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After holding their first inter-city trade mission, members of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) see the big potential for partnerships between businessmen from Cebu and Vigan.
A 23-member delegation to Vigan City in Ilocos Sur, northern Luzon, found out that Vigan could be a source of raw materials that local exporters in Cebu could use, said Cristina Lo, head of the four-day CCCI inter-city trade mission.
?Ilocos region has a lot of raw materials that we can use for our export like wood. We are also trying to assist each other when it comes to sophistication of food packaging,? Lo said.
Cebu businessmen also learned from the people of Vigan how exporters could present Philippine-made products in a way that expresses the unique Filipino identity.
?They also have a very strong identity and respect for heritage. If you know where you?re from, then it?s easy for you to present yourself as a Filipino,? Lo said.
Members of the trade mission were toured around the city?s heritage sites which showed them the history of Vigan.
Business matching sessions were held with the 32-member Vigan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) headed by its president Dr. Esperanza Lahoz and Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Vigan (FCCCV) president Cirilo Lao.
Edgar De La Cruz, Vigan City Tourism and Investment Promotions officer, had arranged the business matching session.
Lo said most of the members of both business chambers in Vigan were engaged in construction, hardware supplies, malls, hotel and resort operations, hospitals, real estate, restaurants, and distributors of longaniza and other meat products, antiques, and furniture, Vigan jars and tobacco.
?We see a lot things in common and we think we can use our partnership by sharing best practices especially in times of crisis like now when we are having difficulties in tourism,? she said.
The two business chambers in Vigan also signified their intention to join next year?s Cebu Business Month.
?They also see us as a model city and they are very interested to become partners in trading and want to learn more about how we manage our city to grow economically,? said Lo.
With the success of the inter-city trade mission, Lo said the CCCI was optimistic of conducting more in the future.
?What I know though is that CCCI will be doing a trade mission in Russia and China within the year,? Lo said.
MEETING
During Friday?s CCCI general membership meeting at the Marco Polo Plaza in Cebu City, CCCI president Samuel Chioson said a delegation from the chamber would be going to Russia on the third week of September.
During the meeting, the CCCI inducted 35 new members bringing its member base to at least 900.
The chamber also inducted its officers for 2010 to 2011.
They include Consul Samuel L. Chioson, president; Prudencio J. Gesta, vice president for finance and administration; Ed F. Limtingco, vice president for membership development; and lawyer Deolito Alvarez, the chamber?s legal counsel.
