FOUR major business chambers in Cebu have begun forming a united front to push long-term reforms and strengthen the province’s industry ecosystems, seeking closer coordination on investments, manufacturing, tourism, agriculture and disaster response.
The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), Talisay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Lapu-Lapu Chamber of Commerce met on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, to align priorities and explore the creation of a coordinated private-sector coalition.
“This is a united initiative. The private sector has to bond together,” CCCI president Jay Yuvallos said in an interview. “We cannot remain fragmented if we want Cebu to build strong industry ecosystems.”
Chambers push ecosystem-led development
The four chambers agreed to pursue an ecosystem approach similar to models in Thailand and Malaysia, where government and industry jointly develop clusters of suppliers, training institutions and support services around key sectors such as car manufacturing, tourism and technology.
Yuvallos said Cebu must adopt the same strategy to turn existing strengths — shipbuilding, manufacturing, tourism, agri-food and the creative sector — into fully developed ecosystems that can compete in regional value chains.
“Ecosystems must be deliberate and intentional. We have to design programs that help small and medium enterprises become suppliers in these chains,” he said, citing Thailand’s supplier-acceleration program and Malaysia’s SME clusters as benchmarks.
In a separate interview, MCCI president Mark Ynoc said chambers are coordinating to consolidate a common policy agenda amid what he described as a “shaky and challenging” 2025 marked by declining foreign investment, soft tourism numbers and rising uncertainty.
“We have to be the voice in each of our cities, then consolidate and push for a proper package when we engage government and foreign missions,” Ynoc said.
Joint task force on disaster response
The chambers also agreed to unify ongoing efforts under Task Force Padayon Cebu, a private-sector initiative created to improve coordination in relief and rehabilitation during disasters such as earthquakes and typhoons.
“It’s not just relief. It’s about helping communities, especially small businesses, rebuild faster,” Yuvallos said.
The emerging coalition is expected to identify three priority sectors where Cebu can scale up quickly. Yuvallos named shipbuilding, manufacturing, and tourism/meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions as initial “winner industries.”
He said Cebu’s shipbuilding sector, supported by university-led training programs, already has the foundations of a value chain. Manufacturing hubs such as Mactan Ecozone and West Cebu Industrial Park can expand further through stronger supplier development. The tourism sector, he added, could boost competitiveness by improving standards in food handling, safety and local sourcing.
Linking education, workforce and industry
The chambers also discussed strengthening the academic-industry alliance, citing an ongoing pilot program with the Private Sector Advisory Council to expand on-the-job training for senior high school students.
“This is foundational for a true ecosystem,” Yuvallos said. “Industry must be involved in shaping the workforce.”
Yuvallos emphasized that the coalition effort is not meant to be dominated by CCCI but to serve as an open platform for all chambers and business groups. / KOC