Mandaue business cluster to step up global linkages

The Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) will start its aggressive international trade linkages this year, not just to help expand members' market reach, but also to promote Cebu as destination for business investments and tourism.

MCCI president Eric Ng Mendoza said that good foreign relations are necessary in forging trade links with business counterparts overseas.

Although the chamber had been active in participating international trade missions in the last couple of years, Mendoza said it is time for MCCI to initiate its own international trade missions this year.

"Instead of going to traditional markets, our goal is to diversify our reach, explore potentials and go to countries less affected by the global economic meltdown," Mendoza said.

This thrust is being pursued in order to sustain business amid the depressed world market, especially in big economies like United States, and Europe.

"We are going to seek greener opportunities this year [2009]," Mendoza said.

Last year, some of the MCCI members had been able to join some international trade missions in countries like Russia, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Qatar.

According to Mendoza, MCCI will still have to plan out its trade mission activities this year, and will find out what are the target countries to be tapped.

Mendoza described this plan, as exploratory trade missions, he said this will not only benefit the joining businessmen, but also to serve as chamber's way to promote Cebu as a destination, and showcase the province's dynamic economy amid the global financial crisis.

Last year, Mendoza, together with other MCCI officers and members joined the two-week trade mission to Moscow, Vladimir, and St. Petersburg in Russia, with executives from Cebu Provincial government led by Governor Gwen Garcia, academe, and other delegates from the private sector.

In October last year, representatives from MCCI also joined the four-day trade mission to Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia, to meet with local trade and government representatives there.

Also, the group participated a three-day visit to Taipei, last year in October, to check out the power facilities of Formosa and Global Business Power, two Taiwanese energy power providers which have ongoing partnership with Aboitiz Power to build a coal-fired power plant in Toledo City, in the western part of Cebu province.

Mendoza, who is also the head of the newly formed Philippine-Qatar Business Council, MCCI will also lead the active trade partnership between Filipino traders and Qatar-based businessmen to pursue tighter trade linkage between both countries.

Cebu had started a close relation with the State of Qatar some few years back, with the opening of the first direct flight from Cebu to Doha via, the Qatar Airways.

According to Mendoza, closer trade relations between Cebu and Qatari businessmen will be easier with the availability of direct flight here.

Mendoza hopes that more businessmen from Cebu would consider marketing their products and services to the Qatari market, in turn, more Qatar-based investments may be put in Cebu, like infrastructure partnership deals, among others.