Business chamber receives 2 awards

THE Zamboanga City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation Inc. (ZCCCIFI) bagged two awards for accelerating business growth and advocacy for the advancement of the business community in the city.

The awards -- Most Outstanding Chamber in Mindanao and the Most Outstanding Chamber for Advocacy -- were personally handed over by President Benigno Aquino III to ZCCCIFI president Pedro Rufo Soliven at the 37th Philippine Business Conference (PBC) held last week in Manila.

Soliven said the Most Outstanding Chamber in Mindanao award is in recognition of ZCCCIFI's commendable efforts in accelerating business growth in the city by its exemplary leadership and dynamism, strong advocacy program, good working relationship with government, increased membership base and effective delivery of services.

The Most Outstanding Chamber for Advocacy award, on the other hand, cited the ZCCCIFI for its highly commendable advocacy program in support for the advancement of competitiveness of the business community in this city.

Soliven said only the ZCCCIFI, which has a total of 145 members, won back-to-back major awards, beating the more established chambers in the country.

"This is a big honor for the city (of Zamboanga)," he said.

Soliven added that the ZCCCIFI's winning of two major awards is the first in the history of the chamber in Zamboanga City and the entire Zamboanga Peninsula.

He said the ZCCCIFI won the two awards due to the collective effort and the full support from the multi-sectoral group and other business groups that rallied behind and supported them in the different advocacies that benefited not only the business sector but also the general public.

The awards were signed by Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) chairman emeritus Miguel Varela, who chairs the 37th PBC Awards; PCCI president Francis Chua; and David Chua, chairman of 37th PBC and exposition. (Bong Garcia)