An Innovative Spectacle at CBM 2018`s Grand Opening Salvo

The night glittered as a sense of exhilaration pervaded the air when the Cebu Business Month (CBM) 2018 kicked off on June 1 in an innovative spectacle of song, dance, and lights that composed the Grand Opening Salvo.

Held at The Terraces of Ayala Center Cebu, the biggest and the grandest salvo to date signals the start of the month-long celebration of CBM 2018, the annual flagship project of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), which is now on its 22nd year.

The event, which was hosted by Cebu Holdings Inc. and Ayala Center Cebu, featured celebrity guest Filipina-French actress, TV host, and model Solenn Heussaff. Miss Eco International 2018 Cynthia Thomalia and Reyna ng Aliwan 2017 Maria Alforque also graced the stage, wearing the innovative works of award-winning fashion designer Malayka Yamas.

Also featured were the Loboc Ambassador Youth Band that serenaded the guests, Star System Dance Troupe whose members awed the crowd with their acrobatic performance, and Doce Pares Eskrima group who showed pride of talent and skill in Filipino martial art of stick fighting and hand-to-hand combat.

Fresh from the Global Gathering 2018 in Busan, South Korea, Knapsack Dancers accompanied “Pinoy Got Talent Season 6” semi-finalists Angel Fire and Maka Girls in a brilliant dance and song number.

In between these performances, business and government leaders spoke, describing the passion and excitement of the CBM 2018 working committee, CCCI officers and members, and CBM 2018 partners. They were Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III, Cebu Vice Governor Agnes Magpale, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, CHI President Aniceto Bisnar jr., CCCI president Antonio Chiu who is also the honorary consul of the Slovak Republic, and CBM 2018 overall chairman Benedict Que.

The occasion, which is chaired this year by Elisa Torres, also included a ceremonial reveal of the three thrusts of CBM 2018 – tourism, entrepreneurship, and information and communications technology and business process management – with their respective committee chairman Edwin Ortiz, Rey Calooy, and Paolo Uy. The thrusts of CBM 2018 are aligned with the theme, “Innovative Cebu.”

Updates on CBM 2018 are at www.cebubusinessmonth.com and www.facebook.com/cebubusinessmonth. All event updates of CBM 2018 can also be accessed through the CBM2018 app on Android.