CCCI to maintain investment hub goal

“UPHOLDING Cebu as an investment hub” is the direction Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) will take for 2011 to 2012.

Consul Samuel Chioson, newly elected CCCI president, said this  in his inaugural speech on Friday’s General Membership Meeting and Induction of Officers, Board of Trustees and New Members.

A way to achieve this goal is to partner with the Cebu City and Cebu Provincial governments.

On Friday, the CCCI signed an agreement with both local government units. Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia attended the event.

Garcia and Rama gave  their “full cooperation and commitment” to support the chamber’s programs and projects.

Chioson said he would also focus on sustaining the “best practices” of the business process outsourcing (BPO) and tourism industry of Cebu and Cebu City.

He said the partnership would open opportunities for towns and other cities in Cebu province to promote their own “best” products, services or practices.

The chamber will also work with the different schools to address concerns of sustainable tourism and ecology in the curriculum.

Chioson also cited the Cebu chamber’s achievement in the recent Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI) bidding in Istanbul, Turkey where the CCCI was chosen to host the 26th CACCI Convention in 2013.

Chioson said he was expecting more investments from 27 participating countries during the event for Cebu.

On Friday, Vice President Jejomar Binay inducted the new Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry officers led by Chioson.

The other business chamber officers include Prudencio Gesta as vice president for finance and administration, Ma. Teresa Chan as vice president for membership development, engineer Nestor Archival as vice president for business development, Lito Maderazo as vice president for business development. /Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus