CCCI explores prospects in Latin America

CEBU, Philippines - About 30 members of the Cebu business community will be visiting three countries in South America this month, to forge closer partnerships with traders within Brazil, Argentina, and Chile.

Organized by the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), joining Cebuano businessmen hope to explore the fertile market in these countries, specifically in processed food (fruits), furniture.

CCCI president Samuel Chioson said the group also hopes to attract more investors from North American countries, while foreign capitalists are now looking at the Philippines as the good investment site for construction and mining.

This is the first foreign trade mission to be held by the Chamber this year, following its series of overseas business trips in the last few years.

The chamber is also working closely with the Cebu Provincial government in this venture, as Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia committed to fully support on this two-week mission, and will personally join the trip.

He said Garcia will sign a sisterhood agreement with Chile, a move that will be supported by the entire Cebu business community.

“We have scheduled the first foreign trade mission of CCCI to South America because there is a strong potential for local businesses here to tap the region’s booming economy,” Chioson said.

The event which is scheduled on November 22 to 26 (2011) also aims to touch base with the different business organizations in the three countries, in order to have sustainable trade linkages, Chioson said.

Chioson said Cebu can capitalize on South America’s beef products, while the latter can take advantage of Cebu’s agricultural products like fruits and such export goods as furniture, fashion accessories, construction, and mining, among others.

“Trade missions and business linkages with other foreign chamber counterparts help us to continue our efforts to become the engine of economic growth in Cebu by doing more advocacy programs that would benefit the entire province,” Chioson added.

CCCI is has recently won two major awards during the Philippine Business Conference and Exposition (PBC&E) last week – the “Most Outstanding Chamber of the Philippines” award as well as the “Most Outstanding Chamber in the Visayas” title conferred by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI).

Locally, the chamber is planning to hold trade missions in neighboring cities and provinces, like Davao.

This is part of the chamber’s advocacy to forge stronger relationship with the local traders across the country, as well as play as a “big brother” to smaller business organizations which need further guidance and direction.  (FREEMAN)