Chamber officials optimistic of getting Chile investments

Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) officials see a big potential for investment partnerships between local and Chile businessmen after they signed a chamber sisterhood agreement with the National Chamber of Commerce, Services and Tourism of Chile this month.

CCCI president Samuel Chioson and trade mission committee chairperson Melanie Ng said their counterparts in various fields and industries in Chile had shown interest in investing in Cebu.

A group of businessmen from Chile will ebe coming to Cebu next year to meet their local counterparts especially those in the real estate industry.

Ng said they found out during the business matching event in their Chile visit that businessmen there wanted to sell their products to the Philippines.

The products include wines, pet food, real estate, machineries especially in food processing and bakery equipment, mining, dairy products and more that are related to the food industry.

“From Cebu, they are also interested at our furniture, gifts and dried and processed fruits. So we see a lot of potential with that trade mission despite us being hesitant at first knowing they are very far and there might be problems with logistics,” said Ng.

With a potential market in South America, Chioson said they were confident that they could still help open other untapped markets in the world to help Cebu’s major industries cope with the effects of the economic turmoil in Europe and the United States of America.

“We see this as a two-way process that will benefit both countries. We being in Asia is where economic development and growth is expected to come in the coming years, and them being a new market for our local traders,” said Chioson.

Members of the National Chamber of Commerce, Services and Tourism of Chile are also now organizing a trip to Cebu in 2012 for the Cebu Design Summit and again in 2013 to attend the Confederation of Asia Pacific Chamber of Commerce and Industry Conference where they will again hold more business matchings in Cebu.

Chioson said they would continue to build links and open new markets through more trade missions next year.

“Our target next year will be Eastern Europe. And like what we did with Chile, Brazil and Argentina, we would like to establish connections with our counterparts there,” said Chioson.

Chioson also encouraged the public sector to strengthen free trade agreements (FTAs) between governments.

“At present we think that FTAs are currently being drafted for these countries. It will be a big help if we can have FTAs as soon as possible so that we can expect more active trading between us and Chile,” said Chioson.