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Monday, March 27, 2006
CCCI to continue IT, tourism thrust
NEWLY—elected Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) president Francis Monera has pledged to continue the chamber’s long-term promotion of the province’s information and communication technology (ICT) and tourism industries.
“ICT and tourism are two top industries where Cebu has competitive advantages and we are bound to continue our advocacy in promoting these sectors,” Monera said in an interview yesterday.
Monera said Cebu City remains competitive and a “popular brand” despite the result of Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Policy Center’s Philippine Cities Competitiveness Ranking Project last year. The ranking excluded Cebu City from the top five metro cities.
Cebu City will have to improve its infrastructure and utilities and cut down on government bureaucracy, AIM professors had said.
“I have no doubts, Cebu is competitive. But we can always agree that there is room for improvement. The AIM study should be taken constructively,” he said.
Monera also said CCCI will continue to build up small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
“The bulk of businesses, not just in Cebu but also in the country, are SMEs. They are the ones who create jobs,” he said.
Focus
Monera told Sun.Star Cebu the new CCCI leadership will focus on developing entrepreneurial skills of Cebuanos, improving the business climate and strengthening its partnership with the local and provincial governments in promoting its advocacies.
Monera was elected CCCI’s president last week and will serve a two-year term. He is the vice president of Ayala Land Inc., chief operating officer of Cebu Holdings Inc. and managing director of Cebu Property Ventures and Development Corp.
CCCI has close to 700 member—companies, from single-proprietorships, partnerships and Securities and Exchange Commission-registered firms.
CCCI’s immediate past president Robert Go, on the other hand, will now serve as Visayas governor of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He will represent and supervise the industry chambers in Region 7, comprising Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.
“My main task will be to strengthen the business community in the various cities and provinces of the region for a stronger voice and a united stand, especially in our pro-active advocacy for business competitiveness in the international arena, especially in the region’s two winning industries–tourism and ICT,” Go said in a statement.
He said “working towards the growth and strengthening of the new and smaller chambers of commerce across the region” will be among his thrusts.
With the establishment of more area-specific chambers of commerce, business and industry can rise by strengthening tourism in the localities and promoting ICT as infant industry in the provinces, Go said. (ALC)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (March 27, 2006 issue)
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Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here.
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