A Filipino business chamber based in Hawaii is encouraging Cebuano businessmen to invest in real estate there as the industry proved to be resilient when compared to other states in the United States.

“Real estate is very big in Hawaii and even with what happened last year, (the industry) has not gone down drastically,” said Rosemarie Mendoza, president of the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii (FCCH).

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Together with 50 other delegates, the FCCH is in Cebu for a business workshop as part of its two-week trade mission to the Philippines.

Property investing in Hawaii, Mendoza said, will be made easier with the Green Visa Program or the immigrant investor visa program. This will be available after Hawaii is identified as a regional center under the program.

As a regional center, Hawaii is allowed to receive investment bonds of interested investors, who will be given a resident visa in exchange of the bond.

The minimum investment bond is $500,000, which can be made by either an individual or a company.

“In Manila, we’ve received a number of inquiries on the program,” she said.

Ornaments

Aside from real estate, Mendoza said Cebuano furniture and Christmas ornaments can be exported to Hawaii as these are considered to be saleable there.

She said Pier One, a US-based furniture and home accessories store with an outlet in Hawaii, is known to carry furniture pieces from Cebu.

Businessmen from Hawaii are also interested in investing in jewelry products here, Mendoza said.

She also said that processed food also has a good potential for export to Hawaii.

Association of Food Industry and Manufacturers and Exporters (Afime) president Nelson Bascones said yesterday that Cebu-based processed fruit exporter Profood International Corp. is already exporting dried mangoes to Hawaii.

As one of the representatives of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry during yesterday’s workshop, Bascones also said the group also wants to push for sister-chamber ties with FCCH after it entered into formal ties with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.