Wednesday, July 16, 2008 Province pledges P2M for MBM; Jonas to give P1M for same event
THE Mandaue City Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) will receive P2 million from the Cebu Provincial Government in support of the city’s business month celebration in August.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia pledged the amount after the MCCI proposed that the Mandaue Business Month 2008 should be celebrated in tandem with the Province of Cebu’s Founding Anniversary.
This is the first time for the Provincial Government to extend financial support to MCCI.
Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes, on the other hand, pledged P1 million for the month-long Mandaue Business Month (MBM) that will kick off on Aug. 8.
Eric Ng Mendoza, MCCI president, said in a press conference yesterday, that the chamber will need a total of P8 million to finance all the activities planned for this year’s MBM.
The hosting of the 17th Visayas Area Business Conference (VABC) alone will account for P3.7 million, said Mendoza.
The VABC, scheduled on Aug. 15, is expected to gather 350 delegates from 16 business chambers in the three regions in the Visayas (Central, Eastern and Western Visayas).
MCCI will also be devoting one week in August to celebrate the 439th founding anniversary of the Cebu Province. The MBM will culminate on Aug. 30, which is also the charter day of Mandaue City.
Governor Garcia yesterday said her support is in line with the industry’s vision to make MBM 2008 “the biggest, most relevant and most significant” celebration in the entire history of the MCCI.
The MBM will begin with the Obra Negosyo Expo, which will showcase different products from 47 municipalities in Cebu.
There will be training sessions to be conducted by different government agencies and industry groups, like the Cebu Gifts, Toys and House-wares (GTH) Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation (CFIF) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
The 30 participants of the Countryside Enterprise and Business Upliftment (Cebu) program will also set up a separate booth to display their products.
Cebu is a program spearheaded by the Cebu Province and supported by MCCI through training and mentoring programs.
Mendoza said the knowledge gained by Cebu participants will be evident in the products they will display at the exhibit.
Since the thrust of this year’s MBM is also directed towards “creative approaches to accelerating growth,” Mendoza said the MCCI will also push for the upliftment of micro, small and medium enterprises, especially in the countryside.
MCCI is encouraging its members to go and do business in different towns and cities outside of Metro Cebu since there are a lot of opportunities there as well.
Other activities during the MBM are the first Cebu Car Club meet, Subasta sa Sugbo, Suroy-Suroy Urban Experience and the Chamber Management Meeting.
There will be some contests as well, like the Discover Cebu Writing and Blogging Contest and the My Business Idol contest, which will award seed capital of P20,000 to P50,000 to student entrepreneurs who can come up with the best business plan. (DME)
