CCCI president to focus on SMEs

AS he took his oath as president of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), Prudencio Gesta selected the micro, small and medium enterprises as his area of focus.

During the induction ceremonies held Tuesday night, Gesta said his term will be focused on encouraging MSMEs to participate in the stock market, saying it is a vital part of the economy where companies can raise their financial capacities.

He also said they will be supporting a pending bill seeking the creation of a stock exchange for SMEs.

Gesta said CCCI will also advocate intellectual property awareness through the Innovation and Technology Support Office, which houses patent libraries to give MSMEs better access to global technology and intellectual property protection. He believes MSMEs will benefit from information they gather here, especially if they are producing “high-value creations.”

Partnerships

He assured that CCCI’s programs will continue under his term, as will their partnerships with government and private sectors.

“I am optimistic that the chamber will continually soar higher this year for Cebu, knowing that we are building on the collaborative legacies the previous
administrations have done to the business sector,” he said.

Gesta also commended his predecessor, consul Samuel Chioson, saying the latter has taken the chamber to “greater heights” after it was awarded most outstanding chamber in the Visayas and most outstanding chamber in the Philippines.

It was also during Chioson’s term that CCCI was recognized as over-all winner in the developing nations category of the Associations Make A Better World award given by the American Society of Association Executives and the Center for Association Leadership
in California, USA.

CCCI also won the bid to host the 27th Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry Conference next year. CACCI is a regional grouping of apex national chambers of commerce and industry, business associations and business enterprises in Asia and Western Pacific, with 29 primary members from 27 countries.

Chioson described his stint as an “adventure”, noting that he began his term just as the impact of the global economic crisis began to be felt in 2009, leading a recession among industrialized countries and a contraction in world trade. Though the
Philippines was not spared, as its GDP growth decelerated in late 2008 and the first
half of 2009, Chioson said Cebu managed to pull through.

“Though shaken, Cebu’s economy remained steadfast, fueled in part by the Chamber as the beacon of culture of linkage-creation, synergy and integrity between members and partners,” Chioson said.

Chioson identified as achievements the chamber’s forging of a partnership with Germany’s Foundation for Entrepreneurial Development Cooperation (Afos) to improve the business environment of the chambers in Visayas and Mindanao for SME development.

The chamber also passed the surveillance audit under its ISO 9001:2000 certification and assessment of its quality management system for the sixth time in three years.

Among other initiatives, the chamber was conferred by the Philippine Foundation Inc. the Perlas Award on Valuable Institution for promoting entrepreneurship in tourism and technology, upholding professional values and ethics in the business community and establishing worthwhile international partnerships.

Trade missions

CCCI participated in trade missions to Shanghai and Beijing in China, St. Petersburg in Russia and in Hawaii USA and to counterparts in Vigan, Ilocos Sur and Bacolod in
Negros Occidental.

Also present to induct the newly elected officers was Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco, who assured the BSP’s commitment to provide the private sector with the enabling environment to conduct their business activities by maintaining macroeconomic stability.

“The BSP will continue to strengthen the three pillars of central banking, namely, ensuring that inflation is low, stable and within target; safeguarding the stability of the banking system; and maintaining a safe and reliable payments and settlements system,” Tetangco told CCCI members.

He also cited initiatives to promote microfinance development and establishment of credit surety funds; economic and financial education and consumer protection.