CCCI revives initiative to form local chambers

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) is reviving its move to develop local chambers in the neighboring provinces as well as in progressive towns in the province.

After the formal establishment of Cordova Chamber of Commerce, CCCI president Virgilio “Nonoy” G. Espeleta said the chamber will move on to develop more local chambers either within Cebu province or outside Cebu.

Active development of local chamber creation was activated in the past particularly during the leadership of Ma Theresa Chan and Melanie Ng.

This time, Espeleta said CCCI will reach out to other emerging economies in Visayas and Mindanao like in Ozamis City and Pagadian City to create solid group of business players.

In Cebu, CCCI has already created chapters in Naga City, Danao City, Bantayan Island, in Bogo City and Toledo City.

These groups will be an extension of CCCI to the far-flung areas in Cebu. CCCI is going to help them become legitimate and advocacy-driven business groups, not just a mere social club.

CCCI has already been working with an NGO group "WECan" in institutionalizing the formation of cluster business chambers in the countryside.

This collaboration helps CCCI to accelerate its plan to make a closer partnership with local government units (LGUs) in each town and cities in Cebu to pursue more harmonious developmental goals as well as make faster and progressive implementation of planned projects.

Just like CCCI, which has been the mouthpiece of the business sector in Cebu, these cluster chambers will also help their members to craft advocacies to help business players solve their concerns, specifically with regards to government policies, and other issues.

With this, the organized business groups in component cities of Cebu that will get membership from neighboring towns and municipalities will have a stronger voice and capacity to partner with their respective LGUs.

Also, these cluster chambers will also hold and organize events that will promote their respective industries, as well as continuous business updates and seminars to further capacitate countryside business players in handling robust growth direction of Cebu.

According to Espeleta, in its out-of-Cebu mission, the chamber may ink sisterhood agreements with existing business groups, or mentor a private sector in a City or province, which has yet to create solid private sector group.

CCCI has an existing sisterhood agreement with Ormoc Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) which was signed in 2016. (FREEMAN)