sisterhood relation.

On a memorandum of cooperation signed between CCCI, MCCI and the CCIAP, the agreement stipulated that the parties within their competence will promote the strengthening and development of the trade and economic, technical and cultural relations between enterprises, organization, companies and entrepreneurs, including new effective forms of cooperation.

Both parties, also committed to assist its members in seeking and establishing direct contacts between potential businesses; organizing trade mission of business circle’s representatives who visit the regions of the parties’ activities.

According to da Cunha, Filipino-Australian businessmen are interested to partner with Cebu-based traders mutually promote their products and services in both countries.

The parties by mutual accord will carry out consultations for the examination of current and prospective issues of cooperation in order to increase the effectiveness of collaboration.

This partnership followed immediately, after the Australian government, together with New Zealand, introduced to business sector via the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand-Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA).

Earlier, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Rod Smith, urged Cebuano businessmen to take advantage of the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand-Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA), otherwise will they will lose significant market in these two countries.

“The trade opportunity in Australia and New Zealand is not fully taken advantage of by businesses in the Philippines,” said Smith in his recent visit to Cebu.

According to Smith, with the implementation of AANZFTA, the Philippines businesses specifically the exporters are facing bright prospects, as the FTA provides a leveling of playing fields between ASEAN and Australia and New Zealand.

With this, Smith said Filipino exporters can trade with single market in two countries with over 600 million consumers.

According to da Cunha, aside from the group’s interest in mutual promotion of Cebu and Australia, especially Queensland’s tourism and education, the Australia-Filipino businessmen are also interested in promoting the world renowned furniture, home furnishings, fashion accessories, and other products from Cebu, to be well promoted in Australia, and the rest of the world. (FREEMANBUSINESS)